Student information-seeking behavior in meeting Islamic information needs

Entering the information era, individuals should make access to high-quality information a must for all activities. Individuals now need information daily. Each person must acquire information to resolve the issues at hand. Information is the outcome of data that has been given meaning and has a specific meaning being processed. Additionally, information can be seen as a vehicle for acquiring knowledge through education and experience. Information is the primary means of sustaining and improving activities ranging from science to all facets of human existence. According to Fatmawati (2015), the demand for information arises due to uncertain circumstances and a gap in people, namely the gap between owned and required knowledge. The individual’s need for knowledge begins with him/her, and he/she is compelled to satisfy his/her desires. Essentially, a human’s information demands will never diminish; as long as the individual remains alive, he or she will experience issues that necessitate knowledge. The need for information on each person is motivated by various factors, including the necessity to conduct research, complete the task or profession, and the scenario under consideration. The need for information comes from an abnormal state of knowledge. Because information searchers want what they lack, there is a demand for something required. Seeking information demonstrates a need for more expertise about a specific subject, such as feeling unsure about a particular problem or subject. Human information demands are becoming more diversified in the digital age, and access to information can occur anytime and anywhere, according to the preferences of information seekers. Given the global population reaching roughly 7.9 billion people by 2020, according to Worldometer (2022) survey data, it is plausible that knowledge will be the primary source of consumption for all humans. Additionally, Indonesia is rated fourth as the world's most populous nation, with an estimated 260 million inhabitants in 2020. According to projections from the Central Statistics Agency and survey findings from the Indonesian internet Service Providers Association, approximately 210.026.769 million individuals with an internet penetration rate of 77,02% (APJII, 2022). Following these facts, the information cycle continues to evolve continuously with the growth of the global internet network. The growth of technology and information in Indonesia has significantly affected the acculturation of Islam, resulting in the emergence of several Islamic sects. Frequently experienced situations highlight the advantages and disadvantages of Islamic features, from disputes between faiths with disparate sects and ideas, often heatedly disputed in Indonesia, to cultural invasion, which frequently poses issues with Islamic law’s requirements. Students benefit from access to information through digital media, which enables them to receive information from all over the globe through the internet. For instance, many students utilize Google as a reference since it conveniently offers access to many materials, including religious content. Additionally, the Muslim community and students, in particular, are free to consume, create, and transmit digital material they obtain or learn. Libraries have even been created in Indonesia to help education and the media in their efforts to disseminate knowledge. Users of libraries, in this instance, students, are ever-changing. Collaboration between information managers and users is required to comprehend user information demands thoroughly because recognizing and expressing users' information demands is complicated, and even users often need help. The library constantly updates the information resources, content, and presentation. Given the number of Islamic institutions with a particular religious curriculum, it should improve students’ comprehension of Islamic knowledge for academic and non-academic purposes. Students can obtain information about Islam through various media and rely heavily on the library for Islamic religious education. Technology constantly evolving is often a catastrophe for the academic community if it is not intelligent in its information processing. Indirectly, the growth of cyberspace affects the interchange of data or information. Occasionally, the media purposefully disseminates inflammatory material about political matters, including religion, through information media. The advancement of information technology should be the primary element influencing students’ more sophisticated, critical, and logical thinking habits. Students must be able to organize and evaluate a variety of available information. Current advancement offers excessive convenience and knowledge, resulting in behavior changes when obtaining Islamic information. Online da’wah through YouTube, Instagram, and websites that carry online fatwas are becoming increasingly popular, particularly in metropolitan areas. As asserted Hatta (2018), the increase in religious websites and online communities highlights the presence of religious knowledge online. With all the amenities and advantages offered by the internet, it tempts individuals to move into cyberspace, which inevitably creates a cyber community. They desire immediate, fresh, realistic, and readily available Islamic instruction. This study aimed to evaluate students’ behavior in seeking Islamic information for academic and non-academic purposes using Wilson’s model analysis. People engage in information behavior when they define their information needs, seek information through a variety of means, and use or transfer the information they discover. The idea of information behavior highlights how people behave in relation to information sources and channels (Koh, Rubenstein, & White, 2015). The context of information needs, information