webusing

Webusing is a term used in information science and digital literacy discussions to describe the practice of using the World Wide Web as a primary source of information for research, learning, and decision-making. It involves locating relevant online materials, evaluating credibility, and synthesizing findings for later use.

The term blends "web" and "using" and is not tied to a single discipline. It emerged in the late 2000s in scholarly and educational contexts to describe routine online information activities, rather than a formal methodology.

In practice, webusing typically begins with a defined information need, followed by targeted search strategies, query refinement, and source triage. Practitioners assess authority, bias, currency, and coverage, and then organize notes and citations to produce a coherent synthesis.

Common tools include search engines, database portals, browser extensions for citation and annotation, and collaborative platforms. Digital literacy training often emphasizes source evaluation, plagiarism awareness, and ethical use of online content.

Webusing is used in academia, journalism, policy analysis, and consumer research to rapidly gather diverse online perspectives. It supports evidence gathering, trend spotting, and comparative analysis across online sources.

Criticism and limits include information overload, misinformation, algorithmic bias, and unequal access to reliable online resources. Proponents argue that with training in critical evaluation, webusing remains a flexible and scalable approach to learning.

See also information literacy, digital literacy, web literacy.