Key Concepts Unit 1

Wildemuth Chapter 1

     INTRODUCTION

• Research to improve the professional practice is called evidence based practice - a take on evidence based medicine.

      CHAPTER 1 (pg. 5-23)

• Research can be defined many ways but is usually considered an investigation & inquiry process.
• Not as linear as many would like to think it is.
• Basic vs. applied - fundamental and theoretical vs. solving specific problems.
• Research elements (pg 10):
• questions or objectives - hypothesis
• literature search and review
• research design
• analysis of findings
• interpretation and reporting
• Why research?
• assist others in understanding workplace issues
• add to knowledge of the field
• to maintain services that are of need and non-stagnant
• for the accountability
• to maintain and improve professional status
• to provide a body of research and findings for other professionals

Powell, Baker, Mika 

      

      Reasons for research by information professionals: 

• improve problem solving and decision making
• to make librarians active and critical consumers of research
• to better equip librarians with the ability to help others with their research

      Reasons LIS professionals are not more involved in research: (pg.50-51)

• There is poor communication between active researchers and practitioners; 
• Practitioners feel overwhelmed by the professional literature; 
• The great amount of research jargon discourages practitioners from reading the research literature; 
• Practitioners have all that they can handle keeping up with emerging information technology and service responsibilities;
•  R.R. Powell et al. / Library & Information Science Research 24 (2002) 49–72 5. There is inadequate education in research methods; 
•  There is the perception that research is lacking in practical applications or mission orientation; 
•  There is a lack of funding; 
• There is a natural resistance to change or new research ideas.

Williamson Chapter 1

Traditionally research has been focused on quantitative data.

Uses of research pg. 7

• problem solving
• development
• evaluation and improvement
• provide information before offering a new service or system
• theory building

Basic research 

• focused on theory building and developing of hypothesis
• not interested in how the information is applied

Applied research

• problem solving
• focused on application of the research
• used in information environments and businesses

Elements of a research project pg. 10

• research questions and objectives, hypothesis when applicable
• literature review and/or theoretical frame work
• research design
• description of the sample
• methods and techniques of collecting data
• analysis and findings
• interpretation, application, and conclusion

Connaway and Powell Chapter 1

Library research tends to be applied research

Shortcomings of library research pg. 5

• research done has not been shared widely
• librarians have not kept up with research results
• profession is content with non-research reports
• audience for research journals is limited
• dissertations are not connected to work done before or work that will come after, they are too isolated
• impacted has been hampered by too few copies of articles to share

The future of library research

the best way to solve the current issue is with education - make sure to put focus on research during the LIS education process