seeking, and information processing and use (Ford, 2015). Information needs to take time to influence one’s search behavior. An activation mechanism variable is described as worry and tension caused by a lack of knowledge and self-efficacy, motivating a person to seek information. According to Nihayati and Laksmi (2020), a person’s psychological state, demographic situation, role in society, environment, and information source characteristics are all factors that affect how information needs are transformed into information behavior. These components will affect an individual’s success in achieving information demands. The Wilson model divides information search into four categories: passive attention, passive search, active search, and continuing search (Ford, 2015). Passive attention occurs when an individual does not aim to seek information but rather acquire it. Subsequently, a passive search occurs when someone searches for information but discovers other essential information. In addition, active search refers to a situation in which an individual is actively seeking information. Moreover, continuous search is a method of gathering knowledge being a continuance of an active quest for information to broaden one's viewpoints, thoughts, and values. Finally, if one’s information demands have been satisfied, information-seeking activity will continue with information processing and usage, a critical feedback component. Specifically, this research described the patterns of information-seeking behavior, the sources of information used, and the process of evaluating Islamic information by students at Islamic universities in Malang. The participants are UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Universitas Islam Malang, and Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang students. This study is based on previously published research deemed relevant. Destrian, Wahyudin, and Mulyana (2018) researched information-seeking behavior. The findings revealed that ginger farmers needed to believe they had gotten sufficient knowledge through agricultural extension and saw internet media as a valuable source of information on ginger farming. Farmers obtained agricultural information from internet sources such as Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, and agricultural specialists specializing in elephant ginger. Furthermore, Katavić (2019) investigated information behavior to identify the unique characteristics of rare illness patients’ health information behavior and their unique problems in seeking health information. The research utilized a qualitative approach with 15 respondents. It revealed that responders constantly sought and exchanged health information independently and continuously. In addition, Nurrahmi and Syam (2020) discovered that kids developed a skeptical attitude toward information they obtained through social media. However, most students needed more motivation and skills to check the material independently. Low self-efficacy has made the students hesitant, causing difficulty in verifying facts. The research revealed that students’ dominating behavior consisted of attention and passive seeking. Additionally, Safrawali (2021) noted that direct (offline) learning enables two-way communication, but online learning through social media is often one-way. This phenomenon enables many individuals, particularly those with limited space, to learn about Islam without physically attending specific recitations or forums. However, it often results in misconceptions about the lessons. The material accessed can comprise fragmented, partial, and nuanced information due to propaganda produced by several groups with specific goals. Septian, Narendra, and Hermawan (2021) researched to investigate the information-seeking patterns of the SWCU Library and Information Science Study Program students using Ellis’ theory. Based on the study results, respondents searched for information according to information-seeking behavior: starting, chaining, browsing, differentiating, monitoring, and extracting activities. Moreover, Purnama, Yusup, and Kurniasih (2017) researched to identify and analyze the relationship between military instructors’ information-seeking behavior and the learning outcomes of transportation briefing of the Indonesian Army in Cimahi. The result showed a positive relationship between information-seeking behavior by military instructors and the learning outcomes of transportation briefing. Subsequently, Hutapea, Ruslan, and Asnawi (2021) researched information-seeking behavior, concentrating on the format of the information source, specifically electronic journals. The findings unveiled that Library Science students followed Ellis’s information-seeking phases. They confronted several challenges while looking for electronic journals, including a frequently malfunctioning network, difficulty selecting keywords, the restricted content in electronic journals, low foreign language abilities, and adverts appearing in electronic journals. When comparing the eight research findings above, there are several distinctions and overlaps between them and this study. The resemblance is in the research focus, which is on information-seeking behavior. Meanwhile, the distinctions are in the study topic and object. This research described Islamic information-seeking behavior based on cognitive, affective, and physiological information needs. In addition, this study describes information search patterns such as passive search, active search, and continuous search of students seeking Islamic information at Islamic universities in Malang (UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Universitas Islam Malang, and Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang). The researchers are interested in investigating the behavior of obtaining Islamic information since other academics have yet to investigate it.

