Use of Online Citation Tools by Students and Research Scholars of Department of Library and Information Science, University of Delhi

Abstract

This paper finds out the citation management and the needs of students of Department of Libary and Information Science, University of Delhi, and how online citation tools fit into their academic and research process. The results indicate that all the respondents are aware of online citation tools and using them occasionally. EasyBib was the popular online citation tool among respondents. The survey results show that most of the respondents learned the online citation tools through department’s website. The main purpose of using online citation tools was for their academic/research work. Most of the respondents were accessing online citation tools from the Delhi University Computer Centre. They had not received any formal training for creating online citations. Simplified and easy bibliography and automatic creation of references list are two major benefits of online citation tools. The most obvious impediment is that they have never used the online tools before. Meagre respondents wanted training in using online citation tools for creating efficient references. The findings of the study will not only help the Library and Information Science students about knowing what a citation is and understanding the concepts of citation styles and formatting, but also help citation-related competencies and skills in recognising citations and understanding their functions in research.