I.J.

Modern Education and Computer Science 2012, 2, 23-30

Published Online March 2012 in MECS (http://www.mecs-press.org/)
DOI: 10.5815/ijmecs.2012.02.04

Gender Differences on Information Literacy of

Science and Engineering Undergraduates
Ting-ting LIU, Hai-bin SUN
Institute of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Taishan University
Tai’an, Shandong, 271021, China
E-mail:lttphd@163.com

Abstract—Information literacy (IL) forms the basis of recognize information needs and to locate, evaluate,
lifelong learning and plays very important role for students apply and create information within cultural and social
majoring in science and engineering. As far as higher
contexts. It empowers people in all walks of life to seek,
education concerned, gender differences to may influence
students’ academic achievements. In order to evaluate the evaluate, use and create information effectively to
gender differences on information literacy of achieve their personal, social, occupational and
undergraduates, we surveyed certain undergraduates using educational goals".[4]
self-made questionnaire. The data of the survey was The Association of College and Research Libraries
analyzed by SPSS. The findings of the study indicate that (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association
the gap of gender difference does exist in the sphere of (ALA), has been active in promoting IL. ACRL
information literacy. The result of t-test for two groups of
male and female students shows significant difference in published IL competency standards and guidelines for
terms of mean scores obtained in information consciousness, best practice in instructional efforts [5], [6]. The IL
information competency and information ethics tests. Competency Standards for Higher Education articulated
five standards which are divided into 22 performance
Index Terms—Gender differences, information literacy, indicators.
undergraduates, t-test ALA defined IL is "a set of abilities requiring
individuals to recognize when information is needed and
have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the
I. INTRODUCTION needed information".[7]
A. Definition of Information Literacy (IL) IL is now considered by several regional and
The term of "information literacy" (IL)was first discipline-based accreditation associations as a key
defined by Paul Zurkowski, the president of the outcome for college students [6]. IL is one basic
Information Industry Association, who used it in his existence skill, which forms the basis of lifelong learning
proposal to the National Commission on Library and and the key for students to become independent lifelong
Information Science in 1974. In the proposal, Zurkowski learner in information society [2]. IL skills must be
described information literate individuals as those who incorporated throughout all areas of school's curriculum,
are “trained in the application of information resources to not just in library orientation classes or isolated skills
their work” and campaigned for a national program to presentations [8].
teach the necessary skills, which would eventually yield IL is mainly shown as follow: ability to apply to
an information literate generation a decade later.[1] information technology tools; ability to obtain
In the information society, IL has become a necessity information initiatively; ability to review, collect, use,
for everyone; it forms the basis for lifelong learning [2]. deliver and exchange information; good coordinative
Everyone needs to use IL to make choices that arise every awareness and cooperation ability; information immunity
day. Over the past decade, IL has been an area of and information ethics cultivation; ability to use the
increasing interest to science teachers. information obtained to solve problems and carry out
IL has been defined in a variety of ways. The concept creative thinking activities. [9]
of IL has been promoted by library and information IL plays very important role for students majoring in
professionals for several decades. science and engineering, as they may touch various
information resources in the process of learning
The Prague Declaration 2003 stated IL encompasses
professional knowledge [2].
knowledge of one’s information concerns and needs, and
B. Suvey of IL
the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, organize and
In the spring of2000, 3309 students of California State
effectively create, use and communicate information to University were surveyed to acquire aggregate data to
address issues or problems at hand; it is a prerequisite for suggest a baseline of students' information competence
participating effectively in the information society, and is skills. The survey included demographic questions,
part of the basic human right of life long learning.[3] information scenarios and sets of questions scaled to
The Alexandria Proclamation on IL and Lifelong areas related to information competence such as library
Learning defined IL as "comprising the competencies to use, research process skills, achievement, presence of