This research employed a qualitative method to generate and describe detailed information on the subject under study. Descriptive qualitative research explores the natural state of items and places a premium on meaning rather than generalizations (Creswell & Creswell, 2017; Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014; Sugiyono, 2016). Qualitative research analyzes and describes the present. This study also showed respondents’ attitudes, contradictions, relationships, and views. Qualitative descriptive research describes conditions without manipulating variables. Qualitative descriptive research emphasizes data collection and meaning. The researchers discussed the circumstances discovered by bringing up the study’s findings and not generalizing its conclusions. This research described Islamic information-seeking behavior based on cognitive, affective, and physiological information needs. In addition, this study describes information search patterns such as passive search, active search, and continuous search. The study was conducted from July to November 2021. The subjects were active students in Islamic universities in Malang (UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Universitas Islam Malang, and Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang). Moreover, this study focused on the behavior of obtaining Islamic information. The researchers assigned students to be interviewed as samples or primary informants. They were the primary players in providing data on how Muslims seek Islamic information. The sample criteria were determined using purposive sampling. This sampling method was adopted to ensure that the sample met all the requirements. The criteria for selecting informants were as follows: informants must be students at an Islamic university in Malang (UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Universitas Islam Malang, or Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang), and they must frequently search for Islamic information for academic and non-academic purposes. Nine informants were selected based on a study conducted earlier among students at three Islamic institutions in Malang. The following is a list of the informants’ general characteristics. Table 1 General information of informants Department University Bachelor’s Program in Mathematics Master’s Program in Indonesian Language and Literature Education Bachelor’s Program in Indonesian language and literature education Bachelor’s Program in Social Studies Education Bachelor’s Program in Communication Science Bachelor’s Program in Arabic language and literature Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Universitas Islam Malang Bachelor's Program in Social Welfare Universitas Islam Malang Bachelor’s Program in Islamic Religious Education Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang Universitas Islam Malang Source: Data processing results, 2021 This survey was performed by distributing questionnaires. The questionnaire contained the following variables: behavior prior to searching for information, behavior while searching for information, behavior while searching for information (source selection), behavior while searching for information (monitoring the latest information), selecting information, verifying the information discovered, and using the information obtained. The researchers selected and decided on the primary informants to be interviewed based on the survey findings. This study collected data using in-depth interviews. These interviews were conducted with all informants to elicit further information about their behavior regarding obtaining and using Islamic information. Researchers gathered references from prior studies relevant to the study issue along with interviews. Data analysis included data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion verification. The researchers assessed and classified the responses provided by the informants during the data reduction step (Sugiyono, 2016). The informants were determined based on the survey, encompassing active students at Islamic institutions in Malang. The researchers present the data in a narrative framework based on the theory used, including the behavioral pattern of Islamic information seekers, the sources utilized to obtain Islamic information, and the evaluation of Islamic information sources. At the conclusion drawing stage, the researchers returned to the formulation of the issue to ensure that the results obtained were consistent with the formulation of the research problem. This stage was aimed to clarify or depict the objective circumstances surrounding students’ behavior in seeking Islamic information. The researchers checked the data collected from each informant to determine its acceptability for use as study findings.

Each student has different information needs. Personal needs connected to physiological, affective, and cognitive needs impact creating information needs (Ford, 2015). Humans will always be aware of these three sorts of needs. Those attending Islamic-based institutions have distinct information demands than students attending other universities. Islamic universities teach more religious courses as part of the curriculum’s distinctiveness; for instance, the many religious courses offered by three Islamic institutions in Malang City. The hallmark of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim is the Ulul Albab curriculum. Prospective graduates should have firm faith and spiritual depth, moral grandeur, breadth of knowledge, and professional depth under the Ulul Albab philosophy. Arabic I, II, III, IV, History of Islamic Civilization, Theosophy, Quran and Hadith Studies, and Fiqh Studies are among the religious courses offered at UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim. Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan (AIK) teaching and education programs of Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang include AIK I, AIK II, AIK III, and AIK IV. AIK I is a non-recurring program that includes the Personality and Leadership Development Program (P2KK), Sunday Dawn Study (KAS), Quran Literacy Excitement (SLQ), congregational prayer responsibilities, and state defense activities. The content in AIK II is about aqidah and worship, the material in AIK III is about kemuhammadiyahan, and AIK IV deals with morals and muamalah. Universitas Islam Malang offers a religious education curriculum called Al-Islam and Keaswajaan Education. It consists of six semesters of Islamic Religious Education courses I through VI. Islam I–V comprise aqidah, morality, fiqh, ushul fiqh, keaswajaan, and NU. Islam IV places a premium on interdisciplinarity in each faculty (Sucipto, 2020). The range of Islamic courses offered to students will affect the material required to suit their cognitive demands. The nine students who volunteered to be informants in this research had varying religious knowledge comprehension. Some students attended Islamic boarding schools, others were communal recitations, and some came from many religious organizations but shared the Islamic qualities of their campuses. Meanwhile, students were constantly confronted with academic commitments, such as attending lectures or conducting research. It increased their demand for knowledge and compelled them to seek and collect pertinent information to fulfill their academic commitments. The findings implied that all respondents reported that they always need the information to complete assignments or conduct research in cognitive information demands, such as academic information needs. The interview findings revealed that students sought Islamic material because they wanted cognitive information to complete assignments on religious topics. The informant’s account corroborated it. “There are numerous academic tasks, there are Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan courses at UMM, and from childhood. I was used to living in the NU family environment, so there is a lot to learn and challenges. Therefore, I am pretty enthusiastic about continuing studying by browsing for many references” (W. Gampil, Interviewed, September 17, 2021). Another source added. “I needed information for a college assignment. At that time, I got a lecturer’s assignment to make a scholar’s biography” (H. Hikmah, Interviewed, September 17, 2021). Affective wants to characterize the need for information produced by anxiety, concern, emotional state, aesthetic experience, and pleasure. In addition to meeting academic and employment obligations, the informants claimed that their Islamic information needs were always tied to activities seeking entertainment, inner peace, self-peace, resting the mind, and acquiring religious knowledge to be implemented in everyday life. “I often seek information on how to read the Quran since I believe I am not proficient in reading” (Erdayana, Interviewed, September 18, 2021). In information behavior, physiological demands are perceived as the desire for Islamic information to earn income to meet life’s necessities. One of the informants worked as a freelance writer on the internet and print media; apart from his passion, he wrote to meet his daily needs. One of the informants constantly required a reference source while writing an essay to obtain ideas and substantiate the thoughts he authored. “From school to my Master’s degree, I was used to living independently; I worked as a freelance writer for my daily provisions. I wrote articles as requested by the office, sometimes the issues I raised were about Islam and multiculturalism, Islamic philosophy, or Islamic education, so I needed references for my writing material” (A. Mustaqin, Interviewed, September 18, 2021). The interviews with informants revealed that the behavior of obtaining Islamic information was context-dependent; informants had various information needs and religious anxiety. According to Whyatt, Witczak, and Tomczak (2021), the awareness of different information needs depending on the direction and text type may serve as a compelling argument for translation trainees to allot more time to the stages of the translation process, which require more time in online resources. Informants’ information demands were classified as academic and non-academic. Academic information was required to conduct courses and research. Meanwhile, non-academic information wants came from religious worry or work pressures. Demographic factors impacted how Muslims sought Islamic information. Due to the uneven distribution of information, people living in villages exhibited a different information-seeking pattern than in cities. Internet connection barriers exacerbated the digital divide. According to Fadilla (2020) the digital divide is the disparity in access to and usage of information and communication technology (ICT), as depicted by inequalities in age, gender, geographical region, and employment location. Space and place have played some part in the study of information behavior. They are primarily seen as aspects of a context within which information behavior plays out. Often, they are seen as constraints or limits, such as the impact of distance on access to information (Cox & Fulton, 2021). One of the interviewees, who lived in a hamlet outside Jambi, felt this impediment. He mentioned that internet connectivity in his environment needed to be completely stable, and electricity often went out, disrupting community activities. When he required information to finish his assignments, he was forced to search for signals to various locations, including oil palm fields. “In my region, the internet and electricity are often out of service. If one wants to use the internet, it is challenging to locate a signal, so one has to travel to the next area or the palm oil plantation, which significantly interferes with community activities” (Erdayana, Interviewed, September 18, 2021). The inequitable distribution of information and communication technologies has affected one’s capacity to grasp computers. One of the students perceived a deficiency in his capacity to learn technology more than other students, mainly when he initially went to college. “The first time I went to college, I felt clueless, so I had to learn to use a computer and access Google. For religious studies, when at home, I usually attended village recitations, rarely using the internet” (Erdayana, Interviewed, September 18, 2021). These interviews discovered that informants with restricted access to information and communication technologies exhibited a distinct pattern of information-seeking behavior. When seeking information for academic purposes, he must first learn how to use a computer and utilize search engines to locate information sources. The researchers discovered that psychological variables affect an individual’s information-seeking behavior. The findings revealed that spiritual concern influenced the choice to seek Islamic information. Several factors could trigger this anxiety, including inadequacy in understanding religious information, uncertainty