Demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the ability to design a research project, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature;

Introduction

One of the cornerstones of librarianship is to assist researchers or scholars in gathering information to advance their research or assist students in their academic learning, but this should not overshadow the capacity of information science professionals to contribute their own unique research to the field of library science. The importance of such research cannot be understated. By providing insights on a multitude of issues that concern the operation of libraries and related institutions, the research advances the information and library science discipline. To contribute research, a professional within the field of information science must be knowledgeable of the principles of qualitative and quantitative research methodology.

To be credible, research needs to be replicable. To be replicable, research methodologies should be clearly defined to allow others to duplicate the study on their own terms. When conducting research, one must be aware of the assumptions and biases that their research is predicated on. These biases must be clearly stated. For any research study, conclusions should be justified by the data collected. Any limitations of an analysis should be stressed so that personnel refrain from unfounded extrapolation of the results.

Throughout my studies for the Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science through the San Jose State University, I have honed my ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature. As an information science professional, my progression through the INFO 285 Research Methods in Information Science and the INFO 200 Information Communities courses has imparted to me a solid foundation in the principles of quantitative and qualitative research methods and instructed me on the process to design a research project. The following explication discusses some of the aspects that are critical in designing a research project in the discipline of information science.

Explication

Selecting a Research Topic

Research begins with a selection of a topic. A selection of a topic may be motivated by a need for clarity to aid in evidence-based decision-making or by curiosity when combined with the pressure to meet a publication quota. Regardless, in the preliminary stage of the research process, it is not always clear if the answer to a research question may or may not already exist. To determine to what degree a specific topic has been examined, a researcher should conduct a literature review.

The literature review should provide feedback on whether or not the topic is worthy of further investigation. A literature review will establish to what degree scholars have already studied the topic and how the topic or similar topics have been articulated. A literature review will also identify the methodologies used in this body of research and the conclusions drawn from those results. To conduct a literature review, a researcher must be skilled in retrieving a range of relevant peer-reviewed articles. They must also be capable of evaluating the previous research in terms of their selected topic. After having come to terms with the cumulative content of past research, the researcher must then synthesize the knowledge into discrete statements that summarize the discipline’s current knowledge on his or her topic. The lead researcher will have to determine if any of the research on their topic explored a similar avenue. The researcher must also determine how applicable this related research is to his or her own investigations. When conducting a literature review, the researcher must be prepared to change the parameters of their research if knowledge from past scholastic research comes to light that reframes the topic.

Choosing a Research Methodology

Research methodologies can be divided into two broad categories: basic research methodologies and applied research methodologies. Basic research methodologies create general knowledge and are used to tackle theoretical unknowns. Applied research methodologies are tailored to solving real-world problems. As such, the results of applied research may not necessarily be applicable beyond the specific environment in which the research study was conducted. The appropriateness of whether to employ a basic research methodology or an applied research methodology is largely dependent on the researcher’s objective and the topic.

There are two types of applied research: action research and evaluative research. Action research investigates a single instance of a specific problem in the hope of providing clarity on the direction an institution should take to bring a resolution to the issue. For libraries, evaluative research assesses the effectiveness and the quality of services and various other aspects that contribute to the performance of the institution as a whole.

Quantitative Research vs. Qualitative Research

Research may by qualitative or quantitative or a mixture of both. Generally, qualitative research is conducted on a small sample. Qualitative research describes experiences and events in detailed descriptions and is “suitable for gaining an in-depth understanding of underlying reasons and motivations in user studies” (Gilman, 2017, p. 217). Qualitative descriptions focus on the why something happened or how something occurred. Qualitative research is suitable for describing subject matter that is complex or social in nature. It is less suited to drawing generalizations when compared to its quantitative counterpart.

For qualitative research, one must guard against the observer effect where people “change their behavior when they are being observed” (Observer, 2020). When engaging in qualitative research, it is important to consider how the act of observing can distort results. Because of the observer effect, it is prudent to limit the intrusiveness of the researcher when designing a research study.

Quantitative research is numeric. Generally, the process of quantitative research is to study a sample of a population “to allow generalizations of the results from a sample to an entire population of interest” (Gilman, 2017, p. 216). Quantitative research methods collect, process, and interpret the numerical data. Because libraries collect and keep track of so many numbers to help evaluate performance, library subject matter often lends itself easily to quantitative research. Librarians can collect numerical data from surveys. Quantitative data can also be harvested from systems-generated transactional data. Integrated library systems, (website) content management systems, and interlibrary loan systems all generate statistics that can be used in the quantitative research of library operations.

Research and Data Collection Methods

While data generated from digital library systems can generate copious amounts of quantitative data, researchers will often have to employ other instruments to gather information to meet their research objective. This section discusses several methods by which scholars in the field of information science conduct research. It should be noted that scholarly research often uses multiple instruments to collect data. Incorporating multiple data-gathering tools allows for data triangulation—“the practice of using two (or more) data sources or methods” (Gilman, 2017, p. 218) to corroborate evidence.

