  The use of the internet, and in particular web browsing, offers many
potential advantages for educational institutions as students have access to a
wide range of information previously not available. However, there are
potential negative effects due to factors such as time-wasting and asocial
behaviour.
  In this study, we conducted an empirical investigation of the academic
performance and the web-usage pattern of 2153 undergraduate students. Data from
university proxy logs allows us to examine usage patterns and we compared this
data to the students' academic performance.
  The results show that there is a small but significant (both statistically
and educationally) association between heavier web browsing and poorer academic
results (lower average mark, higher failure rates). In addition, among good
students, the proportion of students who are relatively light users of the
internet is significantly greater than would be expected by chance.