about the lived beliefs, dread of death, guilt, and nighttime discomfort. Individuals suffering from such worry must seek information to regain their composure, confidence, and inner serenity. One of the informants depicted that she would immediately search for lecture details and listen to them through the YouTube channel containing a way of living based on Islamic principles as Adi Hidayat’s official YouTube Channel when she felt anxious. “When I remember death, I listen to Ustadz's lectures on YouTube, which calms me down” (S. Komariyah, Interviewed, September 20, 2021). It gave her a sense of tranquility and contentment. Distrust of a religious topic might also occur due to an awareness of one’s limits in acquiring and using religious knowledge. It also motivates people to seek information on addressing their difficulties and instantly put them into practice. “When I am not sure what the issue of menstruating women is, I immediately turn to the internet for information” (W. Gampil, Interviewed, September 17, 2021). Students often use internet sources of information in seeking Islamic material for academic and non-academic purposes. They researched scientific article reference sources like Google Scholar and scientific journal databases for academic purposes. It was uncommon for students who became informants to seek academic knowledge from library books. When seeking information for non-academic purposes, they turned to YouTube, Instagram, and online media portals. There were behavioral disparities between students attending boarding schools and those who were not. Santri (Islamic boarding school students) are more likely to seek information from literature, ask directly to the ustadz, or listen to the kyai's recitation. However, those without prior experience with pesantren rely solely on the internet for information. YouTube was the most often utilized medium for students to find Islamic information, such as studying tajwid and listening to Islamic philosophy studies, prayers, and lectures. When listening to lectures through YouTube, they chose channels from well-known clerics with an easy-to-understand communication style for today's youth, such as Abdul Somad, Zaidul Kabar, Adi Hidayat, Husen Ja'far, and Taqi Malik. Moreover, they used to utilize internet media sites to learn about Islamic law, such as marriage law or the law of leadership. Instagram was also the preferred medium for gathering information; Instagram's appealing aesthetic and enormous following affected people’s information behavior. The internet satisfied students’ information-seeking behavior; some students felt secure and content since the internet’s information sources included all information on Islam. They could obtain all information regarding Islamic law through the internet. There are four information seeking behaviors categories: passive attention, passive search, active search, and continuing search (Nihayati & Laksmi, 2020). When a person discovers knowledge accidentally, it is referred to as passive attention-seeking. All informants often mistakenly found material about Islam while utilizing internet information sources such as Google, YouTube, and Instagram. “Yes, I often typed in the keyword shalawat; many video suggestions appear about shalawat. I casually clicked, it happens to be good, and I enjoy it. So I often listen to it until now” (S. Komariyah, Interviewed, September 20, 2021). The filter bubble algorithm could be responsible for the rise of passive attention. This algorithm was first developed to facilitate content discovery on social media platforms, particularly Facebook, making promoting items based on their target demographic more straightforward. The bubble filter enables internet users to locate content based on their concerns and wants. Keywords entered into the YouTube search area will return videos with comparable content. For instance, if the phrase “law of the veil” is input, YouTube will recommend videos that explore the subject. This information recommendation will also surface in private browsers and on social media platforms maintained by third parties. Passive search is an unintentional search for information relevant to one’s information needs. The data demonstrated that informants often engaged in passive Islamic information-seeking activity, mainly while using social media. Informants could see this action while searching for Islamic content on Instagram. One of the informants accidentally discovered an Instagram video clip containing a study of Islamic philosophy. Since the study in the video clip caught his attention, he wanted to investigate further to find the original video. After searching, the video showed up on YouTube, and since the information suited his needs, he opted to subscribe to the YouTube channel. Other informants reported having a similar experience when utilizing Instagram. When a person is actively looking for information, it is called an active search. The results revealed that all informants engaged in active information seeking; they did not rely on a single source of information but must seek out many sources to ensure they got the needed knowledge. The continuous search seeks information to broaden one’s viewpoints, thoughts, and ideals. All informants reported that they should have utilized the information they discovered in the search engine when looking for Islamic content relevant to academic needs. Instead, they studied it by reading the title, the abstract, the summary, or the conclusion. Additionally, they searched the same subject across other sites and then compared them. If the material were relevant to their needs and persuasive, they would utilize it. Similarly, when informants sought information on religious matters, part of the material gathered on the website was described and compared to other sources, as reported below. “I found information regarding listening to haram music on the Internet yesterday, and I was fascinated. So, I searched for the legislation on the websites held by NU and Muhammadiyah, and then I compared the two points of view” (M. Dandi, Interviewed, September 17, 2021) Following-up search activities are necessary to compare one piece of information to another; it is necessary for the selection process. The sheer volume of religious viewpoints on the internet might confuse a person using search engines. A keyword search on a search engine will return hundreds, if not millions, of results unrelated to the user’s needs. When the search term “law wearing the veil” was