Research Methods
When Teaching Becomes Research: Using Action Research to Bridge Pedagogy and Scholarship
Published: Sep 19, 2025
As instructors, we constantly experiment with our teaching practices. We adjust an assignment to increase engagement, redesign a discussion format to draw out quieter students, or try new technologies to support collaboration. Often, these choices are guided by intuition, experience, and the immediate needs of our students. But what if those same teaching decisions could also form the basis of rigorous research? What if our everyday practice could generate scholarship that not only improves our own courses, but also contributes to the broader conversation about pedagogy in higher education?
Harnessing AI for Designing Data Collection Instruments
Published: Mar 14, 2025
In recent years, generative artificial intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool for researchers in library and information science (LIS). Whether conducting user experience research, evaluating digital library services, or studying reading behaviors, LIS scholars often rely on well-designed data collection instruments such as surveys, interview guides, and codebooks for content analysis. AI can enhance these processes and increase efficiency in designing data collection instruments. Yet, AI-generated content should always be critically evaluated and revised to align with best practices in research methodology.
Autoethnography: A Deeply Personal Method for Qualitative Research
Published: October 16, 2024
Autoethnography is a qualitative research method that blends elements of autobiography and ethnography to explore the researcher’s personal experiences in relation to broader social and cultural contexts. It goes beyond traditional ethnography by incorporating the researcher’s own reflections as part of the data, thereby revealing how personal stories intersect with larger social issues. This method is not only a way to collect data but also an approach that critiques the boundaries between the researcher and the researched, emphasizing subjectivity and self-reflection.
Photovoice: A Unique Participatory Research Method for Library and Information Sciences
Published: September 25th, 2024
Photovoice is an innovative research method that integrates photography and narratives to empower participants in expressing their experiences and perspectives on specific social issues. It was first introduced by Caroline Wang and Mary Ann Burris in the 1990s as a participatory action research tool, often applied in public health, education, and social science research. Participants take photographs related to the study topic, and these visuals are then used as prompts for discussion, analysis, and presentation, providing a voice to marginalized or underrepresented groups.