OBJECTIVES

 1. To establish guidelines by which to judge the "goodness" of a research effort as presented in published scholarly literature.

 2. To demonstrate an understanding the fundamental nature of the scientific method as an approach to problem solving and evaluation through creation of a research proposal (often referred to as a problem statement) and a data collection instrument.

 3. To demonstrate competence in choosing the appropriate statistics for analyzing data with the use of computational formulae and a computerized statistical package (SPSS, Excel or other of student's choice).

 4. To examine closely several basic research methodologies frequently used in the field of LIS research and argue for the appropriateness of one to the evolution of a research proposal (or problem statement).

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• Methodology, Group Oral Report 20%
• Midterm (open book & open notes) 40%
• Final Exam (open book & open notes) or Research Proposal 40%

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PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

Attendance and discussion are essential, as is a thorough effort to keep current with all assigned readings.  The amount of reading required is not great, but there may sometimes be a need to go beyond the textbook and seek practice problems to improve your understanding with calculation efforts for those who wish to do well.  Lecture content is not strictly parallel to the readings, but they should feel complementary in developing the understandings and vocabulary of research. A good deal of the semester will be devoted to statistics, but always with a strong understanding of the context, the reasons why statistics are useful.  It is my personal belief that you are better able to read a research article once you have had the experience of doing some statistical work yourself.  The point of the course is not to create statisticians, so you will be introduced to only a modest (but most useful) number of statistical measurements.  The texts chosen are also good for their use of humor and illustration, providing a user-friendly approach to the world of number crunching.  The exams will be open notes and open book, so it is beneficial to be fairly methodical in your note taking.  Important concepts, definitions and calculations will always be covered by the instructor, so good attendance, reading and attention are your best study aids.

It is a good idea to purchase an inexpensive calculator -- one that is capable of the four arithmetic functions and of calculating the square root.  That purchase should not cost more than $5 or so.  A backup calculator will be provided by the instructor during exams. 

All written work done by the student outside of class will be expected to be word-processed. All calculations on exams can be done in pencil.  The back pages of the syllabus provide guidelines for writing the a proposal for those who may choose to create a proposal in place of the Final Exam..  Also enclosed in the syllabus are guidelines for the research method group presentation.  We will discuss both thoroughly before either become due.

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GRADING GUIDELINES

The grading system for GSLIS has been explained in your GSLIS Announcement.  The University of Texas does not use the +/- grading system that we do here at GSLIS; UT accepts only full letter grades.  Therefore, for example, final grades of B- and B+ at GSLIS will both translate to a final grade of B at the University level.  You should expect a grade of B for acceptable masters' level work; only an outstanding performance will be given a grade of A.  Each assignment will be given a letter grade together with an indication of the criteria on which the grade is based.  Returned work will be given + and - indicators.  In calculating the final grade, these letter grades will be assigned a numeric index that will then be weighted according to the weight given the assignment.  For those who receive a final course average falling in the middle between, say, an A and a B, class participation and interaction with the instructor will be used to determine whether to push a mid-level average to the higher final grade assigned.
 

The exams will be graded on a 100 point scale, and generally 90 and above will be necessary to earn an A.  Again, grading criteria for other assigned work should be clearly indicated.  Should you have a question about a grade you have received, please feel free to see the instructor.  Because of the class size, it is imperative that assignments be handed in on time, at the beginning of class on the date due.  Please inform the instructor 24 hours in advance about work that will be late.  Instructor reserves the right to decrease by 10% the value of the eventual grade given for each day an assignment is late, unless prior information is provided to the instructor.

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TEXTBOOKS

Katzer, Cook and Crouch. Evaluating Information: A Guide for Users of Social Science Research. 4th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1998.

Williams, Frederick. Reasoning with Statistics: How to Read Quantitative Research. 4th edition. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992.

Recommended for the "mathphobic", but not required

Brown, Amos and Mink. Statistical Concepts: A Basic Program. 3rd ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1995.

