Note: INFO 285 is a required course for MLIS students and cannot be replaced with MARA 285.

Instructors, Focus and Topics Covered

INFO 285 Research Methods in Library and Information Science offers an array of sections with different focuses – students are free to choose any of the sections that interest them most. Here’s an overview of the focuses and topics of the different INFO 285 sections. The instructors teaching each focus are also listed – students may click on each instructor’s name to view their profile and contact them if necessary.

General Overview
Focus: A general introduction to the research methods frequently used in conducting Library and Information Science research.
Topics Covered:

• How to recognize and define a research problem in a professional domain whose solution could improve professional practice.
• How to select and use appropriate research methods (sampling design, survey, experiment, qualitative field research, unobtrusive research, etc.) to gather original data to solve the research problem and increase knowledge about the domain.
• How to use analytic methods (quantitative statistical analysis and qualitative analysis) to analyze and synthesize the collected data into a solution to the identified research problem.
• How to prepare a professional research proposal.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Geoffrey Liu 

 

Youth Services
Focus: An introduction to research methods while focusing on how it is applied in youth research, and a critical examination of the issues surrounding research that involves youth.
Topics Covered:

• How to recognize and define a research problem in a professional domain whose solution could improve professional practice.
• How to use research methods to gather original data to solve the research problem and increase knowledge about the domain.
• Critical analysis of secondary research.
• How to use/apply program evaluation to youth service programs through applied research.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Anthony Bernier

 

Evaluating Programs and Services
Focus: Research methods most often used when evaluating and assessing services in public, academic, and special libraries as well as information agencies.
Topics Covered:

• How to recognize and define an assessment or evaluation research problem whose solution could improve professional practice.
• How to collect sources and write a literature review related to a research topic.
• How to evaluate and implement data collection methods and research procedures.
• How to perform a preliminary analysis of an actual data set, discerning findings, tentative conclusions, and tentative recommendations, while noting some of the gaps and shortcomings of the data set.
• How propose a project to evaluate a real or imagined library service or program, noting the types of data to be gathered, the types of analysis to be performed, the overall picture of the service that these data and analysis will reveal, and how such a program evaluation will be informative and useful to all the stakeholders.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Jennifer Sweeney

 

Research In Academic Librarianship
Focus: This section focuses on research in academic librarianship, discussing the topics and methods of research in the context of academic libraries.
Topics Covered:

• Recognizing and defining research problems that are common in academic library practice.
• Understanding the environment of conducting research in academic library practice.
• Mastering the frequently used research methods to collect and analyze research data in academic library research.
• Writing and disseminating research in academic librarianship.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Lili Luo

 

Action Research
Focus: An introduction to action research methods that further learning and improve situations within professional settings.
Topics Covered:

• How to recognize and define a research problem whose solution could improve professional practice.
• How to collect sources and write a literature review related to a research topic.
• How to define and describe research participants, data collection methods, and research procedures (how to use a cyclical plan-act-observe-reflect process to increase domain knowledge and generate professional insight).
• How to use statistical techniques and interpret statistical data.
• How to create an action research proposal detailing project design elements and anticipating collaborative ‘informed learning’ outcomes.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Renee Jefferson

 

Doing Research Online
Focus: A introduction to the process and methods of conducting research in online contexts.
Topics Covered:

• How to study social/cultural phenomena and information use in online contexts.
• Research methodologies for conducting research online, including qualitative approaches such as digital ethnography, content analysis, surveys, and interviews (among others).
• Ethical issues of doing online research, designing an effective project, collecting data, analyzing results, and disseminating findings.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Kristen Rebmann

 

Historical Research Methods
Focus: Explores the ways in which historians frame research questions, assess current literature on historical topics, locate and critically use primary and secondary sources, and formulate viable and worthwhile research projects.
Topics Covered:

• Historical work in the information professions.
• Current trends and theories in historical writing.
• Major history reference sources and their uses.
• History monographs, history journals, and the historiographical essay.
• Manuscripts, records, and other primary sources used in historical research.
• History on the web.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Donald Westbrook – Anthony Bernier

 

Survey Research (especially library user surveys)
Focus: The focus is on the survey research method, which is one of the most frequently used methods in library and information science research.
Topics Covered:

• Recognizing and defining research problems that are most appropriate for survey research.
• Constructing survey questionnaire items effectively.
• Understanding the various sampling designs that are often used in survey research.
• Using proper techniques to analyze survey data.
• Writing and reporting survey research.

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Lili Luo

 

Unobtrusive Research Methods
Focus: An overview of the frequently used unobtrusive research methods, including but not limited to content analysis and analysis of existing statistics. 
Topics Covered: 

• Difference between unobtrusive research methods and methods where human subjects are involved.
• Introduction to frequently used unobtrusive research methods in library and information methods such as content analysis and analysis of existing statistics
• Determining proper methods of unobtrusive research based on the needs of a research project
• Identifying proper sources of data for unobtrusive research

Instructors Teaching This Topic: Lili Luo