Stella Korobili

Bio: Stella Korobili is an academic researcher from American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. The author has contributed to research in topics: Information literacy & Information seeking. The author has an hindex of 10, co-authored 14 publications receiving 310 citations.

Exploring the information seeking behavior of Greek graduate students: A case study set in the University of Macedonia

Abstract: This paper describes a survey designed to determine the information seeking behavior of graduate students at the University of Macedonia (UoM). The survey is a continuation of a previous one undertaken in the Faculties of Philosophy and Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh). This paper primarily presents results from the UoM survey, but also makes comparisons with the findings from the earlier survey at AUTh. The 254 UoM students responding tend to use the simplest information search techniques with no critical variations between different disciplines. Their information seeking behavior seems to be influenced by their search experience, computer and web experience, perceived ability and frequency of use of e-sources, and not by specific personal characteristics or attendance at library instruction programs. Graduate students of both universities similar information seeking preferences, with the UoM students using more sophisticated techniques, such as Boolean search and truncation...

IT self‐efficacy and computer competence of LIS students

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the present study was to expand the knowledge of student computer competencies and IT self‐efficacy in two LIS departments in Greece.Design/methodology/approach – The participants in the study were students in the two LIS departments of the Technological Educational Institutes (TEI) situated in Thessaloniki and Athens, Greece. The survey was addressed to sophomores, juniors and seniors, because IT courses are taught after the first year of study. The instrument of the survey was a structured questionnaire comprising three parts, measuring a total of 48 variables.Findings – The levels of students' IT self‐efficacy is rather high, while the mean score of computer competence indicates a rather low level of perceived ability in using computers. Students were more competent in using e‐mail and Facebook, as well as using the internet for personal purposes. IT self‐efficacy and perceived computer competence were positively related to the frequency of use of certain electronic activities ...

Attitudes towards open access: A meta-synthesis of the empirical literature

Abstract: The aim of the present study is to report the results of a meta-synthesis of the empirical literature on scholars' attitudes towards Open Access (OA) journals. A total of 15 articles published in scholarly journals since 2002 (when the Budapest Open Access Initiative was released) were included in the study and five major themes emerged from their examination and analysis. The literature indicates that attitudes and perceptions of OA are varied across countries and across disciplines. Free access, which is perceived to facilitate wider dissemination of research outputs, is a strong incentive for publishing in OA. However, quality and reputation are the most important factors in selecting a journal and take priority over the availability of free access. Although OA is perceived to have many advantages over the traditional publication model, it raises some concerns too, especially in regard to the author-pays model, the quality of peer-review and the impact of the journals.

A Review of Exploratory Factor Analysis Decisions and Overview of Current Practices: What We Are Doing and How Can We Improve?

Abstract: Authors within the fields of cyberpsychology and human−computer interaction have demonstrated a particular interest in measurement and scale creation, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is an extremely important statistical method for these areas of research. Unfortunately, EFA requires several statistical and methodological decisions to which the best choices are often unclear. The current article reviews five primary decisions and provides direct suggestions for best practices. These decisions are (a) the data inspection techniques, (b) the factor analytic method, (c) the factor retention method, (d) the factor rotation method, and (e) the factor loading cutoff. Then the article reviews authors’ choices for these five EFA decisions in every relevant article within seven cyberpsychology and/or human–computer interaction journals. The results demonstrate that authors do not employ the recommended best practices for most decisions. Particularly, most authors do not inspect their data for violations of a...

Beyond the Usefulness and Ease of Use : Extending the TAM for a World - Wide - Web Context

Abstract: Ease of use and usefulness are believed to be fundamental in determining the acceptance and use of various, corporate ITs. These beliefs, however, may not explain the user’s behavior toward newly emerging ITs, such as the World-Wide-Web (WWW). In this study, we introduce playfulness as a new factor that reflects the user’s intrinsic belief in WWW acceptance. Using it as an intrinsic motivation factor, we extend and empirically validate the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for the WWW context. # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.