International Students' Acquisition of Library Research Skills: Relationship with Their English Language Proficiency

This study examined international students’ acquisition of library research skills in relation to their English language proficiency. The experimental study involved 13 students who were studying English at the Florida State University Center for Intensive English Studies (FSU-CIES) during the 1987 Spring semester. Results of the Pearson Product Moment Test showed a moderate correlation (r = .43) between the students’ exit TOEFL scores and the posttest library skills scores. Other findings were: (1) The students mastered 80% of the material taught as measured by Shannon Entropy; (2) Lack of command of the English language, lack of selfsufficiency, and absence of the conceptual awareness of library research were major obstacles to comprehension of the material.