Impact of research supervisors’ support on novice researchers’ competency: proposing an online information literacy module for research support

Purpose Supervisory guidance on students’ research journey is undoubtedly the most influential in conducting, completing and disseminating new outcomes to society. This study aims to investigate the effects of research supervisors’ supportive guidance on the output of novice researchers at the university level. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed-mode research approach, a survey was conducted to collect quantitative responses. Using convenience sampling, 104 research students (Honors fourth year and Masters) from Noakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh participated in the survey. An interview with research students (26) was conducted to get qualitative data about how much assistance they receive from their supervisor; and faculty members of NSTU were also interviewed to know how they supervise their students within the time frame. Findings The results of this study showed that the respondents gave their supervisor’s performance a very high rating, highlighting their clear communication, prompt reaction and helpful criticism. Supervisors’ mentoring is positively correlated with students’ information-seeking and sharing capabilities; research competency; research skills and maintaining research ethics. During their interview, they expressed their lacks in practical focus on research-related activities like advanced searching, data analysis, avoiding plagiarism and proper citations. Therefore, they recommended arranging several initiatives to overcome these. The faculty members emphasized initiating “Information Literacy (IL)” sessions for the research students, as within the time frame they faced difficulty providing hands-on training in all aspects. Practical implications The authors designed an online “Information Literacy” training module covering basic information and research skills for students’ smooth research journey. This research would be a worthwhile contribution to tertiary academia for productive research. Originality/value Students’ thesis, research supervision and IL are not new in academia. However, research attempts to show the relationship between supervisor and supervisee and the urgency of students’ IL skills before conducting field research are new in nature.