Bonnie Obeka Obande

This study examines the epistemological implications of the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in researches within the information age. Focusing on the particular case of Margaret Lawrence University, a leading research institution situated in Galilee, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, this study assesses the implications of AI-aided research and questions the integrity of AI-generated knowledge. Precisely, this study discusses the epistemological status of AI-generated knowledge by weighing the prospects and shortcomings of using AI in research. Also, this study explores a number of ethical considerations associated with AI-aided research, such as potential bias, digital piracy, and the risk of misinterpretation of results. Collectively, the Findings of this study reveal that although AI has great potentials for advancing research, it has far-reaching implications for the integrity of research. This study concludes by recommending a number of measures which can be employed to foster responsible use of AI in research and ultimately ensure research integrity in Margaret Lawrence University and elsewhere.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the Perceived effect of awareness and use of Open Access Journals by Library users for research efficiency in Margaret Lawrence University. Three hundred and twenty nine Library (329) users were selected in the study. A specifically designed questionnaire was administered to gather information about the awareness and use of open access journals by library users for research efficiency in Margaret Lawrence University. Data collected were analyzed using mean () and standard deviation (SD) to answer research questions. The Results revealed that library users of MLU are much aware of open access journals and to a high extent use open access journals. The study also revealed MLU library users faces a lot of challenges in the use of open access journals to promote their research efficiency. It was then recommended that there is the need to accept and acclimatize to the changing model of scholarly communication with particular reference to Open Access journals and University management should support Library users by developing an intrinsic drive for knowledge creation and publishing research output through internet subscription for use of open access journals.

The paper investigates the information needs and seeking behaviour of health workers in the rural areas in Benue state Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A total of four hundred and twenty-two (423) health workers with a sample of two hundred and six (206) health workers from general hospitals in 23 Local Governments Areas in Benue state was used for the study. The questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. A mean score cut-off point of 2.50 was used to determine a positive response. The study's findings revealed that Information on health workers, information on improvement of knowledge in health workers, information on how to support lifelong learning, and information on occupational hazards, among others, are the type of information needs of health workers in rural areas in Benue State. The use of the Internet, medical journals, nursing colleagues, consulting of doctors’ colleagues, medical libraries, and electronic databases like Cenahlete, amongst others are the channels of information provision for health workers in rural areas in Benue State. Lack of internet access, inadequate training of medical practitioners in the use of information, lack of current resources in the medical libraries, inadequate research on user study to identify information needs of health practitioners, and inadequate training of library and information professionals, are the constraints affecting information needs and seeking behaviour of health workers in rural areas in Benue State. The study recommended that the Information needs of health workers should be addressed to enable them to have access to information that will aid them, Channels of meeting the information needs of health workers for the treatment of disease should be made available by the government, health care centers, privates and well-meaning individuals as well as adequately equip with information resources to increase rural health workers access to information for treatment patients in rural areas. The government through the Ministry of Health, health care centers, and other relevant stakeholders should address the various constraints affecting information needs of health workers for the patients in rural areas in Benue state.

The study investigates the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of clinical health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in the rural areas in Benue state Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A total of four hundred and twenty-two (422) health workers with a sample of two hundred and six (206) clinical health workers from general hospitals in 23 Local Governments Areas in Benue state was used for the study. The questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. A mean score cut-off point of 2.50 was used to determine a positive response. The findings of the study revealed that Information on the care of patients with diabetics, information on improvement of knowledge in clinical areas on diabetics, information on how to support lifelong learning, and information on occupational hazards, among others are the type of information needs of health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue State. Often use of the Internet, medical journals, nursing colleagues, consulting of doctors’ colleagues, always use of medical libraries, and electronic databases like Cenahlete, amongst others are the channels of information provision for health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue State. Lack of internet access, inadequate training of medical practitioners in the use of information, lack of current resources in the medical libraries, inadequate research on user study to identify information needs of health practitioners, and inadequate training of library and information professionals, are the constraints affecting information needs and seeking behaviour of health workers for treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue state. The study recommended that the Information needs of health workers should be addressed to enable them to have access to information that will aid them in the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients Channels of meeting information needs of health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus disease should be made available by government, health care centres, privates and well meaning individuals as well as adequately equip with information resources to increase health workers access to information for treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas. The government through the Ministry of Health, health care centers, and other relevant stakeholders should address the various constraints affecting information needs of health workers for the treatment of diabetic mellitus patients in rural areas in Benue state.