The library and the web: Graduate students’ selection of open access journals for empirical literature searches

Abstract

This study provides a unique, longitudinal perspective on the selection and use of open access journals by graduate students enrolled in a regularly offered educational trends and issues course. Faculty expectations for this course are that students will conduct literature searches and use articles that are empirical studies from peer-reviewed journals, published within the previous ten years. Reference lists of 382 students were collected between 2005 and 2013, and reviewed for inclusion of articles from open access journals. Of 594 unique journal titles, 68 (11.45 percent) were available under various open access conditions. Findings suggest that graduate students are using both library collections and Web crawlers to satisfy literature search assignments when not directed to specific portals. Consequently, librarian knowledge of open access empirical literature may be of much value when providing resource instruction within the current information environment.