Copyright © 2012 MECS I.J.Modern Education and Computer Science, 2012, 2, 23-30
24 Gender Differences on Information Literacy of Science and Engineering Undergraduates

reference materials in the home, and computer and media role in IL, and thirdly, to help teachers improve students'
literacy. [10] IL.
Ian J. Cole and Amanda Kelsey completed a self- B. Methodology
assessment questionnaire to examine a group of post- In order to understand gender differences on IL of
registered nurses’ knowledge and competence of undergraduates and establish the base for the practice
computer and IL. The results indicated that these students strategy promoting undergraduates' IL purposely, the
had deficits in both computer knowledge and IL. The self-made "Questionnaire of Undergraduates' IL" was
study also outlined the structural and functional used in the study. The questionnaire is mainly designed
difficulties that need to be resolved in the area of using from the definition of IL, and consists of 27 questions.
computers in education for nurses and midwifes. [11] Seven of the items reflect information knowledge, five
Ömür Sadiolu studied the IL skills of teacher reflect information consciousness, six reflect information
candidates. The findings demonstrated that the teacher ethics, while nine reflect information competency. The
candidates did not have detailed or accurate knowledge of questionnaire has both positive and negative items.
the subject and thus, they needed to be offered a course The survey was implemented in Taishan University,
on IL in the beginning of their undergraduate studies. and the questionnaire survey didn't note the names of
Analyzing in consideration of the genders, it was not investigated objects. For obtaining a high response rate,
found any significant differences in total between the questionnaires were distributed and collected by lecturers
teacher candidates’ IL levels. However, a significant in the course of teaching. The sample consists of
difference was found in favor of the male students freshman, sophomore, junior and senior undergraduates
regarding the skills of defining and evaluating who major in physics, communication engineering, optics,
information. [12] materials chemistry, electrical science, biological science.
Ma Feigcheng analyzed the current IL situation of All of the 360 questionnaires were returned, 344 (197
university students in Wuhan Area based on big-scale males and 147 females) of them are effective, the
statistical data. It reveals students’ characteristics in six response rate is 95.5%.
aspects respectively, such as information demands, In terms of the theory of Likert five-point scale (1 =
information source selecting and searching, the abilities very poor, 2 = poor, 3 = adequate, 4 = good and 5 =
and skills of information accessing, information excellent), responses to the survey items were coded and
evaluating and utilizing, consciousness of information graded. In order to obtain an accurate score reflecting IL
security and information ethics, and awareness of IL and in a single direction, we reversed the score of negative
situation of information education. [13] items so that all of the individual item scores lie on the
With regard to IL-associated psychological same scale with regard to direction. In reverse scoring,
adjustment problem of college students, Liang Canxing the 5 becomes 1, 4 becomes 2, 3 stays the same, 2
made a survey of4000 students．The results showed becomes 4 and 1 becomes 5. The findings were analyzed
that around 15% of college students is healthy in mental. using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS
The information collation capacity of 60% of students 13.0) for Windows computer software.
need to be improved．[14]
Wong studied the gender differences in attitudes III. FINDINGS
toward the usage of information technology (IT) related The evaluation of questionnaire reliability internal
tools and applications. The results support the view that consistency is possible by Cronbach's α, which is
computer experience is gender-based as the increase in considered to be the most important reliability index and
IT confidence over time assumed different patterns for is based on the number of the items of the questionnaire,
females and males. [15] as well as on the correlations between the variables [7].
Most of the studies surveyed the IL levels of students The Cronbach's reliability coefficient can be computed
by different methods. using SPSS by clicking the icons of
“Analyze→Scale→Reliability Analysis”. The Cronbach's
II. RESEARCH BACKGROUND AND SETTING reliability coefficient of this 27-item scale was 0.875.
A. Gender role theory Good tests have reliability coefficients which range from
According to gender role theory, prevalent gender a low of 0.65 to above 0.90.
stereotypes are culturally shared expectations for gender
appropriate behaviors. Females and males learn the TABLE I.
appropriate behaviors and attitudes from the family and DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS OF IL SCALE
overall culture they grow up with, and so non-physical Mean Variance Std. Deviation
gender differences are a product of socialization [16]. 69.50 163.466 12.785
There is evidence that boys tend to perform better than
girls on timed, competitive, external tests and girls work The average of the responses the all undergraduate
better on cumulative, non-competitive, school-based gave to the items is 69.50, see Table Ⅰ. Table Ⅱ gave
assessment [17]. the item means; it shows that the average score of the
This study aims, firstly, to survey the levels of undergraduates is centered on the "adequate" option.
students' IL, secondly, to examine whether gender plays a

