LIS 608: Research Methods in Library & Information Science
Spring, 2006
Dr. Donald Case
(859) 257-8415 • dcase@uky.edu
Five Fridays, 2-4 in LCLI 359: 1/13, 2/10, 3/3, 4/7 & 4/28
Office Hours: Tues & Thurs 2-4, Wed 1-3 & by appointment
INTRODUCTION
LIS 608, Research Methodology in LIS, focuses on common social science techniques, such as surveys and experiments, which lend themselves to quantitative analysis. Also included are lectures on qualitative methods, such as participant observation and historical research, and hybrid methods like focus groups, content analysis, and evaluation research. Studies of information usage are used as the main examples, and methods peculiar to information science, such as bibliometrics, are also examined. Note: This course comprises 40 hours of instruction, consisting of 30 hours of taped lectures and online discussion, and five instructor-present sessions of two hours each.
Grading for the entire course will be based on:
Exercises 1-2 (10% each) 20%
Assignments 1-2 (15% each) 30%
Online Quizzes 1-4 (10% each) 40%
Participation in class exercises, discussions, and listserve 10%
Assignments: All assignments are due when indicated. A five-day extension will be granted for exceptional circumstances if requested in advance. All reading listed should be completed by the date indicated; when a reading has the notion “Discuss” before it, that means that you are to have read the item carefully and are prepared to discuss it. Please double-space and staple all papers; do not use report covers or list Social Security numbers on your papers.
One text is required for the course:
Babbie, Earl R. (2003). The practice of social research. Tenth edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 0534620299. Use of earlier editions -- available through the WWW -- is OK.
Other required readings are online -- or can be found in most academic libraries.
When a date is indicated, we meet in LCLI 359; between meetings, 4-5 lectures will be viewed online.
Date Topics and Assignments
1/13 1ST IN-PERSON MEETING, FRIDAY, 1/13, 2-4, LCLI 359
Introduction to course: content, schedule, assignments and grading. Discuss Exercise 1
and importance of reading Spradley. (Completion of questionnaire on background and interests.)
Lecture 1 A history of research in library and information science. Different ways of "knowing."
Human inquiry. The philosophy of science and social science.
Read: Babbie, Holographic Overview; Chapter 1: Human Inquiry and Science.
Lecture 2 Foundations of research. Research problems and questions. Errors of reasoning.
Read: Brooks, Terrence. (1989). The model of science and scientific models in librarianship.
Library Trends, 38(2), 237-249.
Lecture 3 Theories, models, and hypotheses -- in general. Good theory: Gould’s example.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 2: Theory and Research.
Lecture 4 Theories in LIS. Zipf’s Principle of Least Effort. Determinism. Causation.
Read: Babbie, Ch. 3: The Nature of Causation.
2/10 2nd IN-PERSON MEETING, FRIDAY, 2/10, 2-4, LCLI 359
Discuss: Kuhlthau, Carol. (1997). Influence of uncertainty on the information seeking behavior
of a securities analyst. Pp. 268-274 in Vakkari, P., Savolainen, R. & Dervin, B. (eds.)
Information seeking in context (pp. 268-274). London: Taylor Graham.
Due: Exercise One (Observation).
Lecture 5 Principles of observation. Field research and participant observation.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 11: Field Research.
Spradley, J. Participant Observation, Part Two, Steps One and Two (pp. 39-62).
Take Quiz 1 by Sunday, 2/19, 11PM.
Lecture 6 Modes of investigation. Exploration, description, explanation. Designing research projects.
Writing research proposals. Research problems peculiar to libraries.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 4: Research Design.
Lecture 7 Conceptualization. Constructs. Indicators. Operationalizing
variables. Quantification.
Measurement quality. Reliability and validity.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 5: Conceptualization and Measurement.
Lecture 8 More on reliability and validity. Levels of measurement.
Read: Nelson, Jerold (1973). Faculty awareness and attitudes toward academic reference services: a measure of communication. College and Research Libraries, 34, 268-275.
3/3 3rd IN-PERSON MEETING, FRIDAY, 3/3, 2-4, LCLI 359
Discuss: Richardson, J. (2002, April 15) . Reference is better than we thought. LJ, 127 (7),
41-42. Hobson, C., Moran, R. & Stevens, A. (1987). Circulation/reserve desk
personnel effectiveness. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 13, 93-98.
[View “42 Up” videotape.]
Due: Assignment One (Nelson critique).
