Research Methods in Library and Information Science, 6th Edition / Edition 6

by Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Marie L. Radford, Ronald R. Powell

Overview

An essential resource for LIS master's and doctoral students, new LIS faculty, and academic librarians, this book provides expert guidance and practical examples based on current research about quantitative and qualitative research methods and design.

• Now in its sixth edition, the book provides new and updated content that is even more comprehensive than before and contains added sections featuring the voices of prominent LIS scholars, researchers, and editors

• "Voices of the Experts" text boxes provide researchers' advice on specific methods and identify what was most important or most valuable about using a particular method and software for analysis—e.g., NVivo, SurveyMonkey, and log capture

• Written by coauthors with extensive expertise in research design, securing grant funding, and using the latest technology and data analysis software

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440834783
Publisher:	Libraries Unlimited
Publication date:	11/30/2016
Pages:	478
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Lynn Silipigni Connaway, PhD, is a senior research scientist at OCLC Research where she leads user studies and the digital visitors and residents project.

Marie L. Radford, PhD, MSLIS, is professor in the Department of Information and Library Studies and director of the PhD Program at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information, New Brunswick, NJ.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

1 Research and Librarianship 1

Introduction 1

Definition of Research 1

The Assessment Imperative 5

Text Box-Publish or Perish: How to Boost Productivity-Answered by authors 7

Text Box-Publish More! Advice for Increasing Productivity-Answered by authors 8

Text Box-Blockbusting: What to Do When Writer's Block Strikes-Answered by authors 11