Copyright © 2012 MECS I.J.Modern Education and Computer Science, 2012, 2, 23-30
 Gender Differences on Information Literacy of Science and Engineering Undergraduates 25

Table Ⅴ gives the descriptive statistics of the items for

TABLE II. the two groups of male and female undergraduates. The
SUMMARY ITEM STATISTICS OF IL SCALE result of t-test for two groups showed that they had
Mean Min Max Variance significant difference in terms of mean scores obtained in
Item Means 3.398 2.200 4.811 .634 obtain information by 13 items, such as search engines,
Item knowledge of literature retrieval, assembly computer,
.785 .369 1.321 .064 concern with information related to own subject,
Variances
Inter-Item determine information appropriate to the chosen topic,
.203 -.275 .794 .062
Correlations access needed information effectively and efficiently,
evaluate information, organize and store information, use
Information knowledge is the base of the IL. information in critical thinking and problem solving, use
Information consciousness is the sensitivity of search strategies efficiently, frequency on the internet,
information. Information literate students have sensitive skim harmful network information and use pirated
conscious of information in daily life. Information software with these p-values 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.015,
competency is the ability to recognize the need for 0.000, 0.001, 0.049, 0.003, 0.034, 0.003, 0.019, 0.000,
information, acquire, evaluate, organize, interpret and and 0.000 respectively.
communicate information. The information literate
students know why information should be used in a IV. CONCLUSIONS
responsible, culturally sensitive and ethical manner, and
understand how to accesses and use information ethically Acquiring IL skills at higher education is required
and legally. given the fact that lifelong learning has become a must
Table Ⅲ gives the descriptive statistics of the IL for and the information widely used in teaching, learning,
the two groups of male and female undergraduates. The training and research activities is steadily growing in
last column gives the standard error of the mean for each electronic environments [18].
of the two groups. The findings indicate that the total As seen in the study, reliable and valid questionnaires
average score of the male students is much higher than will enable higher educator to determine gender
females. The total average of male students' is 72.69 differences of IL. The internal consistency reliability
which have a standard deviation 12.481. The total coefficient of the scale is at an acceptable level. We can
average of female students' is 66.31 which have a say that the scale has good internal consistency reliability.
standard deviation 12.315. The findings of the study indicated that gender
In Table Ⅳ, the columns labeled "Levene's Test for difference had existed in IL.
Equality of Variances" tell us whether an assumption of The findings indicate that the total average score of the
the t-test has been met. If the Levene's Test is not male students are much higher than females. The two
significant (the value under "Sig." is greater than 0.05), groups have significant difference in total average.
the two groups are not significantly different, we can say The results of t-test for two groups showed that they had
the two groups have approximately equal variance on the significant difference in terms of mean scores obtained in
dependent variable. If the Levene's Test is significant information consciousness, information competency and
(Sig. is less than 0.05), the two groups are significantly information ethics tests with these p-values 0.000, 0.000
different. The column labeled "t" gives the calculate t and 0.004 respectively.
value. The column labeled "df" gives the degrees of The result of t-test for two groups showed that they
freedom associated with the t-test. The column labeled hadn’t significant difference in terms of mean scores
"Sig. (2-tailed)" gives the two-tailed p value associated obtained in information knowledge. The findings
with the test. demonstrated that male and female students have
The results of t-test for two groups of male and female mastered information knowledge equally.
students showed that they had significant difference in Teachers should minimize gender difference of IL,
terms of mean scores obtained in total scores, information using effectively teaching reform strategies to develop
consciousness, information competency and information students’ IL. To overcome this gap, teachers should
ethics tests with these p-values 0.000, 0.000, 0.000 and create more training opportunities to increase female
0.004 respectively. This implies there are statistically students’ IL, pay more attention to female students on
reliable differences between male and female students at information consciousness, information competency and
the 95% level. The results demonstrate that the levels of information ethics, and promote female students’ IL
male students were more successful in IL than female quickly. Teachers can performance and make necessary
students; could be explained that females are generally opportunity for female students to perform as the same as
more hesitant about using new technologies. males in classroom, curriculum and environment.
The result of t-test for two groups showed that they
hadn’t significant difference in terms of mean scores ACKNOWLEDGMENT
obtained in information knowledge. The findings The research is supported by the Shandong Education
demonstrated that male and female students have Science11th Five-Year Plan (2010GG042).
mastered information knowledge equally.

