Barriers in using digital scientific information by students - Approaches for developing their potential

The "Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund" has recently carried out a representa tive study on the use of digital scientific information. As a major result, the study shows that most students' information literacy is insufficient. Students consider the supply of digital scientific information to be confus ing. They feet unable to evaluate the results of their search for informati on. However, the internet is the most frequently used medium in searching f or scientific information. Although, the use of this medium rarely follows systematical rules. Many students confine themselves to simply "browsing th e net". University has not taught them how to use new media systematically. That is why they had to acquire this knowledge as autodidacts. The study c oncludingly suggests to - upvalue information literacy in universities' cur ricula; - enforce discourse between students by offering tutorials on digit al scientific information; - develop criteria in order to provide the stude nts with well-examined digital scientific information.