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Year: 2007 Volume: 2 - Issue: 1
| Title: | Interested in research? Start here (Editorial) |
| Author: | Lindsay Glynn |
| Abstract: | Hey, there it is. An idea. A question. Finding an answer to that question would be really useful, wouldn’t it? I’ll bet that other people would find the answer useful too, since they probably have asked themselves that very same question. Has anyone else made an attempt to answer that question in the literature? Nope. Hmmm...you’ve found a gap in theliterature on an idea that you have identified and in which you are interested. Looks like you have a research project on your hands. It is at this point that many people become intimidated. The thought of designing a study, collecting and interpreting data and maybe even publishing the results can be daunting, whether you are familiar with research methods or not. Where do you begin? How do you determine the study design? How do you narrow down your idea to a manageable hypothesis? What statistical tests should you utilize? In other words, help! Even the most seasoned researchers don’t do it all on their own. They, just like new researchers, consult guides and textbooks and enlist the help of statisticians and coders. A research project is a huge undertaking, but it is more manageable than you might think. In this issue of Evidence Based Library and Information Practice you will find a Feature section on research. The articles in this section are designed to act as guides for those new to research or for those needing a refresher. Diane Lorenzetti and Lisa Given take a close look at qualitative and quantitative research design in their articles. Both these articles will help you choose the most appropriate study design based on your question type. Research can be costly and therefore, funding is often sought. Lynne Langille and Theresa Mackenzie provide valuable and practical advice on how to write a successful grant application. In her two articles, Lisa Goddard identifies a wealth of data that is available to you in web server logs and specific library applications. The possibilities of using such data for research are endless. Once you have all your data collected, Gillian Byrne has some tips on statistical analysis to make sense of your information. The expert advice in these Feature articles will prove to be useful to you time and time again in planning your project. Good luck! While the Feature articles provide guidance, information and advice, also useful in helping you to design a research study are the articles and Evidence Summaries in this (and every other) issue of EBLIP. As critical appraisals of original research articles, the Evidence Summaries describe and identify issues related to methodology, analysis and conclusions. The insight that they provide in terms of how well a study is designed and carried out is invaluable and can be inferred when planning your own study. The same, of course, applies to the original research articles: it is helpful and prudent to find a research article that addresses a question type similar to yours. While your project is likely not exactly the same, you will undoubtedly obtain ideas and inspiration on how to design your own. Perhaps one of the most useful resources, however, is your colleagues. Colleagues will provide different views, point out things that you hadn’t thought of or previously noticed, identify gaps or redundancies, and most importantly, provide support and encouragement. Evidence Summaries in this issue of EBLIP will take you to public libraries in Norway, African American graduate students with library anxiety, and interlibrary lending departments feeling the effects of electronic journals. Articles will examine movement and progress in evidence based library and information practice over the last several years and the eblip research‐practice gap. The Commentary examines ebp’s close relative, narrative based practice. Fill up your coffee cup, find a comfortable chair and read on. |
| Journal: | Evidence Based Library and Information Practice |
| Issn: | 1715720X |
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| Year: | 2007 |
| Volume: | 2 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| pages/rec.No: | 1-2 |
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