The purpose of this investigation was to determine if UGPA, GREV, GREQ and GGPA predicted accuracy on a fact reference test among recent graduates of schools accredited by the American Library Association. / Directors of 42 library schools in the United States provided admissions and performance data about which hypotheses were presented. A self-selected sample of 244 was derived from a population of 962 reference librarians employed in public and academic libraries which held at least 100,000 volumes and employed at least four librarians. Data provided by the library schools on 91 percent of the nonparticipants indicated that no bias developed on the hypothesis variables of the sampling techniques. / Sixty-five independent variables were collected. The dependent variable was collected via a 12 question reference test. The mean correct response rate of 6.32 questions indicated that 52.73 percent of the reference questions were answered correctly. / Correlations indicated 22 independent variables useful for regression analysis, which resulted in a "best model" that explained 52.7 percent of the variation in the dependent variable. One hypothesis variable, GREQ, appeared in the model. Total correct sources available was the only size variable which predicted accuracy. Other model variables related to the reference librarian were the ability to name a correct source, the degree to which reference and bibliography courses were interesting, the hours worked on the reference desk weekly, years in reference work since earning the MLS, and the degree to which reference work was satisfying. / It appeared that hypothesis variables UGPA and GGPA were too restricted in range to predict test score. The GREV also was restricted in range with a tendency toward moderate to high scores. Variable GREQ, which regressed significantly against test score, had a more even distribution of scores along its range. / The primary conclusion of this study was that when library collections contain most of the needed answer sources, factors related to the librarian become important in determining whether correct responses to fact questions are obtained. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4188. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74608 |
| Contributors | BENHAM, FRANCES., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 283 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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