Google in perspective: understanding and enhancing student search skills

Abstract

This paper describes a study of undergraduate student search behaviour, examines the results through the lens of various disciplines, and provides new insights that will increase our understanding and facilitate the development of more effective instructional programmes. Perspectives and research results drawn from multiple disciplines are used to explore the role of mental models, reference groups and habits, and intellectual development in the search behaviour demonstrated by the undergraduate students. During interviews conducted as part of the study, many students were able to articulate the importance of source evaluation and describe electronically-appropriate methods for assessing the authority and reliability of Web-based information resources. In practice, however, these students frequently abandoned source evaluation altogether and, following the path of least resistance, relied exclusively on basic Google searching. This approach both compromised the quality of their search results and contributed to frustration with the research process. This may not be extraordinarily unusual behaviour, but it is cause for considerable concern among information literacy programme planners and instructors. Discussion of the study results and related research is followed by pragmatic suggestions for modifying ineffective search behaviour through enhanced instructional programmes.