More Details

Summary:

Addressed to practicing librarians and other information professionals, as well as master's and doctoral students in LIS programs, Basic Research Methods for Librarians, Fifth Edition specifically covers the research methodologies likely to be used by librarians, providing guidance on designing and conducting research and publishing research results. --
Like its predecessors, this fifth edition is exceptionally comprehensive. Content has been thoroughly updated and sections have been added on social networking and other web-based research methods and techniques. The book emphasizes quantitative research, including survey and experimental studies. It also gives attention to qualitative research, including historical research and a chapter is devoted to the statistical analysis of research results. Evaluation, writing, and publishing of research reports are considered as well. Coauthored by distinguished researchers in library and information science, the book also includes contributions from experts on qualitative research, domain assumptions of research, and sampling. --Book Jacket.

Table of Contents:

• Machine generated contents note: 1. Research and Librarianship
• Research Record
• Definition of Research
• Types of Previous Library research
• Limitations of Previous Library Research
• Rationale for Basic Research in Library and Information Science
• Growth of the Profession
• Management
• Reading research Reports
• Improved Service to Researchers
• Personal Benefits
• Future of Library Research
• 2. Developing the Research Study
• Planning for Research
• Scientific Method of Inquiry
• General Outline for research
• General criteria for Basic Research
• Identification of the Problem
• Domain Assumptions of Research / Jack D. Glazier
• Characteristics of a Problem Suitable for Basic Research

