Connaway, Lynn Silipigni. 2017. "Research Methods in Library and Information Science: Trends and Tips for Researchers, Students, & Professionals." Presented at the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, March 31, 2017.

1. Research Methods in
Library and Information
Science: Trends and Tips
for Researchers, Students,
& Professionals
The University of Hong Kong, Faculty of
Education
Lynn Silipigni Connaway
Senior Research Scientist & Director of User
Research, OCLC
connawal@oclc.org
@lynnconnaway
31 March 2017

2. Overview of Research
Methods

3. Challenges:
Research
Environment
• Reduced funding
opportunities
• Scholarly value
• Practical implications
• Weak relationships with
other disciplines
• Limited communication of
research & outputs
• Inconsistent quality

4. Most widely
used research
methods in LIS

5. Methodology 1950 1960 1965 1970 1975 Total* %*
Theoretical-analytical 11 17 11 36 52 127 14
Information system
design
7 16 21 57 49 150 17
Surveys on the public 3 2 9 20 19 53 3
Survey or experiment
on libraries, etc.
22 15 45 89 113 284 32
Bibliometric and
similar studies
0 1 7 14 16 38 4
Content analysis 0 1 2 1 3 7 1
Secondary analysis 6 15 15 13 27 76 8
Historical
methodologies
21 26 25 49 42 163 18
Descriptive
bibliography
7 4 6 4 9 30 3
Comparative studies 0 2 6 4 7 19 2
Other and multiple 3 1 7 9 10 30 3
All papers* 76 96 139 274 315 900 100
Research Papers by Methodology and Year
(Powell, 1999)

6. Research
Methods: JDoc
2001-2010
• N=367
• Theoretical approach,
38%
• Content analysis, 14%
• Questionnaire, 13.8%
• Experiment, 13.4%
• Interview, 13.4%
(Chu, 2015)

7. Research
Methods:
JASIS&T 2001-
2010
• N=554
• Experiment, 31%
• Bibliometrics, 23%
• Questionnaire, 14%
• Content analysis, 13%
• Theoretical approach,
12%
(Chu, 2015)

8. Research
Methods: LISR
2001-2010
• N=241
• Content analysis, 30%
• Questionnaire, 28%
• Interview, 20%
• Theoretical approach,
15%
• Experiment, 9%
(Chu, 2015)

9. Research Methods: JAL 2004-2013
(N=346)
METHOD PERCENTAGE
Questionnaire 47.6
Test or Quiz 2.6
Diary 0.6
Content Analysis 27.2
Semi-structured Interviews 14.0
Analysis of existing statistics 6.6
Citation Analysis 6.3
Focus Group Interview 5.7
Observation 4.3
Log Analysis 3.4
Task Analysis 2.9
(Luo & McKinney,
2015)

10. Mixed Methods
Research

11. Mixed Methods
Research
• Any combination of research methods
• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Participatory
• Action
• Design
• Equal attention to all stages of
research process
• Findings should be iterative &
informative
(Kazmer in Radford & Connaway , 2017, p.
232-233)

12. Triangulation
• Term coined by Webb et al. (1966)
• Multiple methods of data collection
(e.g., interviews – individual &
group, observation, literature,
archives)
• Agree, or at least don’t
contradict (Miles & Huberman,
1994, p. 266)
• Multiple investigators
• Multiple contexts/situations

13. Mixed
Methods
“Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña also
pointed out that although designing
and conducting a mixed method
research project involves careful
planning and more effort in execution,
the benefits greatly outweigh the
difficulties (including philosophical
ones).”
(Connaway and Radford 2017, 229)

14. Justifications for
Combining Mixed
Methods
• Triangulation: convergence, corroboration,
correspondence, or results from different
methods.
• Complementarity: elaboration,
enhancement, illustration, clarification of
results from one method w/ results from
another
• Development: uses results from one
method to help develop or inform another
• Initiation: discovery of paradox &
contradiction, new perspectives /
frameworks, recasting of questions or
results from one method to another
• Expansion: extends breadth & range of
enquiry by using different methods for
different inquiry components

15. Key Questions in
Implementing Mixed Methods
& Multi-Strategy Research
1. Are the methods employed simultaneously
or sequentially?
2. Which method, if any has priority? And why?
3. What is the function of the integration – for
example, triangulation, explanation, or
exploration?
4. Are quantitative and qualitative data
collected simultaneously or sequentially?
5. How do the mixed methods impact on data
analysis – analysis by method & analyzed
sequentially, integrated analysis, cross-
method analysis?

