Do social networking sites enhance the research traits of college students?

Purpose Social networking sites (SNS) have become popular destinations for college students all over the world. The minds of the college students have been steadily taking over by the influence of social networking, and this can impact their ability for doing research. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to investigate the role of SNS in enhancing the research activities of the degree college students in the Srinagar district of Kashmir, J&K, India. Design/methodology/approach A survey method was used to conduct the study, and Cochran’s sampling formula was applied to select the sampling size. Data were collected with the aid of a well-designed and structured questionnaire using Google forms. Besides, the focus group discussions were conducted to get varied opinions. Findings The findings revealed that the majority of the students agree or strongly agree that SNS help them in interacting with researchers, reading research content, keeping them abreast of research articles, knowing research trends, developing research aptitude and facilitating logical thinking and reasoning. The study confirmed that SNS help in enhancing the research traits of college students. However, students have been cautioned to make proper and judicious use of SNS. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to the college students of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (India), and the results cannot be generalised across regions and countries. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study, being a part of PhD programme, is the original work of great value. It investigates the role of SNS in enhancing the research traits of college students and brings into light various hidden facts.