Relationship Between Critical Thinking and Information Seeking Behavior on the Web in Postgraduate and Doctoral Students

Internet is a source of information for students. The information seeking behaviors on the web is related to several factors. One of these factors is the critical thinking. The present study aims to survey the information seeking behaviors on the web and its relation with critical thinking in postgraduate and doctoral students.

This is a descriptive survey study conducted in 2020. The study population consists of 230 students of postgraduate studies in Ahvaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences who were selected by stratified random sampling method. A researcher-made information seeking behavior questionnaire and the Persian version of California Critical Thinking Test: Form B were used to collect data. Data analysis was done in SPSS v. 26 using correlation test, linear regression, and independent t-test, and ANOVA.

The postgraduate students (Mean=3.40) spend more time and effort searching on the web for health information than doctoral students (Mean=2.96). The mean critical thinking scores of postgraduate (7.54) and doctoral students (7.14) were very low, and there was a significant difference between them (P=0.001). There was a significant relationship between critical thinking and information seeking behavior on the web (P=0.027). Based on the results of linear regression analysis, critical thinking could explain 15.7% of the changes in information seeking behaviors on the web.

Critical thinking in college students has direct relationship with their information seeking behavior on the web. Therefore, strengthening this skill can help students to better analyze the information retrieved from the web, evaluate them properly, and differentiate between valid and invalid information.