16. Trending Now in
LIS Methods

17. Interpreting
Analyzing
Collecting
Assessment
Process of …
• Defining
• Selecting
• Designing
• Collecting
• Analyzing
• Interpreting
• Using
… information to increase
service/program effectiveness

18. Principles for Applying
Outcomes Assessment
• Center on users
• Assess changes in
service/resources use
• Relate to inputs
• Identify “best practices”
• Use variety of methods to
corroborate conclusions
• Choose small number of
outcomes
• Need not address every
aspect of service
• Adopt continuous process

19. Steps in
Assessment
Process
• Why? Identify purpose
• Who? Identify team
• How? Choose
model/approach/method
• Commit
• Training/planning

20. Ethnographic
Research
“a way of seeing how
individuals interact and
behave in situations by
utilizing different
qualitative data
collection and analysis
methods”
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 263)

21. Participant/Immersive
Observations
• Move into the setting as deeply
as possible
• Disturb participants as little as
possible
• Participant observation
• Open, direct interaction and
observation as part of the
group
(Connaway & Radford,

22. Mappin
g

23. Ethnographic
Analysis
• Use people’s own
categories
• Avoid assuming what
one will find
• Complementary to
quantitative methods
(Asher in Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 264)

24. Behavioral
Analytics
• “the widespread use of smart
phones and other smart devices
by researchers for data collection”
• Benefits include emotional well-
being and personalized health
• Watch out for privacy issues:
• Spatial and temporal
information can identify credit
card spending and predict
depression
• Ask: “Would I be comfortable
if I were one of the subjects
of this study?”
(Singh in Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 90)

25. Usability Testing:
Definition
• Degree to which a user can
successfully learn and use a
product to achieve a goal
• Evaluation research
methodology
• Observation and analysis of
user behavior while users
use a product or product
prototype to achieve a goal
(Dumas and Redish, 1993, p.22)

26. Usability
Testing:
Components
Comprised of three
parts:
1. Pre-session
interview
2. Scenario and task
structured test
3. Post-session
survey
(Tang in Connaway & Radford, 2017, p.

27. Usability
Testing:
Methodology
• Artificial environment
(laboratory)
• Maintain more control
• May provide more
specific data on a
particular feature
• Natural environment
• Better holistic
representation of real
people doing real work

28. Log Analysis
• Can be integrated with other
methods
• Unobtrusively identify user
patterns and systems
• Macroanalysis
• Analysis of aggregate use
data & patterns
• Microanalysis
• Analysis of individual search
patterns
• Don’t underestimate time to clean
data
• Data susceptible to researcher
bias (Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 348-349)
(Jansen in Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 348-349)

29. Text Mining
• “a digital means of reading
across large quantities of
text in a very short time”
• Works best for finding
factual content
• Can be used for
contextual information
• Python and Perl are some
text mining languages
• Need to know sources for
searching
• Need to prepare data for
mining
(Seadle in Connaway & Radford, 2017, p.
350)

30. Challenges:
Research
Methods
• Data collection &
analysis
˗ Costs
˗ Bias
˗ Inaccurate &
incomplete
• Sampling
• Massive amounts of
data
• Evolving technologies

31. Tips & Strategies for
Productivity

32. Publish More!
Advice for Increasing Productivity
• Be open to ideas
• Put 1st things first (set priorities)
• Find your rhythm (what works for you?)
• Work to your strengths and interest (focus &
enjoyment)
• Break into incremental steps (baby steps)
• Set target dates (personal deadlines)
• Create a plan
• Capture ideas (notebook or online app)
• Find time
• Block time for research/reading/writing
• Utilize small amounts of time
• Have multiple projects at multiple stages
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 8)

