A student of the Library and Information Science Program, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Nadia Nur Azizah, has published a scientific article titled “The Relationship Between Information-Seeking Behavior and the Decision-Making Process of Swing Voters in the 2024 Presidential Election.” This publication was supervised by LIS Fikom Unpad lecturers Sukaesih and Encang Saepudin.
The research was conducted in Bandung with a focus on the information-seeking behavior of swing voters, particularly among university students who tend to be objective and rational in making political choices. The article was officially published in 2024 in Shaut Al-Maktabah: Journal of Library, Archives, and Documentation.
The study aimed to examine the correlation between information-seeking behavior and the decision-making process of swing voters in the 2024 Presidential Election. Swing voters are rational voters who remain undecided and therefore actively seek information to align with their goals or personal preferences before making a choice.
The research employed a quantitative approach using the Spearman rank correlation technique. Data were collected through questionnaires based on Ellis’s information-seeking behavior model, which includes the stages of starting, chaining, browsing, differentiating, monitoring, extracting, verifying, and ending. The study population consisted of first-time student voters from Fikom Unpad, class of 2023, with a sample of 89 students determined using a non-probability sampling technique through Slovin’s formula.
Findings revealed a significant correlation between information-seeking behavior and the decision-making process of swing voters, categorized as high with a positive relationship direction. In other words, the better the voters’ information-seeking behavior, the better the quality of their political decision-making. This indicates that the process of acquiring and utilizing information plays an essential role in producing rational and well-informed political choices.
This research is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and Goal 4 (Quality Education), by highlighting the importance of information literacy in supporting healthy political participation and better decision-making in society.
The full research article can be accessed at: http://media.unpad.ac.id/files/publikasi/2025/rpm_20250201075348_8160.pdf
Authors: Ridha Amalia, Nadziva Shaqeena, and Naresh Aurelia Berliana.