Getting Published 11

Collaboration 12

Time Management 14

Text Box-Top Time Management Tips for Social Media-Answered by authors 15

Overview of Previous Library and Information Science Research 16

Current Library and Information Science Research Environment 16

Research Methods in Library and Information Science 17

Recommendations for Future Research in Library and Information Science 19

Summary 22

Notes 23

2 Developing the Research Study 29

Planning for Research-Getting Started 29

A General Outline for Research 30

Literature Review of Related Research 30

Identification of the Problem 33

Characteristics of a Problem Suitable for Basic Research 35

Statement of the Problem 36

Identifying Subproblems 37

Placing the Problem in a Theoretical Framework 38

General Criteria for Basic Research 40

The Role of Theory in the Design of Research 42

Definition of Theory 44

The Formation of Theories 44

Testing the Theory 46

Text Box-Domain Assumptions of Research Jack D. Glazier 46

Research Design 60

Summary 63

Notes 64

3 Principles of Quantitative Methods 68

Formulating Hypotheses 69

Definitions of Hypothesis 69

Sources of Hypotheses 71

Developing the Hypothesis 71

Text Box-Your Questions Answered John M. Budd 72

Variables 73

Concepts 75

Desirable Characteristics of Hypotheses 76

Testing the Hypothesis 78

Validity and Reliability 80

Validity of Research Design 80

Validity in Measurement 80

Reliability of Research Design 83

Scales 85

Ethics of Research 86

General Guidelines 86

Guidelines for Library and Information Science Professionals 89

Ethics for Research on the Internet 90

Text Box-Behavioral Analytics of Socio-Mobile Data Vivek Singh 90

Scientific and Research Misconduct 91

Summary 93

Notes 93

4 Survey Research, the Questionnaire, and Sampling 97

Survey Research 97

Major Differences between Survey Research and Other Methods 98

Types of Survey Studies 98

Basic Purposes of Descriptive Surveys 101

Basic Steps of Survey Research: An Overview 102

The Questionnaire 106

Prequestionnaire Planning 106

Advantages of the Questionnaire 107

Disadvantages of the Questionnaire 108

Constructing the Questionnaire 109

Text Box-Your Questions Answered Keith Curry Lance 109

Distribution of the Questionnaire 126

Sampling 133

Basic Terms and Concepts 133

Types of Sampling Methods 134

Determining the Sample Size 144

Sampling Error 147

Nonsampling Error 152

Summary 152

Notes 153

5 Experimental Research 157

Causality 157

The Conditions for Causality 158

Bases for Inferring Causal Relationships 159

Controlling the Variables 160

Random Assignment 161

Internal Validity 162

Threats to Internal Validity 162

External Validity 164

Threats to External Validity 164

Experimental Designs 165

True Experimental Designs 165

True Experiments and Correlational Studies 168

Preexperimental Designs 169

Quasi-Experimental Designs 171

Internet-based Experiments 173

Summary 173

Notes 174

6 Analysis of Quantitative Data 176

Role of Statistics 177

Cautions in Using Statistics 177

Steps Involved in Statistical Analysis 178

The Establishment of Categories 178

Coding the Data 179

Text Box-Statistical Analysis Joan Luft 182

Analyzing the Data: Descriptive Statistics 183

Analyzing the Data: Inferential Statistics 188

Parametric Statistics 190

Text Box-Your Questions Answered William Harvey 192

Text Box-Your Questions Answered William Harvey 193

Text Box-Your Questions Answered William Harvey 197

Nonparametric Statistics 199

Text Box-Your Questions Answered William Harvey 200

Selecting the Appropriate Statistical Test 202

Cautions in Testing the Hypothesis 204

Statistical Analysis Software 205

Text Box-Your Questions Answered William Harvey 207

Analysis of Nonqualified Data 208

Summary 208

Notes 209

7 Principles of Qualitative Methods 212

Introduction to Qualitative Methods 212

Strengths of the Qualitative Approach 214

Role of the Researcher 214

The Underlying Assumptions of Naturalistic Work 216

Ethical Concerns 217

Informed Consent 217

Text Box-Sample Interview Consent Form 218

Deception 219

Confidentiality and Anonymity 220

Data-Gathering Techniques 221

Research Design 222

Establishing Goals 223

Developing the Conceptual Framework 223

Developing Research Questions 224

Research Design in Online Environments 227

Text Box-Investigating Young People's Information

Interactions in Social Media Leanne Bowler 228

Mixed Methods 229

Text Box-Mixed Methods Michelle M. Kazmer 232

Summary 233

Notes 234

8 Interviews 239

Individual Interviews 239

Conducting the Individual Interview 244

Telephone and Virtual Individual Interviews 246

Advantages of Individual Interviews 248

Limitations of the Individual Interview 249

Focus Group Interviews 249

Analysis and Reporting of the Focus Group Interview Data 254

Advantages of Focus Group Interviews 255

Limitations of Focus Group Interviews 256

Summary 257

Notes 258

9 Ethnographic Approaches to Qualitative Research 263

Text Box-On Ethnographic Research: How Do Students

Find the Information They Need?-Andrew Asher 264

Diaries 265

Advantages of Diaries 270

Limitations of Diaries 270

Observation 270

Advantages of Observational Research 270

Limitations of Observational Research 271

Unstructured Observation 272

Structured Observation 273

Usability Testing 277

Text Box-Usability Research Rong Tang 277

Analysis of Ethnographic Data 282

Advantages of Ethnographic Approaches 282

Limitations of Ethnographic Approaches 283

Summary 283

Notes 284

10 Analysis OF Qualitative Data 287

Data Analysis Tools and Methods 287

Stages in Data Analysis 289

Preparing and Processing Data for Analysis 289

Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) 290

Text Box-Using NVivo for Pilot Study on Information Practices of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and/or Questioning (LGBTQ) Individuals-Vanessa Kitzie 294

Strategies for Data Analysis 296

Grounded Theory 297

The Constant Comparative Method and Coding Data 298

Conversation Analysis 311

Discourse Analysis 312

Ensuring Integrity and Quality 314

Primary Techniques for Ensuring Integrity and Avoiding Analytic Bias 315

Conclusion: More to Learn on Data Analysis and Coding 317

Summary 318

Notes 319

11 Historical Research 324

Nature and Value of Historical Research 324

Chronology 325

Importance of Historical Research to Librarianship 325

Types of Historical Research 326

Sources of Historical Information 326

Text Box-Primary Sources Used in Historical Research for Librarianship Ellen Pozzi 328

Evaluation of Historical Sources 329

External Criticism 329

Internal Criticism 330

Basic Steps of Historical Research 330

The Hypothesis in Historical Research 331

Collecting the Data 332

The Presentation of Findings 333

Library History 334

Bibliographical Research 335

Systematic Bibliography 335

Descriptive Bibliography 335

Problems in Historical Research 336

Summary 337

Notes 338

12 Applied Research 341

Text Box-Geographic Information Systems in LIS-Bradley Wade Bishop 342

Action Research 343

Evidence-based Research 344

Research in Technological Innovation 345

Text Box-Log Analysis Bernard J. (Jim) Jansen 348

Text Box-Text Mining Michael Seadle 350

Evaluative Research and Assessment 350

Text Box-Assessment Evaluations Danuta A. Nitecki 355

Delphi Study 356

Bibliometries 357

Text Box-Social Tagging Melissa Adler 358

Comparative Librarianship 360

Summary 360

Notes 361

13 Writing the Research Proposal 371

Value of Research Proposals 371

Organization and Content of a Typical Proposal 372

Title Page 372

Abstract 373

Table of Contents 373

Introduction and Statement of the Problem 373

The Literature Review of Related Research 377

Text Box-Your Questions Answered-Answered by the authors 378

Research Design 378

Institutional Resources 380

Personnel 380

Budget 380

Anticipated Results 385

Evaluation Plan 385

Limitations of the Study 385

Back Matter 385

The Dissertation Proposal: Further Guidance 386

Text Box-Content of a Proposal for a Thesis or Any Research Project and Summary of Questions to Be Answered Tefko Saracevic 386

Characteristics of a Good Proposal 387

Features That Detract from a Proposal 388

Obtaining Funding for Library and Information Science Research 390

Text Box-Grant Reviewers: What Are They Looking For? Mary L. Chute 392

Summary 394

Notes 394

14 Written and Oral Presentation of the Research Report 397

General Objectives of the Research Report 398

General Outline of the Research Report 398

The Preliminaries/Front Matter 398

The Text 399

Back Matter 400

Guidelines for Organizing and Presenting the Research Report 400

Organization of the Report 400

Evaluating the Research Report 403

Suggested Criteria for Judging a Research Report 403

Text Box-Editor's Advicez Diane Zabel 405

Text Box-Editor's Advice Elke Greifeneder 407

Publishing Research Results 408

Text Box-Editor's Advice John Budd 410

Text Box-Editor's Advice Blaise Cronin 412

Summary 413

Notes 413

References 417

Author Index 457

Subject Index 464