Undergrads More Likely To Use Web for Research
(U-WIRE) FULLERTON, Calif. Approximately three-quarters of college students are opting to use the Internet for their research rather than going to the library, a new study reports. Conducted by the Pew and Internet & American Life Project, the study was based on more than 2,000 surveys from undergraduate students at 27 U.S. colleges and universities.
According to the study, college students go on the Internet more than the general population. The report also shows that students who use the Web to do academic-related work use commercial search engines instead of the university or library Web sites.
Maria Hernandez, a Cal State-Fullerton business major, relies on the Internet when she does research because of its convenience.
"I have a computer at home, so I can just log on and start looking for information," she said. "Sometimes, I don't have time to go to the library."
Even though the Internet gives students instant access to information, it doesn't necessarily guarantee that all the information they find is reliable and relevant.
"A lot of people do go on the Internet [to do research] because it's right there, but it's not the most efficient or prevalent source," said Suellen Cox, head of the instruction and information services unit at the Pollak Library at Cal State-Fullerton.
The Internet is filled with so much information, that it is up to the students to distinguish whether the information is correct, Cox said.
"The burden of responsibility lies on the student," she said. "They have to ask themselves, 'Can I verify that the information is reliable or is it somebody's opinion?'"
Because more and more students are relying on information found on search engines, plagiarism has become a major issue. The study reports that many faculty members are concerned with the number of research paper bibliographies that include URLs.
To help students use the Web effectively for their research needs, some libraries offer different resources such as library survival workshops. The Pollak Library conducts over 300 library instructions in an effort to demonstrate to students the proper ways of doing research.
"Students now have more access to information," Cox said. "But it has also made things more complex. They have to have really good critical thinking skills to make sure what's accurate."
The Pollak Library also provides a checklist on the six criteria for evaluating Web pages: authority, objectivity, accuracy, currency, content/relevancy and aesthetics.
One of the advantages of going to a library is that somebody has determined what is important and what isn't. Therefore, students will receive accurate and up-to-date information, Cox said.
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