How reference and information service is studied: Research approaches and methods

VanScoy, Amy; Fontana, Cady

doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2016.04.002

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…A classification that extends earlier work in this area; "survey" no long dominating; instead, "content analysis," "experiment," and "theoretical approach" become more popular VanScoy and Fontana (2016) 1,362 journal articles published between 2000 and 2009…”

Section: Studymentioning

confidence: 78%

“…As a result of a wish to understand these patterns, a number of studies have been conducted to investigate the usage and evolution of research methods in LIS. Many of these (Bernhard, 1993;Blake, 1994;Chu, 2015;Järvelin & Vakkari, 1990) aim to develop a classification scheme of commonly used research methods in LIS, whereas some (Hider & Pymm, 2008;VanScoy & Fontana, 2016) focus on comparing the usage of certain methods (e.g., qualitative vs. quantitative), or recent trends in the usage of certain methods (Fidel, 2008;Grankikov, Hong et al, 2020). However, we identify several gaps in the literature on research methods in LIS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Towards automated analysis of research methods in library and information science

Zhang

Tam

Cox

2021

Quantitative Science Studies

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Previous studies of research methods in LIS lack consensus in how to define or classify research methods, and there have been no studies on automated recognition of research methods in the scientific literature of this field. This work begins to fill these gaps by studying how the scope of ‘research methods’ in LIS has evolved, and the challenges in automatically identifying the usage of research methods in LIS literature. 2,599 research articles are collected from three LIS journals. Using a combination of content analysis and text mining methods, a sample of this collection is coded into 29 different concepts of research methods and is then used to test a rule-based automated method for identifying research methods reported in scientific literature. We show that the LIS field is characterised by the use of an increasingly diverse range of methods, many of which originate outside the conventional boundaries of LIS. This implies increasing complexity in research methodology and suggests the need for a new approach towards classifying LIS research methods to capture the complex structure and relationships between different aspects of methods. Our automated method is the first of its kind in LIS, and sets an important reference for future research.

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Section: Studymentioning

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards automated analysis of research methods in library and information science

Zhang

Tam

Cox

2021

Quantitative Science Studies

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“…VanScoy and Fontana [36] are of the opinion that the downward trend of published studies in this area may be due to a change in program evaluation needs. As such, new forms of reference, whether embedded within courses, moved to ubiquitous and virtual "spaces", or tied to information literacy instruction, endure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Library Assessment Research: A Content Comparison from Three American Library Journals

2018

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Improvement of academic library services as an outcome of continuous assessment is an aim of libraries of higher education institutions. Academic libraries are realizing the need to document evidence of their value to the institutions and the patrons they serve. Publications that include assessment research are reaching library decision makers, who seek to apply evidence to improve services or implement best practices that benefit all stakeholders. Following two previous studies that reported longitudinally on front-line library services, this paper investigates current five-year trending of three prestigious academic library journals in the publication of assessment studies. Data for this study were drawn through a content analysis process, in which the investigators selected studies for inclusion using a set of criteria developed in a pilot exercise. After individually examining 649 research articles, published between 2012 and 2016, 126 met the study's selection criteria and were categorized according to the type of service they studied. Papers on information literacy instruction dominated, while reference services, technology, and general assessment studies saw less representation in the three journals. This finding reflects the priority placed upon information literacy instruction and describes how three American library journals are responding to current trends across academic libraries.

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“…Within the library profession, scholarship on information literacy instruction and assessment is abundant (e.g., Crawford and Feldt 2007; Erlinger 2018; Rader 2002; Sobel and Sugimoto 2012; Stevens 2006; VanScoy and Fontana 2016). The consensus of much of the literature on undergraduate information literacy is that “student learning is enhanced when faculty and librarians work together” (Junisbai et al 2016:6).…”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“Easier, Less Stressful, and Better Results”: Sociology and Criminal Justice Majors’ Experience of Library Research before and after Library Instruction

Willms

O’Brien-Jenks

2020

Teach Sociol

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This article argues for the incorporation of library instruction into research methods courses to foster information literacy skills important to disciplinary specialization. The evidence in support emerges from a collaborative teaching and assessment project conducted by a research methods instructor and a faculty instructional librarian. The project evaluated the effectiveness of library instruction in two ways: One, essays in which students described their research process before and after library instruction were evaluated qualitatively for dominant themes. Two, students’ postinstruction literature review projects were assessed using a rubric to determine the degree to which students met learning outcomes. These assessments indicate that library instruction led to several positive outcomes. In the essays, many students described increases in skills and confidence as well as appreciation for the new research tools introduced. In sampled literature review assignments, students demonstrated skills that met or exceeded expectations.

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How reference and information service is studied: Research approaches and methods

Cited by 19 publications

References 27 publications

Towards automated analysis of research methods in library and information science

Towards automated analysis of research methods in library and information science

Library Assessment Research: A Content Comparison from Three American Library Journals

“Easier, Less Stressful, and Better Results”: Sociology and Criminal Justice Majors’ Experience of Library Research before and after Library Instruction

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