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Competency L

understand the nature of research,reasearch methods and research findings; sretrieve, evaluate and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups

As librarians and information professionals know, research is a very important aspect of their jobs. Research is comprised of retrieving, evaluating, and synthesizing scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making. It is useful to think of research as the means to an end that help the user achieve a certain goal. Under that view of its nature it is then easy to see why research acquires value within the context of the theories or methodologies employed to conduct it and the understanding of their strengths and limitations in discovering, retrieving and using reliable and valid information. Due to the nature of the MLIS program I have been thoroughly exposed to research methodology with a big percentage of all class work involving a substantial amount of searching, retrieving, evaluating and synthesizing information. In this competency I will explain my understanding of research and its methodology as related to my evidentiary material.

When first deciding to conduct research it is helpful to establish the nature of the inquiry. This will assist the user with framing the work to be done and planning the next steps to be taken. Depending on the topic several different ways of collecting the data (i.e. research methods) can be used. A quick glance at the list of research methods put forth by Powell (1997) reveals the following types: survey, bibliometrics, content analysis, experimental, historical, operations, modeling, systems analysis, case study, and comparative librarianship. Hernon (2001) also adds: transactional log analysis, testing, and observation. “Each of these methods has inherent strengths and weaknesses. The key is to select and adopt the method that has the most strengths and fewest weaknesses in the context of the problem statement and objectives” (Hernon, 2001, Methods of Data Collection section, p. 84, ¶ 3). Thus, establishing the nature of the research helps the user determine which research method to use as well as focus the search around the proper relevant resources.

For example, in my LIBR 280 (History of Books and Libraries) class I wrote a final paper on the printed literature on medicine of the 16th through the 19th centuries. Keeping in mind that historical research primarily educates readers on past events so that they can integrate that knowledge into their lives or use it as guidance for the future (Powell, 1997), I chose to organize the paper in chronological order. The nature of the inquiry and audience (i.e. university professor acting as instructor of this class) also dictated the type of findings I would be looking for, mainly any type of printed (i.e. not hand written) literature of a scholarly kind. Once I had pinpointed the nature, research method, and types of findings, I then planned which research resources to use. By only concentrating on scholarly websites that focused on historical documents on medicine during the centuries in question, I was able to access a couple of online university web sites dedicated to this subject which in turn offered a wealth of knowledge, references, and links to other resources. Despite this assignment containing upwards of 40 resources, conducting research on it was an enjoyable and somewhat easy process. This was possible because I carefully planned its execution taking into account the nature of the question, selecting the best research method, and concentrating on the most appropriate resources.

Throughout the MLIS program I have learned that research should not only be shaped by the method of data collection used (Hernon, 2001). It should also follow a structural process with pre-determined steps or stages that guide the researcher. This simplifies the process, eliminates trial and error, focuses the research, and it is more effective overall than research which is conducted without any kind of planning. The number of steps to be followed and their order are contingent on the discipline, the inquiry, or the researcher's preference. Hernon (2001) offers this simplified list of the five general components of research:

I had a chance to put all these steps into practice in a LIBR 221 (Government Information Resources) paper in which I was tasked with evaluating several online government information resources on The No Child Left behind Act of 2001. This is also a good example of my skills in retrieving, evaluating, and synthesizing professional literature for decision-making. The number of online resources available on government information is staggering with the majority being content dense or difficult to navigate. Because of this it seemed like an insurmountable task. However, once I determined the scope of the inquiry, devised an appropriate logical structure and methodology for my research, and formulated certain criteria for the paper I then had a framework from which to launch my investigation (1st and 2nd components). The next step involved retrieving the data to be analyzed (3rd component). The literature I gathered comprised news items, official government web sites, journal articles, Congressional records, scholarly analysis documents, legal opinions, independent studies, statistical data, viewpoints, reports, and books. I then evaluated the reliability and credibility of each resource based on my assessments of trustworthiness, background of the publisher, and careful content analysis (4th component). Doing all of these steps ensured that my synthesis and presentation of the research findings was relevant, accurate, neutral, and encompassing of a wide variety of credible scholarly and professional resources (5th component).

An important aspect of this competency that influences the research, methodology, findings and the way in which information is retrieved, evaluated, and synthesized are the characteristics of the user or specific client groups towards whom the research is directed. Establishing what the information need is and what it will be used for helps the librarian or information professional focus the scope of the research to what is relevant to the user(s). For instance, for my previous example of a final paper in the LIBR 280 (History of Books and Libraries) class, the fact that my audience was my instructor influenced how I chose to conduct my research. In this case I first determined what the information need was (i.e. write a paper on medicinal literature printed in the 16th through the 19th centuries). Next, I pinpointed the purpose of the research (i.e. to demonstrate my research abilities in a complex subject). These aspects of the inquiry helped me narrow the research to reputable scholarly resources that could stand to scrutiny while demonstrating my research abilities. Thus, whether we are asked to simply find a few resources or are requested to collect, evaluate, synthesize and present a set of data, it is important we gather the user(s)' information during the reference interview in order to offer a more tailored product or service.

Before enrolling in the MLIS program and acquiring a solid knowledge of the nature of research, its methods, and its findings, I tended to delve into research without planning. Not surprisingly, finding the answer to anything was a dreaded activity for me which involved a considerable amount of trial and error and more often than not poor quality of results. By constantly using the best practices of research outlined here I have learned how to conduct research effectively for informed decision-making by specific client groups. I now feel confident in my abilities in this competency.

References
Hernon, P. (2001, March). Editorial: Components of the research process: Where do we need to focus attention? The Journal of Academic Librarianship , 27 (2) , p. 81-9. Retrieved September 24, 2008, from EBSCO Host Web Site: http://web.ebscohost.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org

Powell, R. R. (1997). Basic research methods for librarians. 3th ed. Westport, CT: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

Evidentiary
LIBR 280 - History of Books and Libraries - Printed Literature on Period Medicine Research
LIBR 221 - Government Information Sources - Evaluating Government Resources