Contribution of Information Science research groups to academic education

Abstract

This research aims to understand whether the participation of undergraduates in research groups contributes to enhance the admission of students in graduate programs in Information Science (IC). This is a study with a quanti-qualitative and exploratory-descriptive approach. For data collection a questionnaire was used, which was applied to students from graduate programs in IC, who had participated as members in research groups during their undergraduate studies. For data analysis, content analysis was used, with the establishment of the following categories: a) Activities carried out in the scope of IC research groups; and b) Incentive and contribution of the participation in research groups for entering graduate studies in IS. The data sample is composed of 34 respondents. The results indicate that almost half of the research subjects come from IC graduate programs in the Southeast region, and point out that among the main activities developed in the groups are the participation in debates and discussions about the literature and the organization of events and seminars in the area. In regards to the perception about the contribution of the groups to their academic education, most of the participants affirmed that they had received encouragement from the group leaders to enter graduate studies and that this action happened mostly through dialogue and co-participation in scientific productions. It concludes that, as far as the perspectives exposed by the respondents are concerned, the research groups constitute as spaces of constant encouragement to scientific and social development, and the active participation in these environments contributes, above all, to the academic formation and to the entry into graduate programs.