Using References in Anatomy Course Assignments of Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the diversity of resources used by the 1st and 2nd year students of the faculties of medicine and dentistry during the preparation of their homework given within the scope of anatomy course, and to compare and evaluate their approaches to preparing homework based on the types of resources, taking into account the faculties and years of education.Methods: In this study, homework prepared by 1st and 2nd year students studying at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry in the 2020-2021 academic year was used.Resources used in assignments; Articles with two subgroups as articles in national and international indexes, websites containing four subgroups according to their domestic or international origin, privateor institutional preparation, Course material containing three subgroups as course book, atlas and lecture notes, and other classified under four main headings, including those who could not be included in the group. By comparing the data obtained, students' approaches to homework preparation were evaluated.Results: In the study, 404 homework prepared by a total of 304 students (187 girls, 117 boys) from 150 medical faculties (59 1st grade, 91 2nd grade) and 154 dentistry faculties (78 1st grade, 76 2nd grade)were used. In these homeworks, 756 (21.98%) were articles, 1751 (50.88%) were web pages, 842 (24.47%) were course materials and 92 (2.67%) were other. A total of 3441 sources were examined. Whenthe number of sources used by the students in their homework is examined, the first-year medical faculty students use the most articles, the second-year medical faculty and dentistry faculty second year students use the most web pages, and the dentistry faculty first year students use the most web pages. and used course materials as a source. When the data were compared, it was observed that medical school students used more international (p= 0.0001) and national (p= 0.003) articles than dentistry students. It has been determined that medical school students mostly use corporate websites (p= 0.0001). The use of course materials in homework is more in dentistry students (p= 0.035, p= 0.010).Conclusions: Providing information about evidence-based medicine practices in the early stages of education increases the use of this information. Medical faculty students use international and nationalarticles as a source in their homework more than dentistry faculty students. Dentistry faculty students use web pages and course materials more as a source in their homework than medical faculty students.