Tracking Trends: Students’ Information Use in the Social Sciences and Humanities, 1995–2008

This study uses citation analysis to examine students’ dissertations and theses in history, psychology, and education, noting changes in research practices since the introduction of electronic journals and other online sources. Some findings challenge earlier studies, showing that students are making greater use of journal backfiles and that this trend may be driving them toward monographs with a wider range of publication years. While the disparate research styles between the broad categories of sciences and humanities and social sciences are generally understood, this study also shows significant differences among students within humanities and social sciences programs. However, all disciplines in this study seem to be invigorated by their access to electronic resources.