UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

School of Information Resources and Library Science

Research Methods 506

SUMMER 2004

Class Meetings: EDUC 240

Saturdays June 12, 19, 26. 8.00 - 5.00

Sundays June 13, 20, 27. 8.00 - 1.00

Instructor: Margaret Higgins, PhD

Email: Margaretahiggins@yahoo.com

Office Hours: By appointment

Course Content

The course offers an introduction to research techniques and their application in social research. Students will gain an appreciation of factors involved in research and an ability to critically evaluate research. Statistics will be addressed, with the emphasis being on engendering a level of familiarity with statistical concepts. This course will not create statisticians but it will provide a platform for discussion with experts of the statistics required for research.

Aims of the course

To provide an understanding of the nature, role and value of research, and to demonstrate the importance of, and necessity for, research; To familiarize students with a variety of research methods; To enable students to interpret and evaluate research..

Objectives of the course

By the end of the course students should be able to

• identify and implement research strategies appropriate for problems in their own working environment.

• identify well executed, reliable, and valid research

• identify research results which can be applied to their own library or information centre.

Code of Academic Integrity

Students are required to comply with the University's expectation of academic honesty as stated in the University of Arizona's Code of Academic Integrity (1991 Revision).

Required Text: Patten, M.L. (any edition). Understanding Research Methods: An Overview of the Essentials, 2^nd Ed., California: Pyrczak Press. THIS MUST BE READ IN ADVANCE OF THE COURSE.

Required Reading: Campbell, D & Stanley, J. (1963). Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Research. Reprinted from Handbook of Research on Teaching. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally College Publishing Company. STUDENTS MUST BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS IN ADVANCE OF THE COURSE.

There are good online sources, such as

* Hyperstat Online

* Research Methods Knowledge Base Trochim, William M. The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 2nd Edition. Internet WWW page, at URL: <http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/kb/index.htm>

* VassarStats

Assessment

Participation 5%

Assignment 1: 10% Due June 19

Assignment 2: 20% Due June 20

Research Proposal 45% Due June 26

Exam 20% In class or Take away, to be done Sunday 27^th after class; due 5.00pm that day (note: this is subject to discussion with students). Which option we select depends on progress in the course and student preference.

i) Expectations: Students are expected to participate in class - they are especially expected to take a leading role in discussions. My rationale for this is that in your work you will often have to speak for a service in which only you believe - and you may have to argue for your department's (rightful?) budget allocation. You therefore have to speak with confidence and knowledge, and you have to make a positive impression management. You might as well practice now.

ii) Other than for medical (or other super-good) reason, no late assignments will be accepted.

iii) Prepare all written work in APA format; and word process or type all work.

Grades: A: 100-90 B: 89-80 C: 79-70 Less than 'C' is fail.

Required Work:

*Participation

As stated, I expect input. Articulation of your thoughts, and interaction with colleagues, is valuable for learning - you learn, and so do others listening to you. So quality input is expected. How do I define quality? Pertinent comments; illustrative comments; leadership during discussions....and offbeat, unusual, humorous comments are always welcome - especially if they serve to illuminate a point. The alternative hour of each day will more often than not be devoted to group work, revolving around set questions, topics, and puzzles. So the process will probably be: Lecture for an hour, group work for an hour; lecture, group work etc. We will largely play this by ear as we proceed through the syllabus.

*Assignment One: (Max length 5 double spaced pages).

Please choose to do one of the two options, A or B:

A) Select a recent research article which covers an area of information science of interest to you. Ensure that the article includes identifiable hypotheses or research questions - then go back through the cited literature and critique the theoretical development of the hypotheses. From where did the ideas stem? Are they worth investigating? Why? Also, present a brief critique of the methods used to test the hypotheses. Append a copy of the article to the assignment.

(Grading criteria: Clear and critical analysis of hypothesis development (rather than descriptive); Clear articulation of your judgment of the value of the hypotheses/research questions being tested; Informed discussion of the adequacy of the research technique used (at this stage students are not expected to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of research methods); Clear and concise exposition of the points you are making (including correct grammar and spelling))

B) Present a thoughtful exposition of the value to society of research in the field of information science. Do not be rhetorical or emotive: be logical and incisive. Provide authoritative support for your views and/or offer convincing criticism of detractors from your stance.

(Grading criteria: Clear articulation of your judgment of the value of LIS research; Analysis of other writers' views on the subject; Clear and concise exposition of the points you are making (including correct grammar and spelling))

*Assignment Two: (max length: 8 double-spaced pages)

Evaluate any two of the articles you will be given in class. Using the following criteria for evaluation:

You should be familiar with all our standard material about internal, external, instruments, design, sampling, control and test groups. Even if these aspects have not yet been touched upon in class, you will have read about them in Patten. All of those aspects provide valuable criteria..

Additionally, and in some cases, redundantly, there may be (and not all of these will apply to all research pieces, nor are these the only possible criteria that should be addressed. Each piece will require additional thought on the part of the evaluator):

I. Report of Prior Research:

* Is the literature cited relevant?

* Is the literature cited significant?

* Is the literature cited sufficiently identified so that you could retrieve it?

II. Purpose and Justification

* Is it sufficient, logical, and convincing?

