Rethinking Search: A Study of University Students’ Perspectives on Using LLMs and Traditional Search Engines in Academic Problem Solving

Md. Faiyaz Abdullah Sayeedi, Md. Sadman Haque, Zobaer Ibn Razzaque, Robiul Awoul Robin, Sabila Nawshin


Abstract
With the increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic problem solving, university students frequently alternate between traditional search engines like Google and large language models (LLMs) for information retrieval. This study explores students’ perceptions of both tools, emphasizing usability, efficiency, and their integration into academic workflows. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 109 students from diverse disciplines and conducted in-depth interviews with 12 participants. Quantitative analyses, including ANOVA and chi-square tests, were used to assess differences in efficiency, satisfaction, and tool preference. Qualitative insights revealed that students commonly switch between GPT and Google: using Google for credible, multi-source information and GPT for summarization, explanation, and drafting. While neither tool proved sufficient on its own, there was a strong demand for a hybrid solution. In response, we developed a prototype, a chatbot embedded within the search interface, that combines GPT’s conversational capabilities with Google’s reliability to enhance academic research and reduce cognitive load.
Anthology ID:
2025.hcinlp-1.5
Volume:
Proceedings of the Fourth Workshop on Bridging Human-Computer Interaction and Natural Language Processing (HCI+NLP)
Month:
November
Year:
2025
Address:
Suzhou, China
Editors:
Su Lin Blodgett, Amanda Cercas Curry, Sunipa Dev, Siyan Li, Michael Madaio, Jack Wang, Sherry Tongshuang Wu, Ziang Xiao, Diyi Yang
Venues:
HCINLP | WS
SIG:
Publisher:
Association for Computational Linguistics
Note:
Pages:
48–59
Language:
URL:
https://aclanthology.org/2025.hcinlp-1.5/
DOI:
Bibkey:
Cite (ACL):
Md. Faiyaz Abdullah Sayeedi, Md. Sadman Haque, Zobaer Ibn Razzaque, Robiul Awoul Robin, and Sabila Nawshin. 2025. Rethinking Search: A Study of University Students’ Perspectives on Using LLMs and Traditional Search Engines in Academic Problem Solving. In Proceedings of the Fourth Workshop on Bridging Human-Computer Interaction and Natural Language Processing (HCI+NLP), pages 48–59, Suzhou, China. Association for Computational Linguistics.
Cite (Informal):
Rethinking Search: A Study of University Students’ Perspectives on Using LLMs and Traditional Search Engines in Academic Problem Solving (Sayeedi et al., HCINLP 2025)
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PDF:
https://aclanthology.org/2025.hcinlp-1.5.pdf