Basic Research Methods for Librarians 3rd Edition

Citation

Morgan, S. (1998), "Basic Research Methods for Librarians 3rd Edition", Library Review, Vol. 47 No. 8, pp. 409-410. https://doi.org/10.1108/lr.1998.47.8.409.8

As early as the first page the author makes the point that the research record for librarianship is uneven and “the quantity and quality leave something to be desired”. The need for librarians to have a good knowledge of the research process and its various methods has never been greater. Why so? First, there is the continuing need to test myths and assumptions which have been part of our profession’s baggage; second, professional problems that need practical solutions are rarely in short supply; third, librarians are increasingly having to write research proposals in order to obtain funding; and, finally, for those librarians or information professionals who support researchers ‐ either in the university or other sectors ‐ it is important to understand their modus operandi. And these are just some of the reasons.

Those embarking on a research project could do a lot worse than follow Powell’s advice in this updated easy‐to‐read text. This third edition, aimed at both practising librarians and students, has altered little from its previous incarnation. The major changes are the addition of a chapter (Lynn Westbrook) on qualitative research methods and a contribution (Jack Glazier) in the appendix (why not in the main body of the book?) on the philosophical presuppositions of research. The book’s perspective is that library‐related research should be as sound as any scientific research, and basic concepts are presented accordingly.

The structure of the book is a fairly conventional one. After an introductory chapter the reader plunges into the research planning process (including a useful checklist) and the kinds of problems that lend themselves to investigation. Much ground is covered here ‐ indeed, at 44 pages this is the longest chapter ‐ as topics such as hypothesis construction, the slippery notion of validity and the range of research methods are introduced. Survey research and sampling are the main focus of the third chapter. Having been involved in a number of dissertations (both writing and advising on), a frequent cause of concern has been the thorny question of sample size. All too often the constraints of the research exercise (usually time, money or both) ensure that sample sizes are too small to provide reliable results. This chapter gives the topic due prominence and makes it intelligible to the lay person. Three frequently used data collection techniques are visited in the next chapter ‐ the questionnaire, the interview and observation. It seems a rather unbalanced chapter with the lion’s share given over to the questionnaire. Having said that, the advice and guidance on questionnaire construction is excellent although a list of further reading on the other two methods would have been helpful. The next three chapters cover different types of research ‐ experimental, qualitative and historical. Although considered possibly the most rigorous of all methods, experimental research is carried out very infrequently in the library environment. Perhaps the mathematical formulae and theories of causality outlined here are part of the reason. Westbrook’s chapter on qualitative research is a concise exploration of the main elements of naturalistic research ‐ a qualitative island in this mainly quantitative sea. The techniques described here are particularly pertinent to library and information work since so much depends on human interaction ‐ areas in which evaluation and measurement are by no means straightforward. The short chapter on historical research includes the basic steps, collecting data and bibliographical research. Analysing data is another area that can cause problems, particularly for those new to research. “What does all this mean?” is the question often heard. Chapter 8 offers the reader a series of steps towards disentangling and making sense of the data. The author advises the use of pictorial representations as one way of illuminating complex data. He gives some simple examples such as histograms and pie charts. The final pair of chapters are about writing ‐ the research proposal and the research report. These act as useful checklists but say nothing that is new.

The book’s list of references (around 250) is impressive although I thought the index was rather unhelpful. A new section on focus groups had been included in this edition although there is no mention of it in the contents page or the index. On the other hand there are 30 entries under “Sampling” even though the majority of them are concentrated in the one chapter.

These minor points, however, should not detract from the lucidity and generally practical approach of this text. I would hazard a guess that a fourth edition ‐ and, hopefully, there will be one ‐ may devote a larger proportion of its content to the qualitative paradigm. This would increase its usefulness even more.