Dissertation Information for Sister Marie Laurine Cairns NAME: - Sister Marie Laurine Cairns
DEGREE:
- Ph.D.
DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science
SCHOOL:
- Florida State University (USA) (1972)
ADVISORS: - John Milford Goudeau
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: - Harold Goldstein - Daniel Wren - Gerald Jahoda
MPACT Status: Fully Complete
Title: FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTIVE ADMISSION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS IN GRADUATE LIBRARY PROGRAMS
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate admission policies and procedures of graduate library schools at the master’s level, to assess the factors or combination of factors which determine whether an applicant will be admitted or rejected. The primary focus was on differences in selection policies between American Library Association accredited and non-accredited graduate library programs. Only a few years ago, student recruitment was a major problem for a majority of library schools. As general university enrollments have grown and an increasing number of students go on to graduate and professional study, the problem has largely vanished. Enough applications are now received to make possible a higher degree of selectivity in admissions. Now it is not merely a question of choosing the qualified from the unqualified but of choosing the best from among those qualified. This study gathered data on how the problems relating to admission policies and procedures are currently being met in graduate library programs at the master’s level. Admission policies and procedures for sixth-year and doctoral programs were not included. The study was limited to the 55 graduate library programs accredited by the American Library Association and those non-accredited library programs listed in the latest edition of the American Library Directory offering at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit. Presentation of facts rather than recommendations was the greater concern of this study. The major hypothesis tested was that, other things being equal, there is no significant difference in degree of selectivity in admissions criteria at the master’s level between ALA accredited and non-accredited graduate library programs. Differences among public, private and Canadian institutions were also investigated. Data were collected first from a study of graduate school bulletins, graduate library school/department bulletins, application materials, newsletters and statistical compilations. A direct-mail questionnaire, designed to solicit four types of information: a) admission criteria, b)admission policies and procedures, c) evaluation of admission variables, and d) statistics of growth and retention, was sent to directors of graduate library programs. Data were analyzed by first determining a selectivity score for each item on the questionnaire. A total selectivity score for each respondent was obtained by summing the products of the ranks of the variables and their selectivity scores and averaging them over the number of non-zero items in each group. The statistical techniques of chi-square analysis, rank sum correlation, coefficient of concordance and multiple range comparison were used in analyzing the data together with the Biomedical Computer Programs BMDO1d and BMD025. The mean selectivity score calculated for the accredited respondent was significantly higher at the .02 level than that of the non-accredited respondents. There was no significant difference among selectivity scores for the public, private, and Canadian institutions. There was no significant difference between the accredited and non-accredited programs for the following variables: grade point average, baccalaureate degree, entrance examinations, health, age, and library science prerequisites. The difference in overall selectivity was found in these factors: personal interviews, letters of recommendation, foreign language, and liberal arts background.
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MPACT Scores for Sister Marie Laurine Cairns A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:03:53
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