Annoyance or Delight? College Students' Perspectives on Looking for Information

This study examined the ways that students describe how they look for information for a research project. Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of Intelligence was used to theoretically choose the statements that were sorted by the participants to determine the perceptions of the information-seeking process. Using Q methodology as the research strategy, three unique groups were interpreted from the data analysis and labeled Experienced Critiquers (students who compared information found on free Internet resources to databases), Technology Admirers (students who do not distinguish between free Internet resources and databases), and Extrinsic Motivators (students greatly influenced by additional external factors). Although most college students believe they know how to access scholarly information, the frustrations of the process lead many to settle for less scholarly resources.