Lecture 9 Sampling: Populations and frames. Sampling designs: simple random, systematic, stratified.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 6: Operationalization, pages 136-146 only.
Babbie, Chapter 8: The Logic of Sampling.
Lecture 10 Conducting experiments. Independent and dependent variables. Threats to validity.
Controls and testing. Randomization and matching of subjects.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 9: Experiments.
Take Quiz 2 by Sunday, 3/19, 11PM.
Please Note: March 11-19 is Spring Break.
Lecture 11 Survey research: overview. Question design and common problems.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 6, pages 147-164 only.
Lecture 12 Constructing indexes and scales. Constructing questionnaires for self administration.
Administering mail questionnaires. Improving response rates. Correcting response bias.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 7: Indexes, Scales, and Typologies.
Lecture 13 Survey research: interviewing. Constructing interview schedules.
Face-to-face interviews. Focus groups.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 10: Survey research.
Lecture 14 Unobtrusive methods. Studying existing records.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 12: Unobtrusive research.
4/7 4th IN-PERSON MEETING, FRIDAY, 4/7, 2-4, LCLI 359
Discuss: Carle, D.O. & Anthes, S.H. (1999). Gender images in library publications: Is a picture
worth a thousand words? J. of Academic Librarianship, 25(2),105-110. Haug (1997 -- below).
Due: Exercise Two (Questionnaire design). [View focus group and history videotapes.]
Lecture 15 Content analysis. Bibliometrics. Meta-analysis.
Read: Haug, J. (1997). Physicians' preferences for information sources: A meta analytic study.
Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, 85, 223-232.
White, E. (1981). Bibliometrics: From curiosity to convention. Special Libraries, 76,35-42
Take Quiz 3 by Sunday, 4/16, 11PM.
Lecture 16 Statistics and analysis techniques for one and two variables.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 15: Elementary analyses.
Lecture 17 Statistics and analysis techniques for multiple variables.
Read: Babbie, Chapter 17: Social statistics.
Lecture 18 Ethical considerations in research. Writing research reports and articles.
Read: Babbie, Chap. 19: The Uses of Social Research, & Appendix C: The Research Report.
Lecture 19 Evaluating the research design and data analysis of published research. Summary.
4/28 5th IN-PERSON MEETING, FRIDAY, 4/28, 2-4, LCLI 359
Lecture: Program evaluation research. Evaluating libraries. Statistical exercises.
Discuss: Jardine, C.W. (1995). Maybe the 55 percent rule doesn’t tell the whole story:
A user-satisfaction survey. College & Research Libraries, 55, 477-485
Due: Assignment Two ("Open"). Review second half of course content for examination.
Take Quiz 4 by Sunday, 4/30, 11PM.
LIS 608 EXERCISE 1: OBSERVATION
The purpose of Exercise One is to give you experience in observing people. You are to pick a library setting, observe what goes on there, and describe the experience in a short paper. You might consider this as participant observation research, although the main point is simply to observe carefully. The basic steps are these:
1. Read the material from Participant Observation by James Spradley, in the reader, and Babbie's chapter on "Field Research," for a little "how to do it" advice. (Be aware, however, that what you will do is a little different than what these two authors describe, since we are not "strangers" to the organization and setting that we'll observe.)
2. Find a library setting in which these conditions apply: a. you have access (i.e., you can legally be there without difficulty); b. there is an unobtrusive place and for you to sit; c. you will not disrupt or interfere with the work of others; d. you have a clear field of view (you can see without twisting and turning or looking around an obstruction); and e. where there is a flow of people and work. Some possible settings are:
• reference desk or circulation desk areas.
• periodical or reserve reading areas.
• a NOTIS, CINCH (or other online catalog) terminal or CD-ROM workstation area.
• a library administrative or processing area.
3. Pick a half-hour time period (a full 30 minutes -- no cheating!) and sit there. Watch carefully what happens around you. Take notes, and mark times at which you make observations. E.g., “ 6:03. Tall man & small boy--> reference desk”. Do not be so obvious about your observations that people feel that they are being watched. Make systematic observations about what you see. Try to look at the scene as a stranger -- someone who has arrived from a distant place and has never seen this situation before. I can't tell you exactly what to note (that is part of your task), but here are a few suggestions to get you started:
How many people pass through your field of view? What is the rate of flow -- is it a "busy" place? How would you describe the majority of people who pass by? What kinds of interactions take place? Describe individual eye and body movements, and vocalizations: conversations with others, or "talking out loud" to oneself. What kinds of roles do people play? Don't use titles (e.g., "librarian") to describe roles, but rather describe what behaviors you see. What observable expressions are evoked in those people you see, e.g., satisfaction, frustration, happiness, etc.? Do you think people know or suspect that you are observing them? Finally, might there be a practical application of your study? E.g., Could the space or the service offered there be altered to better serve the clients of that library?