Reserve Readings at PCL (2 hour checkout):

Busha and Harter. Research Methods in Librarianship: Techniques and Interpretations. New York: Academic Press, 1980. (Copies of chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 9 are also available separately)

Hartwig and Dearing. Exploratory Data Analysis. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1979, pp. 9-31.

Kaplan, Abraham. The Conduct of Inquiry.  Chapter 1, pp. 3-33.

Milgram, Stanley. "A Behavioral Study of Obedience," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 67(4) 1963, pp. 371-378.

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Professor:  Dr. Ruth A. Palmquist palmquis@gslis.utexas.edu
Teaching Assistant: Don Drumtra drumtra@aol.com

Students: Names and email addresses are provided with the permission of students. Students who wish to change or remove their their name or email address, should send an email to the Teaching Assistant.

Name	Email	Team
Aimee Akerman	akerman@gslis.utexas.edu	Bibliometrics
Bruce Baker	wienman@earthlink.net	Historical
Barbara Berdahl	bberdahl@mail.utexas.edu	Qualitative Analysis
Jie Chen	jchen@gslis.utexas.edu	Discourse Analysis
Nancy Cole	nccole@austin.rr.com	Content Analysis
Joanna Cook	cookjm@gslis.utexas.edu	Content Analysis
Dawn Eckenrode	eckenrode_78704@yahoo.com	Discourse Analysis
Amy Filiatreau	filiatreau@mail.utexas.edu	Survey
Kathleen Fordyce	kfordyce@mail.utexas.edu	Experimental/Usability
Sarah Hagge	shagge@mail.utexas.edu	Bibliometrics
Melanie Harshman	melanie@gslis.utexas.edu	Qualitative Analysis
Jill Hawkins	hawkins@gslis.utexas.edu	Content Analysis
Bunhee Joung	bunheej@hotmail.com	Experimental/Usability
Holly King	hking@gslis.utexas.edu	Historical
Jai Le (Violet)	le_jia@hotmail.com	Experimental/Usability
Cindy Lee	cindylee@gslis.utexas.edu	Experimental/Usability
Seung-ah Lee (Leeah)	s.lee@mail.utexas.edu	Experimental/Usability
Nansun Liang	n223@yahoo.com	Historical
Roberto Longoria	ozona@mail.utexas.edu	Discourse Analysis
Erik Magnuson	magnuson@gslis.utexas.edu	Survey
Matt Makowka	premium@gslis.utexas.edu	Historical
Laura Marginson	licor76@aol.com	Bibliometrics
Piper Martin	pipermartin74@hotmail.com	Bibliometrics
Thrersa Melomo	tmelomo@gslis.utexas.edu	Content Analysis
Michelle Minto	minto@mail.utexas.edu	Discourse Analysis
Nancy Newcombe	nnewc@aol.com	Qualitative Analysis
Carlos Pin	cpin@mail.utexas.edu	Experimental/Usability
Rebecca Pool	rpool26@hotmail.com	Historical
Norm Rubin	normzac@yahoo.com	Survey
Karen Sherman	ksherman@gslis.utexas.edu	Qualitative Analysis
Jackie Stone	ejps@mail.utexas.edu	Historical
Laurie Taylor	dstaylor@texas.net	Content Analysis
Valerie Valdez	valvalde@gslis.utexas.edu	Content Analysis
Patti Wardell	pdubbya@hotmail.com	Survey
Wendy Wood	wendylizzie@hotmail.com	Bibliometrics
Maggie Yackey	yackey@mail.utexas.edu	Qualitative Analysis
Devin Zimmerman	ddzimm@gslis.utexas.edu	Discourse Analysis

To all: lis3971rp@lists.cc.utexas.edu (Research Methods)
The list processor at the above address receives your message and resends it to all of the above colleagues of LIS397.1. Your reply to a message you receive from the list processer will go to all of us. If you wish to reply only to the sender you must change the address in the to line of your message to that of the sender.
 

