Uncertainty in information seeking behaviour in the virtual playground of Generation Y students at Stellenbosch University

Abstract

The article investigates uncertainty in the information seeking behaviour of a small sample of Generation Y students. Generation Y students have their playground in the virtual space of the World Wide Web which is an important part of their information universe. Advances in information and communication technology and the growth of the internet have had a profound effect on the information searching behaviour of Generation Y students. Based on Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process (2004), the study collected data using interviews, surveys by questionnaire and the examination of journal writings. The results showed that the Generation Y students who participated in the study experienced uncertainty. The article stresses the importance of skills to enable the evaluation of new information by Generation Y information seekers. The researcher recommends further research on the accommodation of uncertainty in the information seeking of Generation Y students. These students need to be able to complete all six stages of the Information Search Process. A higher certainty outcome is likely when the participants go through all the stages of the Information Search Process.