Abstract:

Students today are adept with using technologies as well as multiple digital academic resources and platforms to facilitate their writing process. However, there seems to be continued and persistent ambivalence regarding the use of referencing management software (Salem & Fehrmann, 2013) for undergraduate students. The aim of this presentation is to approach the different ways students develop their referencing skills during their university studies. Specifically, the use of referencing software in connection with their technical skills, their self-efficacy skills, and their problem solving skills.

Data collection was done fall 2017 by contacting students from six different universities in Quebec via email. After receiving the invitation to participate, students could follow the link directly to the online questionnaire available through LimeSurvey. The online questionnaire was made up of 66 items. We will present the results of quantitative analysis regarding participants who completed both demographic data (n=10) as well as referencing skills data (n=9). The results of 799 university students were analyzed. Preliminary results seem to demonstrate a link between the number of years spent in university and referencing skills.

A comparative analysis indicates that the use of referencing software is significantly more frequent (p < 0.001) among participants who attended university four years or more compared to those who had between zero and three years completed. Because of this more frequent experience with software, participants with more than four years of university have a higher personal self-efficacy skill perception than their colleagues with fewer than 3 years of completed university. Thus, the referencing skills of less experienced students seem to be less developed, perhaps due to the fact that managing several sources for assignments is not yet needed in the early academic years. Students who are starting to get used to this software explain why they are more likely to consult library services or online resources in connection with their referencing questions. As for their self-efficacy skills, these develop slowly during their university career, but tend to increase over the years. Finally, problem-solving skills related to referencing software seem to be present at all stages of the academic journey.

Thus, it would be beneficial for students to start using referencing software right from their first year of university to practice their referencing skills throughout their studies. This could also prevent them from plagiarizing accidently because of these lack of skills.

Keywords:

Reference, referencing skills, management software, referencing software, university students, self-efficacy skills, technical skills, problem-solving skills.