Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate research practices of graduoJe sbldenJJ in state and federal universities in South East Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design. Four research objectives. four research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study comprised 5,465 graduate students who used the libraries of the universities at the time of the study. The sample size of the study is 556 which was derfred UUYJllgh a multistage sampling technique. Proportionate sampling technique was employed to select a sample size from each of the institutions. while simple random sampling technique was used to select the actual respondents in each institution. The responses of the respondents were elicited by tire use of a researcher-developed questionnaire. Simple percentage, frequency counts and mean values were wed for data analysis. while the research questions formed the basis for data analysis. The hypothesis was tested using t-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance. Results from the analysis of data and testing of hypothesis revealed that unhealthy research practices of graduate students were more prevalent in state univeroties than federal universities. It also revealed some unhealthy research practices of graduate students such as plagiarism, reasons for such practices and its effects on both the universities and the students. The study suggested way-~: s 0 , or-prev,, ent mg unheal • thy researucsh pra_ ctices of graadduu ate stuudtee. nts ·tto o l1I include institutional funding of 8aduate research, and more practical instructions on research literacy among others.