“Demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods and of the evaluation and synthesis of research literature”
Introduction
A research method is a way of investigating the world around us by focusing on one event, conducting a literature review of the topic and current research, then conducting an experiment, a study, or both. Writing a standardized paper to share this information allows your quantitative research data to be examined by peers and its reliability and validity to be reviewed by the field. There are three types of research methods, quantitative, qualitative and mixed, separated according to their procedures and underlying philosophy.
Quantitative research is the oldest of the methods, and measurable results are the primary focus. Typically a quantitative research study is first drafted by creating a testable hypothesis, which will either be rejected or not in the course of the testing process. Testing usually involves using an instrument such as a questionnaire, although it can be an actual physical tool, or a behavioral process, that’s utilized to generate research data. In most cases a quantitative study attempts to determine what effect a variable has by using both a control group and a test group. The control group is not exposed to the variable element, in order to measure any differences against the experimental group. These differences will be examined for statistical significance and may help reject the hypothesis.
Qualitative research is a relatively newer type of research, where the primary focus is on one organization, group or individual, as seen in a nonexperimental scenario. Case studies, where one person exhibiting behavior or qualities of interest is studied extensively, are an example of a qualitative study; in this type of research, a problem is examined and questions are raised regarding possible comparisons to similar phenomena, so as to devise solutions or inspire further research. Qualitative studies focus on exploring, primarily to gain more information, whereas quantitative research seeks to explain the causes behind their effects.
Mixed methods research is of course a combination of the two major research philosophies. Researchers employing mixed methods must have mastered the fundamentals of both the quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A mixed methods program could use a qualitative study to explore an issue, then conduct quantitative work with far greater precision after reviewing the exploratory data. The reverse is also true, where quantitative studies often identify questions that are better explored through the qualitative approach.
A major part of all three of these research methods is anchoring the study within the research literature, as determined by the current and established scientific community. For example, a quantitative study on the effects of a particular drug on the sleep patterns in mice requires a literature review section discussing current, related research studies. In this way, the authors demonstrate their awareness of the field they are researching as well as making sure they aren’t needlessly duplicating the efforts of others. When gathering literature related to the research study, care is needed in selecting each information resource, considering the reliability and validity of their research, the quality of their study’s methodology, and its application to the literature review. A good synthesis of the current literature involves a firm grasp of the fundamentals of scientific methods, as well as knowledge of the field of research.
All three of these research methods have LIS applications. A quantitative experiment can have a LIS focus in either the experiment design, or measurement tools used. Individual case studies or a phenomenological study could be conducted on a population of library patrons to help establish their service needs, and could take the form of self-report surveys with their expressed, written consent. A mixed method study would use a mix of surveys and data collection. All of these research studies would be written so that they can be shared with others, in order to advance library and information science.
Evidence
My first piece of evidence is a presentation for LIBR 285. This presentation tasked me with creating a powerpoint presentation with a voice-over describing the techniques and best practices utilized in a particular research method. The research method selected was qualitative. The presentation also explains how the research method could be of use in reference services. The pros and cons of the research method are also explored.
My second piece of evidence is the week 2 discussion post from LIBR 285. This discussion post asked me to find a study and describe its design. Additionally, I needed to discuss the kind of empirical evidence the study found on my topic, including the population and sampling method, the findings of the study, and whether those findings were statistically significant. I examined a quantitative study on younger Americans’ reading and library use habits. The data was the answers from those surveyed from a population of ages 16 and older. The sampling methods were a phone survey and an online panel of library patrons. A statistically significant finding I identified was that high school students are significantly more likely to say they would be interested in checking out pre-loaded e-readers from the local public library if the service was offered than if they were not pre-loaded with media content.
My third piece of evidence is the week 4 discussion post from LIBR 285. This discussion post tasked me with finding a case study to analyze and discuss. I found a case study focused upon the integration of chat reference and library-wide Instant Messanger (IM) technologies in a modern library environment. I identified the focus of the study, the purpose, population, and research question. I also described the setting, the literature review and the population.
Conclusion
Services in a LIS setting can be improved by utilizing data from any one of the three major research methodologies. Quantitative and qualitative research examine the world in broadly different ways, as only quantitative deals with experimental variables. Qualitative thinking orients towards a more exploratory approach, and attempts to find connections between trends rather than to explain their origins. Mixed methods is a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative methods used in tandem to establish effective theories and systems.