* Is there a general problem area identified?

* Is a specific problem evident?

* Are definitions given and are they clearly operationalized?

* Are assumptions stated?

* Hypotheses: Are they stated- implied, clear, precise?

* Are they directional?

* Is lack of an hypothesis accounted for?

III. Sampling (if appropriate):

* Is the population clearly described, implied?

* Is the sample clearly described?

* Is it representative, random, adequate in size?

* Are limitations on generalizability presented?

IV. Instrumentation:

* Adequately described?

* Reliable?

* Valid for the purpose?

V. Procedures:

* Are they clearly described?

* Are extraneous variables controlled?

* Is procedural bias controlled?

VI. Data Analysis:

* Are statistical methods appropriate?

* Are limitations pointed out?

VII. Results

* Clearly presented?

* Written description consistent with data?

* Are there a minimum of inferences?

* Are they debatable?

VIII. Interpretation:

* Is it consistent with the results?

* Relevant to the purpose?

* Does it place the study in a broader perspective?

* What does it signal?

*Research Proposal: (Max length: 10 double-spaced pages).

Writing a research proposal will enable a) in-depth thought on their topic of concern, and b) supervised development of ways to address a problem.

Research proposals are written in report format and usually contain an introduction, the background to the problem, a broad statement of the nature of the problem, a literature review which serves to refine and identify the problem more precisely, a theoretical framework in which the problem is placed, a statement of the research question (or the hypotheses), and a methods section which includes such design details as the variables in the research, how the hypotheses could be measured, which statistical tests would be appropriate, and to whom the research findings could be generalized. Good examples of research proposals can be found online.

Note that at this stage there is no expectation that the student should have extensive statistical knowledge. Note also that this research proposal is not expected to be extremely detailed - all elements of a proposal must be included, though in a shortened form. To take the literature review, for example. Normally a review is exhaustive. However, for this small proposal, I will expect the relevant literature to been sampled, and seminal or major articles identified and discussed. Some time has been reserved for discussion of worthy research proposals.

Lecture Schedule (THIS WILL BE REFINED AS WE PROCEED)

JUNE 12/13 General Introduction & Expectations

What is Research & Why do it? Ways of Knowing

Research Process

Science & Positivism

Designs & Error

Readings: Campbell & Stanley

JUNE19/20 Basic & Applied research

Introduction to Statistics

Qualitative & Quantitative research

Sampling; Survey research & User studies

Bibliometrics/ Historical / Archival

JUNE 26/27 Different countries / different concerns

Research & Decision Making

Research Proposals (SELECTED STUDENTS WILL BE INVITED TO

BRIEFLY DISCUSS THEIR PROPOSAL)

Exam

Readings List

It is unrealistic to expect students, in an intensive course such as this, to read all of these articles.

However, students who manage to read these (or even some of them) will be better informed, and more able to participate. In lieu of the absolute expectation that all of these are read, the class emphasis will be on demonstrating absolute and complete knowledge of the assigned text, and of Campbell & Stanley.

American Educational Research Association (1992). Ethical Standards of the American Educational Research Association. Educational Researcher. 21, 7. 23-26.

Bookstein, A. (1985). Questionnaire Research in a Library Setting. Journal of Academic Librarianship. 11. Mar , 24-28.

Brooks, T. (1989). The Model of Science and Scientific Models in Librarianship. Library Trends. 38. Fall 1989. 237-249..

Busha, C.H. (1981). Library Science Research: the path to progress. In Busha, C. (ed) A Library Science Research Reader and Bibliographic Guide. p.1-37 Littleton, Colo: Libraries Unlimited.

Campbell, D & Stanley, J.(1963). Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Research. Reprinted from Handbook of Research on Teaching. Chicago,IL.: Rand McNally College Publishing Company.

Case, D & Richardson, J. (1990). Predictors of Student Performance with Emphasis on Gender and Ethnic Determinants. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 30, 3. Winter. 163-180.

Chalmers, A. From What is this thing called Science? 1978, pp 89-100.

Cooper, M. (1990). Perspectives on Qualitative Research with Quantitative Implications.: Studies in Information Management. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 31, 2. 105-112.

Davis, C.H. (1990). On Qualitative Research. Library and Information Science Research. 12, 327-328.

Elliott, C (1981). Citation Patterns and Documentation for the History of Science: Some Methodological Considerations. American Archivist, 44, 2. 131-142.

Enger, K.B., Quirk, G & Stewart, J. (1989). Statistical Methods Used by Authors of Library and Information Science Journal Articles. Library and Information Science Research. 11, 37-46.

Ford, N. Research and practice in librarianship: A cognitive view. In Katz, B & Kinder, R. (eds). Current Trends in Information Research and Theory, 21-47, New York: Haworth Press.

Gilbey, J. (1988) How Good are Your Data? New Scientist. 118. June 9. p.80.

Glazier, J. (1992). Qualitative and Non Qualitative Research Methodologies: Thesis, Antithesis, or Synthesis? in Glazier, J. & Powell, R. (eds). Qualitative Research in Information Management. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited Inc.

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Powell, R.R. (1991). Basic Research Methods for Librarians. 2nd ed. Ablex: Norwood, NJ. 53-81.

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