• Statement of the Problem
• Identifying Subproblems
• role of Theory in the Design of Research
• Definition of Theory
• Formation of Theories
• Testing the Theory
• Formulating Hypotheses
• Definitions of Hypotheses
• Sources of Hypotheses
• Developing the Hypothesis
• Variables
• Concepts
• Desirable Characteristics of Hypotheses
• Testing the Hypothesis
• Validity and Reliability
• Validity of Research Design
• Validity in Measurement
• Logical Validity
• Empirical Validity
• Construct Validity
• Reliability of Research Design
• Reliability in Measurement
• Scales
• Summary
• 3. Selecting the Research Method
• Applied Research
• Action Research
• Evidence-Based Research
• Evaluative Research
• Qualitative Research
• Specific Research Methods
• Survey Research
• Experimental Research
• Historical Research
• Operations Research
• Modeling
• Systems Analysis
• Case Study
• Delphi Study
• Content Analysis
• Bibliometrics
• Task-Based Research
• Comparative Librarianship
• Technology-Based Research Methods
• Ethics of Research
• General Guidelines
• Guidelines for LIS Professionals
• Ethics for Research on the Internet
• Scientific and Research Misconduct
• Summary
• Additional Readings
• 4. Survey Research and Sampling
• Survey Research
• Major Differences between Survey Research and other Methods
• Types of Survey Studies
• Exploratory Surveys
• Analytical and Descriptive Surveys
• Other Types of Surveys
• Basic Purposes of Descriptive Surveys
• Basic Steps of Survey Research: An Overview
• Formulating Objectives
• Selecting Data Collection Techniques
• Selecting the Sample
• Collecting the Data
• Analyzing and Interpreting the Results
• Survey Research Designs
• Survey Research Costs
• Sampling
• Basic Terms and Concepts
• Types of Sampling Methods
• Nonprobability Sampling
• Probability Sampling
• Determining the Sample Size
• Use of Formulas
• Sampling Error
• Other Causes of Sampling Error
• Nonsampling Error
• Sampling In-Library Use / Sebastian Mundt
• Summary
• 5. Data Collection Techniques
• Questionnaire
• Pre-Questionnaire Planning
• Advantages of the Questionnaire
• Disadvantages of the Questionnaire
• Constructing the Questionnaire
• Type of Question According to Information Needed
• Type of Question According to Form
• Scaled Responses
• Question Content and Selection
• Question Wording
• Sequencing of Questionnaire Items
• Sources of Error
• Preparing the First Draft
• Evaluating the Questionnaire
• Pretest
• Final Editing
• Cover Letter
• Distribution of the Questionnaire
• Mail Questionnaire
• Electronic Questionnaire
• Interview
• Developing the Interview
• Conducting the Personal Interview
• Disadvantages of the Interview
• Advantages of the Interview
• Focus Group Interviews
• Analysis and Reporting of the Focus Group Data
• Other Advantages and Disadvantages of the Focus Group Interview
• Telephone Interviews
• Observation and Usability Testing
• Advantages of Observational Research
• Limitations of Observational Research
• Unstructured Observation
• Structured Observation
• Usability Testing
• Summary
• 6. Experimental Research
• Causality
• Conditions for Causality
• Bases for Inferring Causal Relationships
• Controlling the Variables
• Random Assignment
• Internal Validity
• Threats to Internal Validity
• External Validity
• Threats to External Validity
• Experimental Designs
• True Experimental Designs
• True Experiments and Correlational Studies
• Difficulties to be Avoided
• Evaluating the Experiment
• Preexperimental Designs
• Quasi-Experimental Designs
• Ex Post Facto Designs
• Web-Based Experiments
• Summary
• 7. Qualitative Research Methods / Lynn Westbrook
• Underlying Principles of Naturalistic Work
• Naturalism as a Research Paradigm
• Naturalism in LIS Research
• Ethical Concerns
• Data Gathering Techniques
• Sampling
• Observation
• Interviews
• Documents: Questionnaires, Diaries, Journals, Papers, and More
• Data Analysis Tools and Methods
• Discourse Analysis
• Content Analysis Basics
• Content Analysis Terms
• Constant Comparative Method of Content Analysis
• Coding Data
• Coding Techniques
• Moving from Codes to Theory
• Insuring Coding Integrity
• Developing Grounded Theory
• Ensuring Integrity
• Primary Techniques
• Additional Techniques
• Presentation of Findings
• Summary
• 8. Historical Research
• Nature and Value of Historical Research
• Chronology
• Importance of Historical Research to Librarianship
• Types of Historical Research
• Sources of Historical Information
• Evaluation of Historical Sources
• External Criticism
• Internal Criticism
• Basic Steps of Historical Research
• Hypothesis in Historical Research
• Collecting the Data
• Presentation of Findings
• Library History
• Bibliographical Research
• Systematic Bibliography
• Descriptive Bibliography
• Problems in Historical Research
• Summary
• 9. Analysis of Data
• Role of Statistics
• Cautions in Using Statistics
• Steps Involved in Statistical Analysis
• Establishment of Categories
• Coding the Data
• Analyzing the Data
• -Descriptive Statistics
• Analyzing the Data
• -Inferential Statistics
• Parametric Statistics
• Nonparametric Statistics
• Selecting the Appropriate Statistical Test
• Cautions in Testing the Hypothesis
• Statistical Analysis Software
• Analysis of Nonquantified Data
• Summary
• 10. Writing the Research Proposal
• Value of Research Proposals
• Organization and Content of a Typical Proposal
• Title Page
• Abstract
• Table of Contents
• Introduction and Statement of the Problem
• Review of Related Research
• Research Design
• Institutional Resources
• Personnel
• Budget
• Anticipated Results
• Limitations of the Study
• Back Matter
• Characteristics of a Good Proposal
• Features that Detract from a Proposal
• Obtaining Funding for LIS Research
• Summary
• 11. Writing the Research Report
• General Objectives of the Research Report
• General Outline of the Research Report
• Preliminaries/Front Matter
• Text
• Back Matter
• Guidelines for Organizing and Presenting the Research Report
• Organization of the Report
• Footnotes and Documentation
• Prose Style of the Report
• Text Preparation
• Graphic Presentation of Data
• Oral Presentations of the Report
• Evaluating the Research Report
• Suggested Criteria for Judging a Research Report
• Publishing Research Results
• Summary.

View 233 more lines View less

Author/Creator:

Connaway, Lynn Silipigni

Contributors:

Powell, Ronald R.

Languages:

English

Language Notes:

Item content: English

Main Work:

Basic research methods for librarians [by Connaway, L.S.]

Related Series:

Library and information science text series

Subjects:

Library science — Research — Methodology

Library science

Genres:

Electronic book

General Notes:

Description based on print version record.
Powell's name appears first on the previous edition.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Electronic reproduction. Palo Alto, Calif. Available via World Wide Web.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Digital Characteristics:

text file

Call Numbers:

Z669.7 .P68 2010eb

ISBNs:

1591588685 (electronic bk.)
9781591588689 (electronic bk.)

OCLC Numbers:

699490360

Other Control Numbers:

EBC617137 (source: MiAaPQ)