 

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GROUP REPORT ON A METHODOLOGY

You have been assigned to a group which will have the responsibility of describing a research article which reports on a research effort following a particular type of research methodology. The purpose of this activity is to acquaint you (and the rest of the class) with a particular methodology and to see how reports of research fit (or do not fit) the "sherbet model of research." The effort is not graded, but I expect your participation and attention regardless. Please see me if you or the group have problems with the presentation.

Here is a general outline for your effort:

1. Select an article in which your particular methodology is used. Use Busha and Harter for guidance, but it may take some good old-fashioned hunting to find the method you have been assigned. Feel free to get suggestions from the instructor, but provide a copy as soon as possible so that your choice can be placed in the IP Lab for the rest of the class to read before your group presentation.

2. Use Busha and Harter (on reserve) and Web pages to read the explanation of your particular methodology. Again, feel free to look at other sources if you find Busha and Harter to be unclear or too abbreviated. Ask the instructor for guidance to materials which will outline the dos and don'ts of various methodologies.

3. For the presentation to the class:

a. Briefly describe the methodology you are illustrating with the article you have chosen. This should be a brief rehearsal of how the method is meant to be used, not necessarily how it was used in your article. This could be done by one of the group.

b. Next, provide some explanation of the problem statement or rationale for the research effort in your article. What were the goals, objectives, or aims of the researchers. What question(s) were they trying to answer?

c. How was the methodology applied to the problem or question? Did the researchers seem to faithfully follow the "how to" aspects of the method? Were there problems with the method that might cause the data to be biased, for example?

(1) If the method was historical, for example, how did the research article fit with the description you found in Harter and Busha about how historical research should be done? How were the primary documents (data) selected?

(2) If the method was experimental, what kind of randomization occurred. What size was the sample and how did the researcher exert a maximum level of control to assure that only the examined effect could have caused the result?

(3) If the method was a case study, does the description of the types of data selected seem diverse enough to have provided some illuminating patterns in the event?

(4) If the method was a survey, describe some of the questions asked of the subjects. Do the questions asked seem to be an effective way of getting at the purpose for which the study was designed.

(5) If the method was qualitative, it probably won't fit the "sherbet model" well at all. Instead provide a description of what was done. Did the research use one of the interviewing techniques discussed, either in-depth or participant/observer?

(6) If the method was content analysis, into what categories were the researchers coding the content? Did they get others (outsiders) to double check the accuracy of the coding scheme (this is called an inter-coder reliability check)?

d. What were the findings? Briefly describe the outcome of the research effort. It might be helpful to the class to provide a handout or some visual to illustrate a summary of the data analysis. Feel free to discuss only those statistical items with which you are comfortable. If you were a practitioner reading this article, would the results be clear to you?

e. What does the author think the significance of the results might be? Do you agree? Does the author mention any flaws that might need attention before someone else tries to replicate this research effort? (Some do, but others feel that if they are too honest then the effort will not be published!)

f. How might this article be useful to someone in practice?

g. Any summarizing comments? Did the "sherbet dish" help you to sort out the parts of the article?

 

Assign different members of your group to the various questions, perhaps. We will have approximately 20 minutes per group, so watch your time. At any national conference, 15-20 minutes is the usual allotment of time for presenting a research paper. If you wish to be more entertaining and innovative than described above, feel free to do so. Let me know if you need assistance with overheads or visuals.

Essentially, the aim is to illustrate a method to the class and provide them with a good understanding of the way that type of method is or should be conducted. If the parts of the "sherbet dish" model are present, that may help students understand the structure of a research article. Some journals are more rigorous in requiring authors to cover the basic parts of a research report using standard headings. Other journals leave the structure entirely up to the author.

