Abstract: Planning is a gatekeeping strategy for deep searching and learning on the Web, which is crucial for real-world complex problem solving. This study makes an in-depth analysis of the online planning processes developed by two undergraduate students with different epistemic beliefs in the context of complex problem solving. Both learners developed three levels of plans: global plans, sub-plans, and immediate specific search plans. Within each level of planning, secondary types of plans were further identified. Comparison of the planning patterns between the two learners demonstrated both similarities and differences. Discussions are made about how these patterns relate to their epistemic beliefs and what implications the findings have for teaching the new literacy of online searching and learning.