Enhancing Student Knowledge through a Customized Academic Software Guide: A Study in the Department of Family Welfare Education
Fatma Tresno Ingtyas (a*), Zulfa Nur Hanifa (b), Armaini Rambe (c)

a) Culinary Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Medan, Deli Serdang, Indonesia.
b) Nutrition Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Medan, Deli Serdang, Indonesia.
c) Fashion Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Medan, Deli Serdang, Indonesia.

Abstract

Effective use of academic software is essential for improving the quality of student research, particularly in multidisciplinary environments such as the Department of Family Welfare Education, which includes nutrition, culinary arts, fashion, and beauty programs. Despite its importance, a preliminary survey revealed that 68% of students lacked confidence in using software such as SPSS, Mendeley, and Zotero, primarily due to limited training and the absence of structured guidance. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a tailored academic software guide to enhance students^ research competencies. A Research and Development (R&D) approach was used, involving 60 students selected through stratified sampling, and implemented through modular tutorials and practice-based exercises. A pretest-posttest design revealed a significant improvement in students^ understanding, with average scores increasing from 56.2 to 84.7-a 50.7% gain (p < 0.001). Additionally, 91.6% of participants reported that the guide improved their ability to write scientific articles more systematically. The findings suggest that the developed guide effectively enhances student proficiency in academic software and should be adopted as part of institutional academic policy to support research productivity and digital literacy in higher education.

Keywords: Academic Software- Research Competence- Guide

Topic: Management and Educational Technology Innovation