CLICK, SEARCH, AND LEARN: INVESTIGATING THE ONLINE INFORMATION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR

Abstract

T

his study investigates the online information-seeking behavior (OISB) of undergraduate students (final-year) at the University of Peshawar during the academic session 2024–2025. A quantitative research design was employed, using a structured questionnaire distributed to 523 students, with 315 valid responses analyzed, yielding a response rate of 60.2%. Stratified random sampling was applied by treating each faculty as a stratum and selecting two departments per faculty using the lottery method, ensuring balanced departmental representation. Descriptive statistics were used to assess behaviors. The most frequently used sources included special websites (M = 3.89, SD = 1.33), online course platforms (M = 3.83, SD = 1.29), and e-journals (M = 3.77, SD = 1.34). In contrast, Wikipedia (M = 2.69, SD = 1.59), Google Search (M = 2.18, SD = 1.56), and social media platforms (M = 1.64, SD = 1.26) were the least used. The top ranked purposes of using online information sources were finding quick facts (M = 3.87, SD = 1.17), completing assignments (M = 3.65, SD = 1.29), and learning new skills (M = 3.65, SD = 1.44). Preferred formats of online information sources included PDFs (M = 3.61, SD = 1.40), social media posts (M = 3.54, SD = 1.32), and recorded lectures (M = 3.40, SD = 1.07) available online. Major challenges faced were copyright issues (M = 3.37, SD = 1.25), lack of resources (M = 3.25, SD = 0.97), and load-shedding (M = 3.16, SD = 1.13). The findings underscore the need for enhanced digital literacy, infrastructure upgrades, and equitable access to academic databases to optimize students’ academic and research engagement.

Keywords: Online information-seeking behavior, undergraduate students, digital literacy, online resources, information challenges, and academic use.