Smartphone use by students for information seeking

Purpose - This study aims to investigate the use of smartphones by undergraduate students for information seeking. Aspects include frequency of use, purposes, types of activities, impediments and characteristic differences by grade point average (GPA), major or collegiate level. Design/methodology/approach - A questionnaire is administered to social sciences students, and 240 responses are analyzed. Findings - Students reported using smartphones most often for social networking or entertainment; accessing academic information ranked fifth among seven purpose categories. A lack of knowledge regarding smartphone use for academic information was commonly reported as an impediment encountered. The hypothesis that statistically significant differences in smartphone information-seeking behavior exist among students based on their GPA, major or collegiate level was partially supported. Research limitations/implications - Future research will consider the use of a more diverse sample of students comprising different disciplines and statistical modeling methods, which would indicate the magnitude and direction of effect for various academic variables. Practical implications - The results indicate a need for student awareness programs and an adaptation of library resources and services to accommodate smartphone technology. Originality/value - The results of this study contribute to the state of knowledge regarding the use of smartphones for information seeking. This knowledge will assist libraries and information-related institutions worldwide in accommodating and exploiting this technology and related behaviors.