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Research for practice – avoiding useless results

Elke Greifeneder (Berlin School of Library and Information Science, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany)
Michael S. Seadle (Berlin School of Library and Information Science, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany)

Library Hi Tech

ISSN: 0737-8831

Article publication date: 9 March 2010

1223

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss whether there is difference between pragmatic and scholarly approaches to data gathering in libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper discusses the research design that used mystery shoppers to evaluate library reference services.

Findings

The paper argues that people do a disservice to the institutions they study if they overstate the validity of their data and draw unsupportable conclusions based on those data.

Practical implications

The paper argues that valid results must be part of practical as well as scholarly research.

Originality/value

The paper illustrates how practical data gathering and analysis can have validity if the weaknesses of the data gathering are recognized and openly discussed, and if the right analytical methods are used.

Keywords

Citation

Greifeneder, E. and Seadle, M.S. (2010), "Research for practice – avoiding useless results", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 5-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378831011026652

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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