Impact of academic degree on researchers’ information seeking behavior: Case study of Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute

Background and Aim: Usually, researchers who have different levels of academic degrees, are different in terms of specialized knowledge. Also, academic degree may affect the information seeking behavior of researchers. Therefore, in this study, the difference of information seeking behavior of researchers with different academic degree for “conducting the research” and “updating scientific information” was investigated. Methods: Survey method was used to conduct the research. In order to gather data, self made questionnaire was used. We have not sampled. In total, 140 researchers (70%), out of the 200, completed the questionnaires. Data were analyzed with descriptive and analytical statistics methods and were performed using IBM SPSS 22. In order to analysis the data, Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman's tests were used. Results: Findings showed that the use of “journal articles” (high and very high more than 90%) was a top priority of “PhD and master students” and “PhDs”. In order to access scientific information, “PhD and master students" and “masters/professional doctors” mostly used “communication and consultation with Iranian experts and researchers” (high and very high with 75%) and “personal experiences” (high and very high with 65%). While minimal use of “communication and consultation with foreign experts and researchers” (low and never with 56%) and “participating in foreign congresses” (low and never with 69%) was used by “masters/professional doctors”. Conclusion: Just in using the "journal articles" was significant difference in order to "update scientific information" and "research" (p<0.05). “PhD and master students”, compared to other levels of education, used “journal articles” more. While, in using the “communication and consultation with foreign experts and researchers”, “participating in foreign congresses”, and “personal experiences”, there was significant differences; So that, PhDs used them more than the others.