33. Synergize & Multitask:
Everything Does Double Duty
• Focus on your research interests
• Publish on innovations
• Pilot studies
• Assessment activities
• Submit to scholarly/professional
conferences – poster, paper, panel
• Convert to publication
• Workshops into publication
• Committee work into publication
• Rework papers for different
audience
• Research methodology publication
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 8)

34. Publish or
Perish: How to
Boost
Productivity
1.Wait
2.Begin early
3.Work in brief,
regular sessions
4.Stop
5.Balance
preliminaries with
formal work
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 7; Boice,
2000)

35. Publish or
Perish: How to
Boost
Productivity
6. Moderate over-
attachment &
overreaction
7. Moderate negative
thoughts
8. Moderate emotions
9. Let others do some of
the work (Collaborate!)
10.Limit wasted effort
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 7; Boice,

36. Blockbusting:
What to do When
Writer’s Block Strikes
• When we find writing to be a particular
challenge, it can be useful to ask yourself
the following questions:
• What barriers do I have to writing?
• What resources do I have to overcome
these barriers?
• What articles, topics or books do I want
to write?
• How could I organize myself to write
more?
• What specific steps would I have to
take to have more time to write?
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 11)

37. Blockbusting:
What to do When
Writer’s Block Strikes
• Do something routine (like
checking references) and try
again later.
• Do something else (take a walk!
or a shower!) and try again
later.
• Put your shoes on, if previously
writing barefoot, this has
benefits for some).
• Stop in the middle of a
sentence next time, this
technique helps some to get
going again.
• Use a carrot (a latte if you finish
xyz) or a stick (no latte until you
finish xyz).
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 11)

38. Improving
the Grant
Proposal
• Critical approach
• Sufficient experimental detail
• Realistic amount of work
• Acceptable scientific rationale
• Sound experimental reasoning
• Sound future directions
• Experience in essential methodology
• Knowledge of relevant published work
• Focused research plan
• Conveys an original idea
(Connaway & Radford, 2017, p. 389-390)

39. References
Asher, A. (2017). On Ethnographic Research: How do Students Find the
Information They Need? In L.S. Connaway & M. L. Radford (Eds.),
Research Methods for Library and Information Science (6th ed.). Westport,
CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Association of College and Research Libraries, The. (2001). Standards for
Libraries in Higher Education. Chicago, IL: ACRL.
http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/standards/slhe.pdf
Boice, R. (2000). Advice for New Faculty Members: Nihil Nimus. Boston,
MA: Allyn and Bacon, 273–277.
Chu, H. (2015). Research Methods in Library and Information Science: A
Content Analysis. Library & Information Science Research 37(1), 36-41.
Connaway, L.S. & Radford, M.L. (2017). Research Methods for Library and
Information Science (6th ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

40. References
Dumas, J.S., and Redish J. (1993). A Practical Guide to Usability Testing.
Portland, OR: Intellect Books.
Jansen, B. J. (2017). Log Analysis. In L.S. Connaway & M. L. Radford
(Eds.), Research Methods for Library and Information Science (6th ed.).
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Kaufman, P., & Barbara Watstein, S. (2008). Library Value (Return on
Investment, ROI) and the Challenge of Placing a Value on Public
Services. Reference Services Review 36(3), 226-231.
Kazmer, M. (2017). Mixed Methods. In L.S. Connaway & M. L. Radford
(Eds.), Research Methods for Library and Information Science (6th ed.).
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

41. References
Khoo, M., Rozaklis, L., & Hall, C. (2012). A Survey of the Use of
Ethnographic Methods in the Study of Libraries and Library Users. Library
and Information Science Research 34(2), 82-91.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis: A
Sourcebook. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.
National Institutes of Health (2015). Sidestep These Application Missteps.
www.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/grant/strategy/ pages/missteps.aspx.
Powell, R. (1999). Recent Trends in Research: A Methodological Essay.
Library & Information Science Research 21(1), 91-119.
Seadle, M. (2017). Text Mining. In L.S. Connaway & M. L. Radford (Eds.),
Research Methods for Library and Information Science (6th ed.). Westport,
CN: Libraries Unlimited.