 

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TASKS TO HELP YOU BUILD THE PROBLEM STATEMENT

Throughout the semester, you will be asked to create a small research study. This starts by developing a problem statement (an argument for the importance, significance) for the research effort. This is best done using examples from others' published research You will also be asked to carry out an actual data collection effort, so you need to develop a method for the study and some type of data collection instrument or plan. The problem statement is usually the first chapter of a dissertation or the heart of a funding proposal to some agency. The point of the problem statement is to outline the problem to be address and suggest a method by which the problem could be solved (or at least better, more fully understood). The following general questions are posed to help you begin to put together your problem statement; not all questions are appropriate to your problem. These questions have been derived from various guides for writing research proposals are are given here only to suggest a structure for your final 5-8 page effort. (Please double space your final effort and use type font size 11 or 12 pt.)

Tentative Title: ___________________________________________________
 
 

Introduction

1. Can you think of a dramatic illustration or quote that can set the tone or catch the readers interest for your study? What first awakened your interest?

2. Put yourself in the position of a reader of your problem statement. Would you want to continue reading after the Introduction? Can you place a general question at the end of the Introduction to intrigue or capture reader?
 
 

The Problem Statement - The Heart of a Study

3. Is there something societally wrong, theoretically unclear or in dispute, professionally disturbing, or historically worth studying? Is there a program that needs evaluation and assessment? Try to develop a question that your study would attempt to answer. Then preface that question with enough of an explanation of the problem so that others will understand the question when you finally give it.

4. Discuss your initial statement with a classmate or with the instructor. Refine your statement so that any reader can restate accurately what your research question or topic area is.
 
 

Does Your Question Pass the So What Test?

5. Have others worked on this problem? Are there other efforts you can cite? If not, are there others who have said the question (problem) is important to our field? Try to find at least 2-3 reasons (articles, persons) that indicate why the problem you have chosen is important and valid.

6. Can you specify at least two concrete examples of the problem.

7. To what other published work, statistics, trends or theoretical controversy does your study relate?

8. Does your study have as a goal to change something? To understand something? To interpret an event or situation? State your goal completely, remembering that the goal is some form of investigative activity.

9. Now, restate the goal of your study more succinctly and clearly. Have a classmate or the instructor read it and then see if they can restate your purpose or goal clearly after reading your statement.

10. If your goal is clear, restate it beginning with the phrase "The purpose of this study is ... ".
 
 

Choose an Appropriate Methodology

11. Revisit the methods we covered earlier in the semester. Which of them could you conceivably use and describe the possible strengths and weaknesses. If there is no clear best choice, consider more than one possibility, but don't try to be exhaustive. One who can lists the most methods is not necessarily the winner.

12. Reduce your problem and research inquiry to the variable level (usually based upon some previous research you have identified), suggest some variables that you might examine. This may be a question on a questionnaire that will evoke a variable set of answers from the respondent.
 
 

Significance (to someone in a position to fund your idea)

13. Place yourself in the position of a funding agency or an individual who might ask the "so what" question about your study/project. Have you provided a persuasive rationale to such a person?

14. What can happen if your study is done? not done? How will things change? not change?
 
 

Final Evaluation Criteria

Clearly Written, Innovative Idea (would add new knowledge to the LIS field if carried out), Well Organized, Amount of Effort Evident in Finding Support for Your Decisions, Understanding Demonstrated of Research Fundamentals (do questions asked the subject provide a valid/reliable measure of what is sought?), Presentation (punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc.)

 

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Homework Assignment (Ungraded)
Hypotheses Testing: T-Tests

 

1. Test the research hypothesis that showing a film to a group of secretaries will change their exercise habits during their lunch hour (as measured by the Texas Activity Scale, a highly valid and reliable measure!).  Use the following data to perform an independent t-test of the hypothesis and follow the 5-step approach outlined in class.
 

 

Step 1. (State both the null and research hypotheses in English.)

Step 2. (State both hypotheses in symbolic form.)

Step 3: (State conditions of the hypothesis test.)

Step 4. (Show calculations for the critical value of the test statistic.)

Step 5. (Clearly indicate which hypothesis is rejected, and then restate your understanding using wording like "The data seem to support rejecting the ... ")

 

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Comments to: Don Drumtra
Graduate School of Library & Information Science / UT Austin
Original web page designer: Jungwa Hong

Last updated 2001 April 29 by Don Drumtra.