4. This is the hard part! In three to four double-spaced pages, write a narrative that conveys the experience that you had (or reports the results of your observations). It is OK to be creative in your style, as long as you don't distort what actually happened.
Indicate, either in the margin or in the text, the times that events happened; you may find the reporting easier if you begin each entry or paragraph with a time reference
(e.g., “5:02 - 5:05: A group of
three women stop at the circulation desk . . .”).
LIS 608 EXERCISE 2: SURVEY RESEARCH DESIGN
Design a questionnaire, for self-administration (e.g., through the mail). Guidelines:
• Choose a topic/problem of interest to you, about which you have considerable background knowledge. This could be done in conjunction with a specialization project, internship or job.
• Compose at least 10 discrete questions (i.e., screening and contingent questions don't count towards the total, although it is fine to include them).
• Try to use a forced- or multiple-choice format for as many items as possible. A few open ended questions are acceptable, if they are related to your other questions.
• Format the questions in ways that encourage understanding and completion of the questionnaire. Guard against possible misinterpretations of questions or instructions by the respondent: use clear, non-biased and (where possible) simple language.
• Make it as attractive as possible, e.g., in choice of typefaces, paper, etc.
• Include a cover letter explaining the survey’s purpose and encouraging a response.
If the questionnaire is to be administered in-person (rather than through the mail), include a statement to be read or heard by the respondent, rather than a formal letter.
ASSIGNMENT 1: CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
Read: Nelson, Jerold. Faculty awareness and attitudes toward academic library reference services: a measure of communication. College & Research Libraries, 34, 268-275; 1973.
Answer the following questions in 6-9 typed, double-spaced pages. Indicate, in either the text or the margin of your paper, points where you address each of the questions.
1. What is Nelson attempting to study? Why do you think that he picked this particular topic for research? Consider his background and his conclusions.
2. What method did Nelson choose to conduct his investigation? Was it an appropriate method for this sort of topic? What other methods might he have used instead?
(Note: In answering this question and the ones below, do not focus on the sample.)
3. How does Nelson define the concept of "communication" as it is used in his study?
Does he offer a "dictionary definition" of the concept? Is Nelson’s definition of communication the same one you would use if you were studying it in another setting?
4. How does Nelson operationalize the concept of "communication" as it is used in his study? That is, how does he define its measurement? How does he determine whether "communication" has indeed taken place between faculty and librarians? Is it logical?
5. Provide a better and more general conceptual definition of "communication" (i.e., one that does not apply only to "communication between faculty and librarians").
6. Provide a better operational definition of "communication" between faculty and reference librarians -- that is, say exactly how you would measure it.
ASSIGNMENT 2-A (One Option): SURVEY RESEARCH DESIGN
Read: Sandock, Mollie. A study of university students' awareness of reference services. RQ, 16: 284-296; 1977.
Answer the following questions in 6-9 typed, double-spaced pages. (Indicate, in either the text or the margin of your paper, points where you address each of the questions.)
1. How would you describe Sandock's sampling method? Will it produce a sample that is representative of the population of interest? In particular, consider the interactions between the stratifications and the response rate within strata by calculating the actual percentages of some subgroups within the final sample. Also: are there any groups (or strata) that should not have been sampled, in your opinion? If so, why?
2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of a telephone interview for this particular study? Consider the tradeoffs with a self-administered questionnaire.
3. Are any of her interview questions reactive (i.e., do they "lead" the respondent, or demand a certain kind of response)? In particular, consider questions 1, 2, and 8.
4. Take at least ten of Sandock’s questions and modify them for administration by questionnaire rather than by interview. (Consider those questions with multiple parts as being separate questions.) Use a variety of question types, emphasizing those that you identified as being problematic. Do not focus solely on question number 6. Try to use a forced- or multiple-choice format for most items (a few open-ended questions are fine if they relate to your other questions).
