The Level Of Information Overload And Anxiety Among Undergraduates

ABSTRACT

This study looks at the level of information overload and information Anxiety among undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The study sought to find out the major causes of information overload and anxiety and possible strategies to control them. The research was guided by four research questions and descriptive survey was used as the research design. Also, random sampling technique was used to select 200 students as the sample size from four faculties. Simple mean method  was used for data analysis. The study revealed that the level of information overload among undergraduates when studying for exams, receiving lectures, doing a research project or an assignment is high. Also that the level of information anxiety among undergraduates in prioritizing tasks, effectively managing information and receiving information from different sources were also high, however they have low anxiety when making decision based on the obtained information and accessing needed information. The study further revealed that the major causes of information overload and anxiety are lack of information literacy skills, kind of tasks and responsibilities of the users, internet and emails, nature and formats of information. And that the possible strategy to managing information anxiety and overload among undergraduates were to acquire information literacy skills, use satisficing model of decision making, employ information pruning strategy, planning and prioritizing tasks before information search and effective time management.