How Big is the World you can Explore? A Study of Chinese College Students’ Search Behavior via Search Engines

摘要

This study examines how Chinese college students in China and abroad seek information via two search engines, Baidu and Google. An online survey of 257 college students found Baidu to be more popular mainly because users were familiar with its interface, and preferred its extensive Chinese resources, while Google was exceptional in offering English results and contributing to global visions. Educational levels affected the kind of information students’ sought, their opinions on firewall and online censorship. The longer they studied abroad and the more educated they were, the more likely students would prefer Google to Baidu.