Introduction

Research in the library and information profession is about identifying, creating or answering new hypothesis and theories related to the LIS world, choosing the appropriate research methods for data collection, designing a research study, synthesizing what past professionals have already done related to this question, and evaluating the data I collect to add to and further the field of information science. I must take a holistic approach to evaluating services and programs with the final goal of improving LIS services and systems. Only through detailed thorough research can we have solid justification for implementing new practices, or justifying budgets or services, and find ways to best serve our people and meet the mission and vision of our information institutions.  

Statement of Competency

Qualitative research confirms a theory with numbers and graphs, collected with recorded observations or closed questions and analyzed with averaged scores numbers and correlations/causation between variables. Qualitative research is for understanding or gaining insight in complex concepts where the hypothesis is drawn from the data collected, common collection methods are open-ended questions and literature reviews. Qualitative research is analyzed with thematic analysis and subjective exploration. There are also mixed methods that combine these two. How each is used depends on what kind of research question you have. While many courses required synthesis research literature in INFO 285 I created an action research proposal that was for the purpose of evaluating a library program. Within it I synthesized the related literature, and social context, created an annotated bibliography of the literature and how each applied to my proposal. I created a method section describing purposive sampling and qualitative methods, using open ended surveys and questions, and a detailed procedure following CITI research rules. In INFO 200 I did a literature review matrix defining the community and evaluating relevant literature and how it could be applicable to my research. My final piece of evidence is the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative CITI program certification that shows that I completed parts 1 and 2 of the Belmont Report for human subjects that shows my understanding of appropriate research methods. This skill of designing, synthesizing and evaluating research can be applied to any information profession going forward. I know how to define a research question, choose the appropriate research method, design a study, synthesize current literature on the subject and evaluate the data I collect. 

Theory

Quantitative & Qualitative Research Methods

There are two main ways to collect and categorize data: quantitative or qualitative, both are important methods, usually used separately for different research questions although there is mixed methods research (Jefferson, 2014). I will focus on action research, also known as participatory action research as a useful method in any social practice. The goal of action research is to empower academic librarians and teachers to identify best practices, find ways to improve, and better understand elements of the library with specific practice-based situations that involve personal or social aims (Wilson, 2016).

Quantitative research is used when you want to confirm or test a theory and is expressed with numbers and graphs and is often used to establish generalizable facts about a topic. Common methods of quantitative methods include: experiences, recorded observation numbers, closed questions, and closed-ended survey questions. The two main types of quantitative data are discrete and continuous. Discrete data are countable and finite. Continuous data often represents a range of values and could always be more precise depending on what measurement is used. The goal of quantitative research is to test a theory or hypothesis and analyze the results with math and statistics and express the findings in numbers, graphs and tables. This kind of research can be replicated, measured and is seen as more objective but often requires a greater number of participants to gain relevant numbers. The final data is analyzed using average scores, numbers of times a specific answer was given, and correlations or causations between multiple variables (Cervone, 2018).  

An example of a quantitative research study could be having a question about open hours and how many patrons use the physical facilities by looking at the number of library patrons that frequent a specific location, collecting the hard numbers of every person who walks through the door during open hours, and analyzing the numbers for trends that could be put into a chart. This chart could be used to either extend hours, or bolster staffing if the numbers were extremely high at certain times of day.

Qualitative research is used when you want to understand or gain insight into a concept, thought or experience of others and the findings are expressed with words to understand these complex concepts and help researchers gather in-depth insights into topics that might be more subjective or complex. Common methods of qualitative methods are open-ended questions, observations in words, literature reviews that explore concepts. There are three types of qualitative data: binary, ordinal and nominal. Methods of data collection are usually interviews, focus groups, ethnography and literature reviews. The goal of qualitative research is to explore a concept or idea and formulate a theory based on that exploration to find more context, look for patterns and deeper meaning. The final data is usually analyzed using thematic analysis, discourse analysis or qualitative content analysis (Cervone, 2018). Qualitative in recent years has been thought to add new dimensions and contextual aspects to research methods (Lloyd, 2021). 

An example of qualitative data collection is holding open-ended interviews with library patrons to ask about their experiences and feelings in regards to a library space, program or service. These open-ended interviews could ask patrons to describe how they feel about the library, and other open questions that allow the patron to expand on as they see fit. These interviews could then be analyzed for similar themes, or patterns within the patron’s experiences and a theory could be created on diversity equity and inclusion of the library based on these interview data. 

Designing Synthesizing and Evaluating

When designing a research proposal I start with the question, program or service I am looking to explore. In action research this looks like seeing a problem, or wanting to justify a budget, so the task is creating a research question designed to measure the effectiveness of a program (Jefferson, 2014). It could also be looking at large trends within a specific subject, or something more quantitative such as evaluating user statistics and the usability of a website. For my main evidence I examined a program and evaluated it to determine if I wanted to advocate for future funding for the program. If I did I would have the research to back it up. Once the question was defined, and the research method determined based on what best meets the needs of the question,  I looked to see what other professionals in this field have already done, what specific research methods they used, and what their results were. This leads to a literature synthesis of all relevant research and the writing of a research proposal. The proposal includes data collection methods and participants and how the results will be evaluated. Analyzing and synthesizing data is key to understanding and improving overall functions of organizations (Cervone, 2018). 

Conclusion 

Research is essential for furthering the field of information science and for providing strong arguments and evidence for the programs and services we wish to create. Research is the foundation upon which we base budgets, collections, employment and services. Knowing how to ask a research question, how to apply the correct method to conduct the research and how to evaluate the data collected is an essential skill I will use in the LIS world. 

Return to MLIS Index

Next Comp M