Research Methods in Information

PART 1: STARTING THE RESEARCH PROCESS1. Major research paradigms



Introduction
Positivist research
Postpositivism and mixed methods research (MMR)
Interpretivist research
Qualitative or quantitative methodology?
Qualitative research design
Quantitative research design
Mixed methods research
Criteria for judging research
Establishing trustworthiness in qualitative research
Establishing rigour in quantitative research
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

2. Reviewing literature



Introduction
Information searching and retrieval
Evaluation
Critical analysis
Synthesizing the research: developing a theoretical framework
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

3. Defining the research



Introduction
Designing a conceptual framework
The research hypothesis
Research aims and objectives
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

4. The research proposal



Why write a proposal?
Structure of a research proposal
The proposal as a research framework
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

5. Sampling



Why sample?
Population and sample
Probability sampling
Purposive sampling
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

6. Research Data Management - Julie McLeod, Sue Childs and Elizabeth Lomas



Introduction - research data and its management challenges
Why is research data management important?
The research process, data lifecycles and research data management
How do I manage my research data?
Summary
Practical exercise
Websites referred to in this chapter
Suggested further reading

7. Ethics in research



Introduction
Gaining access to the field
Informed consent
Anonymity or confidentiality?
Protecting participants
Ethics online
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

8. Case studies



Introduction
Phases in case study research
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

9. Surveys



Introduction
Descriptive surveys
Explanatory surveys
The survey process
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

10. Experimental research



Introduction
The nature of causality
The true experiment
Quasi-experimental design: the 'effects study'
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

11. Usability testing



Introduction
Quasi-experimental usability studies
Cognitive walkthroughs
Heuristic evaluation
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

12. Ethnography



Introduction
Components of ethnographic study
Virtual ethnography - 'netnography'
Ethics in ethnography
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

13. Delphi study



Introduction
The Delphi process
Rules of a Delphi study
Modifying a Delphi study
Delphi studies and new technologies
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

14. Action research



Introduction
The action research cycle
Trustworthiness in action research
Action research as reflective practice
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

15. Historical research



Introduction
The research process
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

16. Grounded theory: method or analysis?



Introduction
Defining grounded theory
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

PART 3: DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES
17. Interviews



Introduction
What is the purpose of an interview?
The seven stages of the interview process
Online interviewing
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

18. Questionnaires



Introduction
Designing questionnaires
Developing questions
Scale items
Forms of questionnaire
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

19. Observation



Introduction
The role of the observer
Recording what you see; going in with signposts
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

20. Diaries



Introduction
The purpose of diaries in research
Participant diaries
The researcher's log
Structure and recording
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

21. Focus groups



Introduction
Purpose of a focus group
Organizing a focus group
Online focus groups
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

22. Analysis of existing, externally created material - Andrew K. Shenton



Introduction
The different supporting roles of documents
LIS research principally based on documents
Citation analysis
Logs associated with computer software and the use of ICT
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

PART 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH PRESENTATION23. Qualitative analysis



Introduction
Phenomenological strategies
Ethnographic methods
Narrative and discourse analysis
Constant comparative analysis
Memo writing
Presenting qualitative findings
Software for qualitative analysis
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

24. Quantitative analysis



Introduction
Levels of measurement
Frequency distribution
Cross-tabulation
Measures of central tendency
Measures of dispersion
Correlation
Displaying data
Testing for statistical significance
Software for quantitative analysis
Summary
Practical exercise
Suggested further reading

25. Presenting the research



Introduction
Planning the final report
Form and structure
Summary
Suggested further reading

PART 5: GLOSSARY AND REFERENCES



Glossary of research terms
References