Applications of Social Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library Science

by Wildemuth, Barbara M.

• ISBN13: 9781591585039
• ISBN10: 1591585031
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-05-19
• Publisher: Libraries Unltd Inc
• More Book Details
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Summary

For many practitioners, "best practices" are often developed through significant amounts of direct experience. However, they can also be developed through the examination and application of research findings. By critically assessing existing studies within library and information science, both aspiring and experienced professionals can acquire a deeper understanding of available methods, as well as design more effective studies. With empathy and rigor, Barbara Wildemuth has created a book that mirrors the process of conducting a research study; at the same time, she exposes the reader to a wealth of competing and complementary techniques. Each chapter introduces a particular research method, points out its relative strengths and weaknesses, and provides a critique of two or more exemplary studies. Section One considers those research questions most often asked in the field of information and library science, and explains how they can arise from practice and direct observation or from existing theories. Section Two covers a variety of research designs, as well as the sampling issues associated with those designs: case studies, naturalistic research, longitudinal studies, Delphi studies, and quasi-experimental and experimental designs. Section Three moves on to methods for collecting data: surveys, various types of interviews, historical and documentary studies, transaction log analysis, diaries, and participant observation. It concludes with a chapter discussing the ways in which any of these methods might be combined for use in a particular study.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction
Using Research Results to Improve Practice in the Information Professions	p. 3
The Questions Asked
Developing a Research Question	p. 11
Questions Originating in Library and Information Practice	p. 21
Descriptions of Phenomena or Settings	p. 27
Testing Hypotheses	p. 33
Questions Related to Theory	p. 40
Research Designs and Sampling
Case Studies	p. 51
Naturalistic Research	p. 62
Longitudinal Studies	p. 73
Delphi Studies	p. 83
Quasi-experimental Studies	p. 93
Experimental Studies	p. 105
Sampling for Extensive Studies	p. 116
Sampling for Intensive Studies	p. 129
Studying Special Populations	p. 138
Methods for Data Collection
Historical Research	p. 147
Existing Documents and Artifacts as Data	p. 158
Transaction Logs	p. 166
Think-aloud Protocols	p. 178
Direct Observation	p. 189
Participant Observation	p. 199
Research Diaries	p. 211
Unstructured Interviews	p. 222
Semistructured Interviews	p. 232
Focus Groups	p. 242
Survey Research	p. 256
Measuring Cognitive and Affective Variables	p. 270
Developing New Measures	p. 278
Methods for Data Analysis
Content Analysis	p. 297
Qualitative Analysis of Content	p. 308
Discourse Analysis	p. 320
Analytic Induction	p. 329
Descriptive Statistics	p. 338
Frequencies, Cross-tabulation, and the Chi-square Statistic	p. 348
Analyzing Sequences of Events	p. 361
Correlation	p. 375
Comparing Means: t Tests and Analysis of Variance	p. 383
Conclusion
Putting It All Together	p. 395
Index of Authors of Examples Discussed	p. 405
Subject Index	p. 409
About the Contributors	p. 419
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