Research Tips Blog

Harnessing AI for Designing Data Collection Instruments

Lili_Luo — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:28:00 +0000

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.

Effective Prompting When Using AI to Assist Research

Lili_Luo — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 19:55:00 +0000

Published: Feb 19, 2025

In the evolving landscape of academic research, Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and others have become indispensable partners for tasks ranging from literature reviews to data analysis, drafting manuscripts, and brainstorming ideas. However, using AI effectively requires more than just typing in a question—it begins with crafting a well-thought-out prompt. The way you phrase your request can significantly impact the quality and relevance of the AI’s response.

Unlocking Stories: The Power of Narrative Inquiry

Lili_Luo — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 19:08:00 +0000

Published: January 11, 2025

In the realm of Library and Information Science (LIS), where understanding users’ experiences and behaviors is paramount, narrative inquiry emerges as a compelling research method. Rooted in the interpretive tradition of qualitative research, narrative inquiry explores how individuals construct meaning through storytelling. This method offers LIS researchers an avenue to delve deeply into users’ lived experiences, uncovering rich insights about how they seek, access, and use information.

Using Generative AI Tools in Assisting Literature Research

Lili_Luo — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 22:55:00 +0000

Published: November 13, 2024

AI tools have become valuable allies for researchers, especially in conducting literature reviews. By automating time-consuming tasks like summarizing studies, extracting key themes, and identifying influential papers, AI streamlines the review process, allowing researchers to focus on analysis and interpretation. Tools like Consensus, Scite, and Elicit help synthesize complex data, provide evidence-based summaries, and even reveal emerging trends. This combination of efficiency and depth is transforming how literature reviews are conducted, making it easier to manage vast volumes of

Autoethnography: A Deeply Personal Method for Qualitative Research

Lili_Luo — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 03:02:00 +0000

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

Lili_Luo — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:16:00 +0000

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.