Information Seeking Anxiety: Background,Research, and Implications     

Muhammad Asif Naveed 《International Information and Library Review》2017,49(4):266-273

This research aims to provide an analytic and critical review of research on information seeking anxiety (ISA) with a view to inform the information professionals, especially those engaged in information literacy instructions about the existing situation. This study established the background of the proposed phenomenon, provided integrated analysis of the available research, and discussed the theoretical and practical implications of ISA on information services, especially information literacy instruction. Although the results from previous studies were not comparable, directly due to varied geographical contexts and research methods, it was nevertheless possible to draw some common conclusions regarding the users’ anxiety related to information seeking tasks. This review overwhelmingly indicated the manifestation and prevalence of ISA among students in the digital environment. Some personal and academics variables of students appear to be correlated with ISA. The results of reviewed studies indicated the necessity for a need-based information literacy curriculum for alleviation of anxiety related to students’ information-seeking tasks.  相似文献   

Pakistani University Library Web Sites: Features,Contents, and Maintenance Issues     

Muhammad Abbas Ganaee  Muhammad Rafiq 《Journal of Web Librarianship》2016,10(4):294-315

ABSTRACT

This study explores the current status and features of Pakistan's academic library Web sites. A checklist describing features and content was prepared based on a review of the literature related to academic libraries’ Web sites. Then, all 85 library Web sites of Pakistani universities and degree-awarding institutions recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan were surveyed and analyzed using the checklist. Interviews with library professionals were conducted to learn more about the problems and issues with building and maintaining library Web sites. Results indicate that Pakistani academic library Web sites have effective features such as contrasting color schemes, easily readable text, minimal use of horizontal scrolling, and English-language text. Staff information, OPACs, and navigation features are also widely found on the Web sites. Features found less frequently include the use of Web 2.0 technologies, Web site aid tools, information about library buildings, and general library information. By offering information about the status of Pakistani academic library Web sites, the study can serve as a foundation for discussion between libraries and other parts of the university, as well as a benchmark for evaluating the progress of academic library Web sites in Pakistan  相似文献   

Endophytes from medicinal plants and their potential for producing indole acetic acid,improving seed germination and mitigating oxidative stress     

Abdul Latif Khan  Syed Abdullah Gilani  Muhammad Waqas  Khadija Al-Hosni  Salima Al-Khiziri  Yoon-Ha Kim  Liaqat Ali  Sang-Mo Kang  Sajjad Asaf  Raheem Shahzad  Javid Hussain  In-Jung Lee  Ahmed Al-Harrasi 《Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B》2017,18(2):125-137

Medicinal plants have been used by marginal communities to treat various ailments. However, the potential of endophytes within these bio-prospective medicinal plants remains unknown. The present study elucidates the endophytic diversity of medicinal plants (Caralluma acutangula, Rhazya stricta, and Moringa peregrina) and the endophyte role in seed growth and oxidative stress. Various organs of medicinal plants yielded ten endophytes, which were identified as Phoma sp. (6 isolates), Alternaria sp. (2), Bipolaris sp. (1), and Cladosporium sp. (1) based on 18S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The culture filtrates (CFs; 25%, 50%, and 100% concentrations) from these endophytes were tested against the growth of normal and dwarf mutant rice lines. Endophytic CF exhibited dose-dependent growth stimulation and suppression effects. CF (100%) of Phoma sp. significantly increased rice seed germination and growth compared to controls and other endophytes. This growth-promoting effect was due to the presence of indole acetic acid in endophytic CF. The gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed the highest indole acetic acid content ((54.31±0.21) μmol/L) in Bipolaris sp. In addition, the isolate of Bipolaris sp. exhibited significantly higher radical scavenging and anti-lipid peroxidation activity than the other isolates. Bipolaris sp. and Phoma sp. also exhibited significantly higher flavonoid and phenolic contents. The medicinal plants exhibited the presence of bio-prospective endophytic strains, which could be used for the improvement of crop growth and the mitigation of oxidative stresses.  相似文献   