Construct (a section of) a questionnaire with the items. Format the 10 questions in a way that will encourage understanding and completion of the form. (But do not be concerned about factors like paper quality -- just concentrate on the content.) Be careful about possible misinterpretations of the questions or instructions by the respondent: use clear, non-biased and (wherever possible) simple language.
ASSIGNMENT 2-B (Another Option):
Writing Your Own Research Proposal
GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS
Prepare a formal, typed proposal for a study that you (or an organization of which you are a member) may actually carry out. This should be original, and not based on earlier work for which you've received credit. Your proposal should contain the following items:
1. A statement of the topic, phrased as a research question.
2. A statement regarding why your topic is original and of interest to you.
3. A review describing at least five representative works in the research literature that are relevant to your topic. Describe any theory or model that is relevant to the subject.
4. A definition and explication of the important concepts in your study.
5. An explanation of your methods of investigation and your reasons for choosing them.
6. An description of the expected results (perhaps phrased as hypotheses) and the implications of possible findings.
7. A time schedule for the study (i.e., activities by month or week).
8. A budget (if appropriate).
LIS 608: FIRST HALF STUDY GUIDE (i.e., previous to Spring Break)
KNOW DEFINITIONS AND RECOGNIZE AND/OR SUPPLY EXAMPLES OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS
(Anything in the lectures or reading may appear on the quizzes. Below are terms and concepts most likely to appear. The instructor may make additions or deletions from this list up until each quiz.)
Methodology, Epistemology
Theory, Hypothesis
Empiricism
Objective knowledge (according to Popper)
Paradigm (from Kuhn)
Induction, Deduction
Observation
Concept, Nominal definition, Operationalization
Levels of Measurement: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio (and examples of these)
Variable, Indicator, Unit of analysis
Reification, Causation
Samples: Random, Systematic, Stratified, Convenience, Quota, Snowball
Types/Designs of studies
Exploratory, Descriptive, Explanatory
Cross-sectional
Longitudinal: trend, cohort, panel
Measurement quality issues
Internal Validity and External Validity
Reliability, Bias , Noise
Threats to internal validity (in experimental design):
history
maturation
testing
instrumentation
regression
selection
mortality
casual time-order
diffusion or imitation of treatment
compensation
compensatory rivalry
demoralization
Experiments:
Control group versus Experimental group
Independent and dependent variables
Pre-tests and post-tests
Randomization of subjects
LIS 608: SECOND HALF STUDY GUIDE (after Spring Break)
KNOW DEFINITIONS AND RECOGNIZE AND/OR SUPPLY EXAMPLES OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS
(Anything in the lectures or reading may appear on the quizzes. Below are terms and concepts most likely to appear. The instructor may make additions or deletions from this list up until each quiz.)
Survey measurement techniques
Interview schedules versus Questionnaires
Scale types: Likert, Thurstone, Guttman
Index construction
Focus groups
Aspects of surveys and problems with survey questions:
Biased wording
Double-barreled questions
Non-exhaustive response choices
Response sets (respondent bias)
Prologue effect
Socially-desirable responses
Non-response bias
Probes (in interviews)
Interviewer (instrument) effects
Historical approaches
Problems of evidence: unavailable sources, biased or untruthful accounts, faked documents
Problems of logic (fallacies): incorrect usage of analogy, extrapolation, causation, etc.,
(e.g., the ecological fallacy: generalizing from group to individual)
Unobtrusive measures
Erosion and Accretion
Existing statistics, e.g., Durkheim’s use of death records to study suicide and societal norms
Content analysis: Manifest vs. latent content
Bibliometrics and citation analysis: Bibliographic coupling, co-citation, obsolescence, half-life,
Lotka’s Law of authorship, Bradford’s Law of Scattering, journal impact factor
Field studies
Case method/study
Participant observation
Ethnography
Evaluation research
Program and policy evaluations
"Quasi-experiments"
Input measures and output measures
Ethical issues
Anonymity of subjects and confidentiality of data
Sensitive topics for research / protecting (but not misleading)the subject
Groupism: sexist, racist or ageist assumptions in methods
Misleading depiction of data: exaggerated trends, false extrapolation/interpolation, poor scaling
Primary techniques of statistical analysis and display
Univariate: frequencies, frequency distribution, standard deviation, marginal, mode, median, mean
Bivariate: breakdowns, crosstabulations, scatterplots, correlations
Multivariate: multiple regression, causal modeling, factor analysis (data reduction)
Depiction of data: ways to present data in charts that lead to correct conclusions