University Students and the Internet: Information Seeking Study

This study explored university students' information needs and seeking behaviors on the Internet. A Web-based survey was administrated one time. Two hundred responses were received from the target sample within the two weeks period of the study. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and graphical representation. The study explored various issues related to the usability, preferences, and activities of the Internet, such as searching tools, e-mail, search engines, and preferred primary sources of everyday-life information needs. The study explored the perceptions of the students toward the Internet and the traditional library. Kuhlthau's model of the information-seeking process, which includes six stages and affective components, was utilized and modified in the construction of the Web survey. A study by Presno (1998), which includes the four types of Internet anxiety, was utilized in the construction of the Web survey. With regard to the six stages of Kuhlthau model, the majority of the respondents experienced stage 5, which was about information gathering; stage 3 had the next highest number of respondents. Very few respondents experienced stages 1 and 2. There was a systematic pattern in which, the earlier the stages the respondents were in, the more negative adjectives they selected, and vice versa. The feeling adjectives section showed a difference in the behavior between males and females. The results indicated that most students had Internet time delay anxiety. In general, the study found that students have a great interest in the Internet and consider it an important source of information for their personal, educational, and communication activities.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2001

Author dc:creator

• Shamo, Esmaeel

Contributors dc:contributor

• O'Connor, Brian Clark
• Hastings, Samantha Kelly
• Wilhelm, Ronald W.
• Copeland, Jud H., 1943-

• Internet searching.
• Information retrieval.
• College students.
• internet anxiety
• information-seeking behaviors
• information needs
• Internet
• Kuhlthau model

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Shamo, Esmaeel
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 49782451
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2745/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2745

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2745