Student Use of the Internet

This article explores Internet use among undergraduates, especially at one public research university where researchers have studied students' self-reported Internet use for several years. Analysis of data from a survey administered to 490 undergraduates in Fall 2000 and a survey of 593 undergraduates in Fall 2003 revealed that Internet use is ubiquitous among undergraduates; students spend most of their online time using Instant Messenger and e-mail, surfing the Web, doing coursework and downloading things. Although males and females spend about the same amount of time online, some of that time is spent differently. At least ten percent of the students exhibit some problematic behaviors related to spending too much time on the Internet.