Impact Factor : 6.225 
PAPER ID:IJIM/V. 10 (1)/97-105/14
AUTHOR: Lawrence Arumuru
ABSTRACT: Quality research output is vital for academic excellence and intellectual growth, particularly for undergraduate students in Library and Information Science (LIS). Factors such as originality, depth of analysis, methodology, ethical considerations, and resource usage significantly influence research quality. However, a decline in LIS students’ research quality has been observed, linked to limited research skills, poor ethical practices, and inadequate access to online resources.This study examined the relationship between ethical values, online resource availability, and research quality among LIS students. It aimed to assess gender differences in ethical values and research quality, evaluate the impact of online resource availability across institutions, and determine overall research quality. A correlational research design was used, involving 533 final-year LIS students from seven universities in Delta, Edo, and Rivers states, Nigeria. The total enumeration sampling technique was applied, and data were collected using the validated Ethical Values, Online Resource Availability, and Quality of Research Outputs Questionnaire (EVORAQROQ). Data analysis included independent t-tests, ANOVA, and descriptive statistics. Findings showed no significant gender differences in ethical values or research quality, though females scored slightly higher. Research quality varied significantly across institutions, with online resource availability positively correlated with research quality. Overall, research quality was rated fair, with weaknesses in research design and data collection. The study concluded that ethical values and online resource availability influence research quality and recommended strengthening research methodology training, expanding online resource access, and implementing gender-neutral research support policies.
KEYWORDS : Research ethics, Gender differences, Indices of quality research, Academic excellence, Correlation study