Politicization of bilateral aid and educational development in Pakistan     

Muhammad Ahsan 《Educational studies》2005,31(3):235-250

Increasing international cooperation and interdependence are important features of the contemporary globalized world. In the present age, foreign aid is a very peculiar type of transaction in the sense that its focus is to satisfy the objectives of the donor and the recipient, which are not always the same. This paper attempts to analyse the situation of US and British aid to Pakistan’s education sector. The role of international donors in the development of the education sector in Pakistan cannot be underestimated. They have been even more important for this developing country which has faced financial crises, particularly during the 1990s. These financial hardships faced by the country were mainly the outcome of the changed regional, political, as well as the geostrategic situation which also caused the change in the behaviour of international donors. It is especially true in the case of the USA and the UK where the aid to Pakistan was seriously affected by the changed situation in Afghanistan, political changes within the country, its nuclear programme and more recently the events of 9/11. This discussion reflects that the potential benefits of the aid were not reaped adequately due mainly to disruption and resumption of aid on the grounds of the geo‐political situation and strategic interests of donors.  相似文献   

Capturing the online academic reading process     

Muhammad Asim Qayyum 《Information processing & management》2008

Described here is a study of how students actively read electronic journal papers to prepare for classroom discussions. Eighteen students enrolled in a graduate course participated in this study; half of them read the documents privately, while the other half shared their readings. These readers were digitally monitored as they read, annotated, and shared the electronic (e-) documents over a course of several weeks during a semester. This monitoring yielded a comprehensive data bank of 60 e-documents (with 1923 markings), and 56 computer logs. Using semi-structured interviews, the reading, marking, and navigational activities of the participating readers were analyzed in detail. Under scrutiny were a range of activities that the subjects carried out. Analyses of the data revealed the types of markings that the users employ, and the ways in which those marking were placed. A derivation of the user-perceived functions of the marking structures was then carried out. The findings then lead to several implications for informing the design of reading and marking applications in digital libraries.  相似文献   

Buckling of thin-walled beams by a refined theory     

Syed Muhammad IBRAHIM  Erasmo CARRERA  Marco PETROLO  Enrico ZAPPINO 《浙江大学学报(A卷英文版)》2012,(10):747-759

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Popular Print Media as an Indicator of Public Opinion in Pakistan     

Naveed Shibli 《美中教育评论》2012,(1):20-25

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Information ethics in Pakistani librarianship: The role of online mailing groups     

Maqsood Ahmad Shaheen  Muhammad Arif  Muhammad Sajid Mirza 《International Information and Library Review》2012,44(2):65-71

This study examines the practice of information ethics of the members of the mailing group of the Pakistan Library Automation Group, called PAKLAGPK who participate frequently in the discussions on a variety of LIS ethical issues. The research uses both qualitative and quantitative methods, including a survey questionnaire to measure subscribers' prior knowledge about certain issues in Information Ethics (IE). The research also uses the content analysis method to investigate the information communication behavior of the subscribers over this mailing group.  相似文献   

Electronic resources and services in Pakistani university libraries: A survey of users' satisfaction     

Muhammad Sajid Mirza  Khalid Mahmood 《International Information and Library Review》2012,44(3):123-131

This study is an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of electronic resources and services in Pakistani university libraries on the basis of users' satisfaction. A survey method was employed to conduct the research. Using convenience sampling, eight university libraries; four each from Islamabad and Lahore including two from the public sector and two from the private sector having IT applications, were included in the users survey. The total population (i.e., 40,236) of library users was very large; therefore, a reasonable, manageable and convenient sample of 800 library users, including 100 users each from the eight libraries was selected. A semi structured questionnaire was designed to collect data, while a five-point Likert Scale from 1 (Dissatisfied) to 5 (Extremely satisfied) was used to measure the satisfaction level of the respondent. The study concluded that Pakistani university libraries are offering effective electronic resources and services to their users.  相似文献   

Off-Campus Postgraduate Students’ Perceptions About Distance Library Support Services: A Case Study of Allama Iqbal Open University Libraries Network     

Muhammad Arif  Khalid Mahmood 《图书馆管理杂志》2013,53(3-4):249-263

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to assess distance learning students’ perceptions about location and physical set up of libraries, collections, resources, and services rendered at thirty-four regional campuses as well as main campus libraries network of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) all over Pakistan. During the spring semester of 2007, a questionnaire was mailed to 250 randomly selected students enrolled in eleven postgraduate programs throughout the country. The response rate was 61.2%, which was made up of 43.1% females and 56.9% males. A majority of the respondents were dissatisfied with the virtual reference services, online database facilities, interlibrary loan, library membership, and borrowing of library material from the AIOU libraries. They were satisfied with the location and physical setup of the libraries, the collections, and the resources of the libraries. The study revealed that most of the respondents used the libraries during workshops as well as for research purposes. The statistical analysis (t = 0.550, Sig. = 0.970) showed that there was no significant difference between the opinion of females and males. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows version 10.0.  相似文献