Copyright © 2012 MECS I.J.Modern Education and Computer Science, 2012, 2, 23-30
26 Gender Differences on Information Literacy of Science and Engineering Undergraduates

TABLE III.
STATISTICS OF IL
Gender N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean
Total scores male 197 72.69 12.481 1.012
female 147 66.31 12.315 1.134
Information knowledge male 197 20.04 5.785 .469
female 147 18.99 4.688 .432
Information consciousness male 197 15.63 2.872 .233
female 147 14.42 2.681 .247
Information competency male 197 26.33 4.757 .386
female 147 23.62 4.565 .420
Information ethics male 197 10.69 4.240 .344
female 147 9.27 3.674 .338

TABLE IV.
INDEPENDENT SAMPLES TEST OF THE IL
Levene's Test for
Equality of
Variances t-test for Equality of Means
95% Confidence
Interval of the
Sig. Mean Difference
F Sig. t df (2-tailed) Difference Lower Upper
Total scores Equal variances
.607 .437 4.194 342 .000 6.386 3.388 9.383
assumed
Equal variances
4.202 327.225 .000 6.386 3.393 9.379
not assumed
Information Equal variances
5.747 .017 1.601 342 .110 1.048 -.241 2.336
knowledge assumed
Equal variances
1.644 341.490 .101 1.048 -.207 2.303
not assumed
Information Equal variances
.371 .543 3.528 342 .000 1.208 .534 1.882
consciousness assumed
Equal variances
3.559 333.034 .000 1.208 .540 1.876
not assumed
Information Equal variances
1.460 .228 4.726 342 .000 2.710 1.581 3.839
competency assumed
Equal variances
4.751 330.303 .000 2.710 1.587 3.834
not assumed
Information Equal variances
2.594 .108 2.891 342 .004 1.420 .453 2.387
ethics assumed
Equal variances
2.943 338.731 .004 1.420 .470 2.369
not assumed

Copyright © 2012 MECS I.J.Modern Education and Computer Science, 2012, 2, 23-30
 Gender Differences on Information Literacy of Science and Engineering Undergraduates 27

TABLE V.
INDEPENDENT SAMPLES TEST OF ITEMS
Levene's Test for
Equality of
Variances t-test for Equality of Means
95% Confidence
Interval of the
Sig. Mean Difference
F Sig. t (2-tailed) Difference Lower Upper
Word processing Equal variances
1.507 .221 -.739 .461 -.080 -.295 .134
assumed
Equal variances
-.754 .451 -.080 -.290 .129
not assumed
Spreadsheet Equal variances
1.193 .276 -.453 .651 -.050 -.267 .167
processing assumed
Equal variances
-.460 .646 -.050 -.264 .164
not assumed
Microsoft PPT Equal variances
.005 .943 .712 .477 .084 -.149 .317
processing assumed
Equal variances
.715 .475 .084 -.148 .316
not assumed
Use Windows Equal variances
14.255 .000 1.420 .157 .175 -.067 .417
operating system assumed
Equal variances
1.464 .144 .175 -.060 .410
not assumed
Obtain Equal variances
.041 .840 3.802 .000 .458 .221 .695
information by assumed
search engines Equal variances
3.816 .000 .458 .222 .694
not assumed
Webpage making Equal variances
6.446 .012 1.706 .089 .205 -.032 .441
assumed
Equal variances
1.739 .083 .205 -.027 .437
not assumed
Use software or Equal variances
6.178 .014 1.444 .150 .183 -.066 .432
computer assumed
language related Equal variances
to own subject 1.476 .141 .183 -.061 .427
not assumed
Knowledge of Equal variances
.158 .691 3.991 .000 .532 .270 .794
literature retrieval assumed
Equal variances
4.087 .000 .532 .276 .788
not assumed
Assembly Equal variances
8.116 .005 6.900 .000 .898 .642 1.154
computer assumed
Equal variances
7.095 .000 .898 .649 1.147
not assumed
Concern with Equal variances
8.351 .004 2.389 .018 .232 .041 .424
information assumed
related to own Equal variances
subject 2.449 .015 .232 .046 .419
not assumed
Determine Equal variances
21.834 .000 4.318 .000 .378 .206 .550
information assumed
appropriate to the Equal variances
chosen topic 4.381 .000 .378 .208 .548
not assumed