Surveys

Due to the ease with which surveys may be drafted and distributed, surveys serve as a cornerstone of library data collection. There are several types of surveys. They include questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. Surveys are flexible. They can examine internal factors such as through the employment of an organizational climate survey, or they can examine external factors, for example, by conducting a user satisfaction and service quality survey. Surveys can collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Open-ended survey questions are one method in which to gather qualitative data. When conducting a survey, information science professionals should be careful to draw from a representative sample of their target demographic. Representative samples are a requirement when generalizing research results to a larger population.

Experiments

Experiments are the most appropriate method to test for causal relationships. In an experiment, the researcher manipulates an independent variable and then “observes the effect on one or more dependent variables” (Connaway & Powell, 2010, p. 78). For the results to have validity, rigorous controls must be exerted over all factors save for the independent and dependent variables.

Historical Studies

Historical studies attempt to establish facts and draw conclusions from past events. With historical research, it can be extremely difficult to establish casual relationships. Because of the difficulties inherent in studying historical events, a good proportion of historical research falls in the realm of quantitative evaluation.

Case Studies

A case study is an intensive analysis of a narrow subject. Case studies are well suited to subject matter where there are numerous factors at play. Multiple data collection techniques are employed in a case study. Case studies are designed to provide copious quantities of descriptive data on the subject matter in question. Case studies are “useful in documenting phenomena occurring over a period of time whose implications are complex” (Connaway & Powell, 2010, p. 81).

Content Analysis

Content analysis measures the frequency of concepts using words or phrases to gauge current or historical trends. For instance, content analysis can be employed to measure the comparative political bias of a particular manuscript.

Bibliometrics

Bibliometrics is “the application of mathematics and statistical methods to books and other media” (Connaway & Powell, 2010, p. 81). One type of bibliometric research that is highly relevant to librarianship is citation analysis. Citation analysis tracks who cites whom to measure the influence that scholarly works have on the larger research community. One weakness of bibliometrics is their inability to measure the impact of communication outside of a specific research community.

Privacy and Data Security

Research in the field of information science often involves obtaining data from or about people. The American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights (2019) stipulates that all clients have the “right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use.” Professionals conducting research in the discipline of library and information science should mitigate privacy and data security risks in the design of their research studies for all stages of the research life cycle. Privacy risks arise at the initial gathering of information, the analysis of the data to address research questions, dissemination of findings, storage and retention of facts and figures, and disposal of records or devices that contain sensitive information. Academic libraries that have parent universities that engage in research are uniquely equipped to address such considerations through their institutional review boards (IRBs). These IRBs assess and approve research that involves human subjects. A combination of regulating data access, anonymizing information, aggregate reporting, and obtaining informed consent can manage the ethical risk to privacy.

Evidence

Evidence 1: Aligning the Programming of the Gillis Branch Library to Meet the Needs and Interests of the Inner City Patrons of Fresno

To attest to my ability to design a research project for Competency L, I offer this proposal of action research designed to align the programming of the Gillis Branch Library with the needs and interests of the inner city patrons of Fresno (in the state of CA) where the Gillis Library resides. This document demonstrates the procedure for planning a research study for a public library. The process first begins by identifying a need. For this project, I identified the need to align the Gillis Branch Library’s programming with the need and interests of their clientele. At the time, the administration of the Fresno County Public Library had asked their branch libraries to justify their expenditures as a prelude to a round of belt-tightening.

In one of the preliminary phases of the project, I conducted a literature review. In this literature review, I discovered that there was a lack of peer-reviewed articles concerning programming, marketing, and providing for the needs of specialized communities in public librarianship—especially in comparison to academic librarianship or literature discussing those particular aspects with regard to the operations of special libraries.

After evaluating the findings of the literature review, I defined the scope of the inquiry and proceeded to design a non-intrusive process to identify the interests and needs of the patrons of the Gillis Library. I decided to employ two phases to evaluate the target population, the first phase was a questionnaire to elicit survey responses on a volunteer basis. This survey would be distributed on predetermined days from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. These timeframes were selected based on the times and dates that the Gillis Library was hosting programs at the time of this research proposal’s conception. The research plan called for the staff to gather a minimum of fifty responses. If fifty responses were not collected, another round of distribution would be required. To help capture a representative sample, the questionnaire would be written in both English and Spanish.

For the second phase of my proposed research, I would rely on data mining of the Horizon integrated library system. Taking advantage of the efficiencies of data mining would allow me to quickly draw associative relationships between demographic factors, patrons, and their library interactions. One weakness of data mining is the method’s blindness to the thought processes of the research subjects. The questionnaire in the first phase should be able to counter this shortcoming because it directly asks participants (abet from a different sample) their opinions through a list of predetermined questions.