42. References
Singh, V. (2017). Behavioral Analytics of Socio-Mobile Data. In L.S.
Connaway & M. L. Radford (Eds.), Research Methods for Library and
Information Science (6th ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
St. Louis University Grants Development Office (2015). Introduction to NIH
Grants.
http://www.slu.edu/documents/research/Gdo/intro_to_nih_grants.pdf.2.
Tang, R. (2017). Usability Research. In L.S. Connaway & M. L. Radford
(Eds.), Research Methods for Library and Information Science (6th ed.).
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Webb, E. J., Campbell, D. T., Schwartz, R. D., & Sechrest, L.
(1966). Unobtrusive Measures: Nonreactive Research in the Social
Sciences (Vol. 111). Chicago: Rand McNally.

43. Image Attribution
Slide 2: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidchief/2765256546/ by David Martyn Hunt / CC BY 2.0
Slide 3: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/smithser/3870653508/ by Brian Smithson / CC BY 2.0
Slide 4: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gbsk/4980421657/ by Barry Silver / CC BY 2.0
Slide 6: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrseb/5367646778/ by Mr Seb / CC BY-ND 2.0
Slide 7: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/zenobia_joy/5404900405/ by Beth Jusino / CC BY-NC 2.0
Slide 8: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/donnieray/15198147976/ by Donnie Ray Jones / CC BY 2.0
Slide 10: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/isabelle_puaut/12155012414/ by Isabelle Puaut / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 11: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/edgewoodchembiocenter/32447188374/ by U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical
Biological Center / CC BY 2.0
Slide 12: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wandrus/8434921527/ by William Andrus / CC BY 2.0
Slide 14: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiesrabbits/5791396338/ by Jamie / CC BY 2.0
Slide 15: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/katelinn/3970631195/ by kate parisotto / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 16: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/barneymoss/8402785735/ by Barney Moss / CC BY 2.0

44. Image Attribution
Slide 17: Image: Microsoft Clip Art
Slide 18: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/diversey/15853086440/ by Tony Webster / CC BY 2.0
Slide 19: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aoberg/9811001304/ by Adrian Berg / CC BY-NC 2.0
Slide 20: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/poughkeepsiedayschool/7178226762/ by Poughkeepsie Day School
Slide 21: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joybot/19531083023/ by Sarah Joy / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 23: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/respres/6041698098/ by Jeff Turner / CC BY 2.0
Slide 24: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rolexpv/5678172560/ by Raul Pacheco-Vega / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 25: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/deanhochman/14481958642/ by Dean Hochman / CC BY 2.0
Slide 26: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/78428166@N00/8120708019/ by Tony Alter / CC BY 2.0
Slide 27: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carnesaurus/32160924864/ by James Carnes / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 28: Image: Connaway, Lynn Silipigni, and Clifton Snyder. 2005. “Transaction Log Analysis of Electronic (E-Book)
Usage.” Against the Grain 17, no. 1: 85-89. http://www.oclc.org/research/publications/archive/2005/connaway-snyder-
atg.pdf.
Slide 29: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/24072855@N08/3523577653/ by Utah, Salt Lake City / CC BY 2.0

45. Image Attribution
Slide 30: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/therichbrooks/2600080329/ by Rich Brooks / CC BY 2.0
Slide 31: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bensutherland/5318654518/ by Ben Sutherland / CC BY 2.0
Slide 32: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/isriya/1513834166/ by Isriya Paireepairit / CC BY-NC 2.0
Slide 33: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/newspaperclub/8147290331/ by Newspaper Club / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 34: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stefan1981/8231288127/ by Stefan / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 35: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/caseorganic/5459572579/ by Amber Case / CC BY-NC 2.0
Slide 36: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wickenden/3687518860/ by Don LaVange / CC BY-SA 2.0
Slide 37: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thorinside/675520667/ by Neal Sanche / CC BY-NC 2.0
Slide 43: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/slightlyblurred/9235803926/ by Willard / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Slide 44: Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/glassholic/32619708724/ by Etienne / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

46. Lynn Silipigni Connaway
Senior Research Scientist &
Director of User Research,
OCLC
connawal@oclc.org
@lynnconnaway

47. Questions and
Discussion