How today’s college students use Wikipedia for course-related research

Authors

  • Alison J. Head Research Scientist, University of Washington, Information School
  • Michael B. Eisenberg Dean Emertius and Professor, the Information School, University of Washington

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v15i3.2830

Keywords:

Wikipedia, information-seeking behavior, college students, digital natives, information literacy

Abstract

Findings are reported from student focus groups and a large-scale survey about how and why students (enrolled at six different U.S. colleges) use Wikipedia during the course-related research process. A majority of respondents frequently used Wikipedia for background information, but less often than they used other common resources, such as course readings and Google. Architecture, engineering, and science majors were more likely to use Wikipedia for course-related research than respondents in other majors. The findings suggest Wikipedia is used in combination with other information resources. Wikipedia meets the needs of college students because it offers a mixture of coverage, currency, convenience, and comprehensibility in a world where credibility is less of a given or an expectation from today’s students.

Author Biographies

Alison J. Head, Research Scientist, University of Washington, Information School

Alison J. Head, Ph.D. is a Research Scientist in the Information School at the University of Washington. She is a Co-Director and Co-Principal Investigator of the ongoing national research study, Project Information Literacy.

Michael B. Eisenberg, Dean Emertius and Professor, the Information School, University of Washington

Michael B. Eisenberg, Ph.D. is Dean Emeritus and a Professor in the Information School at the University of Washington. He is a Co-Director and Co-Principal Investigator of the ongoing national research study, Project Information Literacy.

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Published

2010-02-26

How to Cite

Head, A. J., & Eisenberg, M. B. (2010). How today’s college students use Wikipedia for course-related research. First Monday, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v15i3.2830