gender-based analysis of the use of social media and electronic communication methods by new entrants: with special reference to Faculty of Management, University of Peradeniya

Abstract

Social network sites are profile-based web sites that allow users to maintain social relationships by viewing, visiting, and sharing their lists of social connections w i t h other members (Boyd & Ellison 2007]. The objectives of this study was to study whether there is a gender-based difference in having access to Facebook, Twitter, Skype, e-mail, and Short Messaging Service (SMS) among the new entrants to the Faculty of Management (FM), University of Peradeniya and their willingness to communicate w i t h the library using these accounts. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire distributed among 149 new entrants to the FM, w h e n they registered in the library in February 2015. The response rate was 8 6 % and SPSS (Ver.13) was used to analyse the data.