A Systematic Literature Review on the Usability Evaluation of Academic Websites

A Systematic Literature Review on the Usability Evaluation of Academic Websites

Website usability has been extensively researched across various sectors like entertainment, social media, and e-commerce. However, the higher education sector, particularly university websites, has not received as much attention despite their importance in providing crucial information to prospective students, parents, faculty, current students, and the general public. While some literature reviews have touched on website usability evaluation, few have specifically focused on evaluating the usability of university websites. Previous reviews have primarily emphasized aspects like evaluation methods. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review to shed light on recent studies in this area, offering valuable insights for university website developers, usability researchers, and higher education institutions. As a result, commonly identified usability issues include challenges with interface design, content, navigation, performance, and accessibility. The findings of this review can help educators and web developers improve the usability of academic websites and ultimately enhance the educational experience for students.