Highlighting the limitations of one’s analysis is an ethical standard that all researchers should uphold. I demonstrate my willingness to do so by identifying the probable exclusion of segments of the target population because they would be unable to answer in the case of young children, the illiterate, and the neurodivergent or because they declined to respond. Another weakness I identified is the limitation in the type of conclusion that my investigation would be capable of drawing. Much like data mining, surveys do not allow me to manipulate an independent variable and therefore are ill-suited to confirming a casual relationship.

After designing a tentative structure for the research proposal, the next step would be to get authorization to carry out the research study. I indicated in the action plan that the research could not be conducted without the approval of the County Librarian or their designated subordinate and the approval of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.

It is not uncommon for extensive resources to be invested in a poorly attended program. Such waste can be avoided through the use of preliminary research like the one detailed in this action plan. With this action plan, I have demonstrated my ability to organize and conduct research in a public library setting.

Evidence 2: Digital Resource Paper: Social Media and Teen Behavior

I have put forward this “Digital Resource Paper: Social Media and Teen Behavior” (from LIBR 265 Materials for Young Adults) to attest to my ability to conduct a qualitative analysis while adhering to rigorous ethical and professional standards. In this assignment, I was asked to conduct a literature review on the prevalence of technology in the daily lives of teenagers with a focus on the use of digital resources and to conduct an interview on what digital resources teens use for both non-academic and academic purposes, and to observe the behavior of this age group in public. I was then asked to synthesis my findings on teen behavior in regard to their use of digital resources.

The proffered evidence illustrates why research is important and the dangers of relying on stereotypes. In the paper, I started from the premise of the stereotypical wired teen and generalized my caricature as representative of all teens. My observations of teenagers (from a distance), my in-person interviews with teens, and the literature review on the teenage consumption of technology disabused me of the notion. Teenagers are a social group that enjoys face-to-face in-person contact but regularly interact with technology for many purposes on multiple devices on multiple platforms.

This document demonstrates my experience in conducting an interview and in collecting qualitative data through observation of research subjects. The record of the observations that I made on teens at the Fashion Fair Mall (Fresno, CA) can be found in Appendix B. Part of this process of understanding teen behavior was to ask them directly. The project formalized this process through an interview. The questions that I asked when interviewing teens can be found in Appendix A.

This evidence also emphasizes the importance of the teenage group as future patrons of the library. The habits that they develop while asserting their independence often continue on through adulthood. Therefore, it is important to engage with teens so that some of these habits include utilizing library resources to help overcome challenges and drawing from the library’s collection of materials for leisurely purposes.

Evidence 3: Airbnb and the Effect of Demographic Factors on Airbnb Hosts Report

As evidence of my understanding and ability to take qualitative data and synthesize defensible conclusions, I submit this report on “Airbnb and the Effect of Demographic Factors on Airbnb Hosts” (from INFO 246-11 Tools and Applications of Information Visualization).

Starting from a body of data on Airbnb for the city of Portland, OR to determine what factors influence the Airbnb nightly listing price, my team and I cross-referenced these listings with publicly available demographic data of the city of Portland. By using the address of each Portland Airbnb listing, our team was able to test a variety of demographic factors with the nightly listing price. The team discovered three relationships of statistical significance with the mean real estate value having the strongest linear correlation with the price of a nightly Airbnb rental. The commute to downtown and accessibility to parks were identified as minor determinants of the Airbnb nightly listing price.

This document demonstrates my ability to test for linear associative relationships using regression analysis with the coefficient of determination and my ability to conduct quantitative research.

Conclusion

During my studies to obtain a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science through the San Jose State University, I have honed my ability to evaluate and synthesize peer-reviewed scholarly literature. As an information science professional, the courses INFO 200 Information Communities and INFO 285 Research Methods in Information Science have instructed me on the process to design a research project and imparted to me a solid foundation in the principles of quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Practitioners in the field of information science benefit from a solid foundation of knowledge developed over time by the contributions of their forebearers. Not only should professionals in the field of information science remain apprised of developments in scholarly publications for their field, but they should have the knowledge and aptitude to make such contributions themselves.

Scholars must be aware of the biases and assumptions that are built into their research. It should be stressed, that librarians should be aware of their own cultural preconceptions. Any limitations of an analysis should be stressed with the conclusions properly justified by the collected data.

Making decisions based on assumptions can be costly when those assumptions are false. It is through research, that administrators are able to make sound evidence-based decisions. With the continuous need for institutions to justify expenditures; scholarly, peer-reviewed research will remain a cornerstone for the field of information science.

References

Connaway, L.S., & Powell, R.R. (2010). Basic research methods for librarians. (5th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Gilman, Todd. (Ed.). (2017). Academic Librarianship Today. Rowman & Littlefield.

The observer effect: Seeing is changing. (2020, September 1). Farnam Street Blog. https://fs.blog/observer-effect/