Application of Research Skills among Postgraduate Students in Terms of Problem Articulation and Literature Search in Universities in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the application of research skills among postgraduate students in terms of problem articulation and literature search in universities in Cross River State, Nigeria. The survey involved 60 completed M.Ed. theses purposively drawn from all vetted M.Ed. theses from the Faculties of Education in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Calabar; for 2014/2015 academic session, totalling 124. A 36-item postgraduate students’ research skills analysis rating scale (PGSRSARS), with an inter-rater reliability estimates which ranged from 0.73 to 0.87using Cohen Kappa’s method was used to collect data for the study. Data analysis technique adopted was the one – sample mean t-test. The result indicated that the research skills application by postgraduate students in faculties of education in terms of: problem articulation and literature search is significantly high. Based on the findings, it was recommended that all stakeholders in the teaching and learning of research, measurement and evaluation should device a means of making the teaching and learning of research skills more simplified for all students as this will help to improve upon their application of research skills.