University Website Information Quality and Its Effect on Student Interest in Enrollment

Abstract

A university's website is often the first point of entry for a potential student to explore information about an academic program. If information quality (IQ) problems are encountered, that student may lose interest and apply to a different school. The purpose of this study is to investigate if a relationship exists between the IQ of an academic department's website and student interest in enrollment. To pursue this research, we used a survey to gauge student reactions to an academic program's websites by using the IQ dimensions Accuracy, Consistency, Completeness, and Timeliness. The survey was administered through an online game called Travian. Travian has over ten-million players where the vast majority is between 18 and 22 years old with most residing in the USA. Surveys were administered over a 30-day period through the game's forums. The results of this study showed there is a strong relationship between the information quality dimensions, an academic department's website and student interest in enrollment.