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An empirical study of factors affecting the perceived usability of websites for student Internet users

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Abstract

This study analysed Student Internet Users’ (SIUs’) perception of Web usability. Adopting a user testing method, seven Web Usability Factors (WUFs) were tested for their significance in affecting the ease of use of website. Several elements in websites were also tested for their significance in affecting the WUFs. Result shows the most significant WUF is related to the aesthetic appeal of a website, i.e., Use of Colour and Font. However, it was found that most Web developers are not focusing on this important WUF. Elements such as site map, site search, product image catalogue and others were also found to positively affect SIUs’ perception of the WUFs. The results presented in this paper can be used as guidelines for designing usable websites for SIUs.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Multimedia University for generously funding this research. The authors also thank the SIUs who evaluated the websites and the personnel who assisted in the computer labs. Truly the whole-hearted collaboration from the different parties involved in this study has made the research a success. The authors also thank Prof. Martin G. Helander, Prof. Hall Hendricks and Dr. Kazutaka Kogi for their invaluable input during the presentation of the preliminary results in SEAMEC, 2003.

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Correspondence to Robert J. Nathan.

Appendix A

Appendix A

Table 31

Table 31 Number of websites per industry and unique websites evaluated in the study

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Nathan, R.J., Yeow, P.H.P. An empirical study of factors affecting the perceived usability of websites for student Internet users. Univ Access Inf Soc 8, 165–184 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-008-0138-8

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