entered into Google, 486,000 results were returned from various sources, including religious organization websites, da’wah YouTube channels, news portals, social media, institutional repository pages, and scientific publications. Because a plethora of information only sometimes makes people literate, it is required to be able to choose to seek out information relevant to their needs. Students must possess the ability to evaluate information sources. The results showed that students obtained academic information through Google Scholar and scientific article databases. Some students utilized websites, YouTube and Instagram, to satisfy their non-academic information needs, particularly while studying religious information. Other students received Islamic information through books and religious studies from kyai or ustadz. Students sought various information through websites, YouTube, and instagram to find answers to their queries, such as what is the correct sequence of Islam’s pillars? Is it permissible for a menstrual woman to visit a mosque and read the Quran? Is listening to music prohibited in Islam? Is smoking against the law? Why must Muslims pray and do fasting? What is the nature of leadership in Islam? How is it permissible to use the term “Christmas”? What are the rules for wearing the hijab? What is the best way to learn Tajwid? Why is it prohibited to consume pork? What is the law regarding the purchase and sale of cats? The demand for information on these subjects is coincidental; once people discover or hear about a presently famous problem, they instantly seek information online. Students can quickly obtain Islamic material from various perspectives, madzhab, or organizations through the internet. They can also directly choose one of the sources of information to address religious-related queries. The internet is deemed more efficient for searching for Islamic knowledge since the information they need can be searched and obtained. Additionally, the pleasant design of the website, YouTube, and Instagram entices students to check them constantly. YouTube’s notification and subscription tools are excellent for students to get the most up-to-date information swiftly. It corresponds to the informant's statement. “I prefer to study religion on YouTube because it is fascinating that there are subscribe and notification menus. So I do not miss any information since I always receive the most up-to-date information, and it makes me feel comfortable using YouTube” (W. Gampil, Interviewed, September 17, 2021). The internet is a viable option for looking for Islamic information since it is quick, simple, and visually appealing. For them, the internet could satisfy all their practical needs for Islamic religious information. They could study religious knowledge at any time and location without regard for spatial or temporal restrictions. Besides offering convenience, the internet also breeds uncertainty since not all information is accurate or valuable. As a result, the informants have gained an appreciation for the value of evaluating or validating information. They constantly verified the Islamic information they discovered by comparing it to other sources, conversing with people considered more knowledgeable regarding religious understanding, or even directly questioning the ustad, especially contentious information, such as the ban prohibiting Muslims from saying Merry Christmas to Christians. This subject is hotly debated each year, just before the Christmas season. In addressing the contentious problem, one of the informants verified the accuracy of the information by personally asking the ustad; this informant was, ironically, a student at an Islamic boarding school. “When I came across an Islamic issue that contained controversy. I did not dare to decide to believe it, but I immediately asked the ustadz because I felt that my knowledge of religion was still limited” (H. Hikmah, Interviewed, September 18, 2021) Several additional respondents who did not attend boarding school claimed they constantly analyzed information by asking or discussing it with people believed to have competent religious knowledge. They compared one source of information to others available on the internet. Previously it was said that most informants preferred to listen to lectures via YouTube, read fatwas through websites, or obtain da’wah information through Instagram. Regrettably, most informants did not provide further details on the sources of the information on these websites. Subsequently, the identification procedure is critical for determining the quality of the material generated and the creator’s reputation. The informants hesitated to ask the lecturer questions since the lecturer needed to provide discussion space outside the lecture issue. As a result, the informants did not select the lecturer as their primary source of Islamic information regarding everyday religious matters.

Research on student information-seeking behavior in meeting Islamic information needs resulted in the finding that the information behavior patterns of Malang Islamic tertiary students have diverse patterns. This pattern is characterized by passive attention, as evidenced by students who frequently accidentally discover Islamic information on search engine results pages, YouTube, and Instagram. Active searches reveal that students must consult many sources of Islamic information to ensure the veracity of the information found. Regular students defined passive search as finding Islamic content on social media by chance, yet the information is relevant to their requirements. Meanwhile, informants often obtain information online to study religious knowledge or discover solutions to contemporary religious challenges. They utilize websites, YouTube and Instagram, to do so. They assessed using internet information sources by comparing one source to another, consulting with religiously knowledgeable friends, and asking the ustad. When examining online sources of information, most students should have noticed the creator's background. The findings from this study can be expanded to other research on the same issue but with a more extensive research subject. Continuous search is defined as continually seeking Islamic information on similar themes from various sources to compare the substance of the information. Furthermore, sources of information students often consult in seeking Islamic information to complete academic assignments are books and journal articles found through Google Scholar.