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The Information Ecosystem of Students and Faculty at a Community College: Student Information Seeking

Oh, the places we go!

Where do students look for the information they need?

How do students choose the information they use?

  • Does it pertain to my topic?
  • Check 3 or 4 sites
  • Date published
  • Who published it
  • Trial and error
  • Compare the information on different sites
  • Who's writing it?
  • Where are they from?

Where did students find the information?

Information Diaries

Google

transfer office at QCC

Google

Textbook

Google → Wikipedia

Person in transfer office

Textbook

QCC course catalog

Person in advising

Class notes (didn’t have answer), textbook

Website

Google

Textbook (not enough info), asked librarian for help finding book

Person in financial aid (didn’t help), person in Single Stop

Google, QCC cafeteria, local pizzeria

Google

Library mobile site for hours (couldn’t find), person – asked friend

CUNYfirst

Youtube

mystatlab.com

Google → about.com

Blackboard

CUNYfirst

CUNY website

QCC website (couldn’t connect), person at Testing Center

Wileyplus

Textbook (from library reserve)

Person – immigration advice center

CUNY website

Person – Tutoring center

Person – business advice center

Person – fellow student

CUNYfirst

Wileyplus

Class materials on blackboard

CUNYfirst

Google – ask.com

Google – webmd, old pubmed article, Australian site

Google

Google

Google – ehow

Google – OWL, wikihow, easybib

Google – about.com

W3schools.com

Person – Art professor

Person – fellow student

QCC website

Person – peer suggested google drive

Person – Single stop

 

PLE Interviews

Google

Library class website

Google, then maybe lib databases

Gale, books

Google

Library databases

Google

Google → yahoo, wikianswers, khan academy

Google

Google → Free logo site

Google

Youtube, etc.

Youtube

Google

Google

Youtube

Youtube

Youtube

Masteringbiology (Pearson website for textbook)

Google

Textbookrush.com, bigwords.com (comparison site)

Google

Google

Google

Library databases (on phone)

Google scholar, library databases

Google (because it’s easier)

Youtube

Library databases

Google books, Google

.org or .edu (as per faculty instructions)

Google (used Library only when required)

Google

Library databases

Textbook

Tutoring center

Friends

Google

Purplemath

Youtube

Google