Factors associated with internet evaluation practices and levels of search success

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the factors associated with internet evaluation practices and levels of search success.

The respondents of the study were the college students enrolled during the second semester academic year 2013-2014 in Garcia College of Technology. Based on the total population of 2,625 college students, the derived sample size was 450.

Descriptive/correlational method of research using a one shot survey was used to determine the internet evaluation practices and levels of search success of the students.

The sample respondents were chosen using multi-stage sampling. Data were gathered using a researcher-made instrument.

The study revealed that majority of the students were female and taking up a business course. They were almost equally distributed among the different year levels. Almost half of the respondents used the internet in the internet café. They used the internet mostly for school purposes, and they primarily used word search strategy in finding information.

Students always evaluated the accuracy and validity of the information, while they only sometimes evaluated its authority, recency and reliability. They were very successful in finding information using the word and website search strategies, but were not often successful when they used the symbol search strategy.

It was also found out that the sex and year level of the students are not related to the venue, purpose and search strategy used. No relationship was also found between venue of use and search strategy used and course, but a strong relationship was found between purpose of use and course.

The study further revealed that regardless of sex and course, the internet evaluation practices of the students was the same. No significant relationship was also found between year level and accuracy, recency, reliability and validity but there is a relationship between authority and year level.

Sex and year level were found to be related to the levels of search success when they use the word and website search, respectively while the levels of search success of a student is not dependent upon their course.

The internet evaluation practice of the students were dependent upon the purpose of use in terms of authority and recency. Those who used the symbol search strategy always check the accuracy, recency, reliability and validity of the information. However, the internet evaluation practices of the students were not dependent upon where they use the internet.

Regardless of the place, the purpose and the search strategy used by the students, their level of search success is still the same.

The frequency of checking the accuracy and reliability of information using the word, symbol and website search strategies influenced level of search success while level of search success of the students using the symbol search strategy was not dependent upon the frequency of checking the authority of the information. It was further revealed that the frequency of checking the recency of information using the word and symbol search strategies has a bearing on level of search success. Moreover, the level of search success of the students using the word and website search strategies is dependent upon the frequency of checking the validity of the information.