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28 Gender Differences on Information Literacy of Science and Engineering Undergraduates

Access needed Equal variances

16.728 .000 3.459 .001 .319 .138 .501
information assumed
effectively and Equal variances
efficiently 3.516 .001 .319 .141 .498
not assumed
Evaluate Equal variances
1.951 .164 1.975 .049 .196 .001 .391
information assumed
Equal variances
1.979 .049 .196 .001 .391
not assumed
Organize and Equal variances
2.163 .143 2.990 .003 .304 .104 .505
store information assumed
Equal variances
2.977 .003 .304 .103 .506
not assumed
Communicate and Equal variances
1.217 .271 .739 .460 .072 -.121 .265
share information assumed
Equal variances
.746 .457 .072 -.119 .264
not assumed
Use information Equal variances
2.236 .136 2.135 .034 .211 .016 .406
in critical thinking assumed
and problem Equal variances
solving 2.144 .033 .211 .017 .405
not assumed
Use search Equal variances
1.310 .253 3.016 .003 .331 .115 .547
strategies assumed
efficiently Equal variances
3.067 .002 .331 .119 .544
not assumed
Frequency on the Equal variances
3.596 .059 2.351 .019 .257 .042 .473
internet assumed
Equal variances
2.394 .017 .257 .046 .469
not assumed
Read Equal variances
.065 .799 1.292 .198 .126 -.066 .317
specialized books assumed
and periodicals Equal variances
1.293 .197 .126 -.066 .317
not assumed
Use databases Equal variances
2.859 .092 1.195 .233 .135 -.087 .357
assumed
Equal variances
1.212 .227 .135 -.084 .354
not assumed
Attacked Equal variances
by hackers assumed .833 .362 -.619 .536 -.058 -.244 .127

Equal variances
-.624 .533 -.058 -.243 .126
not assumed
Login others Equal variances
computer illegal assumed 6.231 .013 -1.391 .165 -.115 -.279 .048

Equal variances
-1.419 .157 -.115 -.275 .045
not assumed
Skim harmful Equal variances
45.288 .000 -4.450 .000 -.405 -.584 -.226
network assumed
information Equal variances
-4.706 .000 -.405 -.574 -.235
not assumed

Copyright © 2012 MECS I.J.Modern Education and Computer Science, 2012, 2, 23-30
 Gender Differences on Information Literacy of Science and Engineering Undergraduates 29

Spread harmful Equal variances

10.042 .002 -1.679 .094 -.125 -.271 .022
information assumed
Equal variances
-1.747 .082 -.125 -.265 .016
not assumed
Divination by Inte Equal variances
.168 .682 -.128 .898 -.011 -.175 .154
rnet assumed
Equal variances
-.130 .897 -.011 -.173 .152
not assumed
Use pirated Equal variances
18.193 .000 -3.952 .000 -.538 -.806 -.270
software assumed
Equal variances
-4.120 .000 -.538 -.795 -.281
not assumed
plagiarize others Equal variances
3.507 .062 -1.591 .113 -.167 -.374 .040
article or book assumed
Equal variances
-1.618 .107 -.167 -.371 .036
not assumed

[10] Kathleen Dunn, “Assessing Information Literacy

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Copyright © 2012 MECS I.J.Modern Education and Computer Science, 2012, 2, 23-30
30 Gender Differences on Information Literacy of Science and Engineering Undergraduates

[18] Sofia D. Anastasiadou, Lazaros Anastasiadis,

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Applied Science and Technology, Vol. 1, No.1,2011.

Tingting Liu is a lecture in Institute of Physics and

Electronic Engineering, Taishan University. In teaching,
she has been focusing on theoretical physics.

Haibin Sun is an associate professor in Institute of

Physics and Electronic Engineering, Taishan University.
In teaching, he has been focusing on theoretical physics.

Copyright © 2012 MECS I.J.Modern Education and Computer Science, 2012, 2, 23-30