Competency L

Competency L

Demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the ability to design a research project, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature.

Data can take many forms; numbers and words can both be used to describe observations. Quantitative data is numerical and in research often appears as statistics. Statistics can be used to describe data or make inferences (Creswell, 2013). A quantitative research study in librarianship might be used to determine the effectiveness of a new outreach program. For example, in my high school library I would like to implement a new library newsletter for staff in part to increase staff awareness of what I can offer to them and their students as a teacher librarian. Before I send out the newsletter, I will record current library usage and circulation statistics. After I send out the first newsletter, I will record how many views the newsletter gets, then take another snapshot of library usage and circulation. I could do this after the first several monthly newsletters and compare the numbers to the baseline to determine if the newsletter is effective in increasing circulation or usage of the library. I will be careful not to make any other changes during this time other than introducing the newsletter, so that other variables will not interfere with the data. If other changes are made, I will not be able to determine what effect was due to the newsletter and what effect was due to other changes.

I could make this a mixed-methods study by adding the collection of qualitative data (Creswell, 2013). Qualitative data is non-numerical data that is expressed in words. This type of data can be collected using surveys and focus groups. Asking staff about which aspects of the newsletter are most effective and which types of information they have used in their curriculum and lessons can give me valuable information that expands on what the quantitative data can tell me.

Conclusion

Both quantitative and qualitative data is important to a teacher librarian. Data on individual lessons as well as larger programming and outreach initiatives can function as part of an overall advocacy plan for the library. In my INFO 254 class, we discussed the importance of collecting small amounts of data often versus waiting to set up some larger-scale study that might yield great data, but it can only be accomplished every few years. I think this is an important take-away because it is a realistic goal that can give insights immediately into how well the library is meeting its mission.

Evidence 1: Research Paper: Mining for Community: The Information Needs and Behaviors of Tweens in the Minecraft Community.

I wrote this paper in INFO 200 Information Communities. It is an investigation of the information needs and behaviors of kids in the Minecraft community and includes a literature review. This paper demonstrates my ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature.

Evidence 2: Research Paper: A Study of Alchemy Women’s Roles in Early Modern Medicine

I wrote this research paper in INFO 285 Research Methods. The paper focuses on how the exclusion of alchemy in the historiography of early modern medicine has contributed to a diminished perception of women’s role in the beginnings of scientific thinking. This paper demonstrates my ability to evaluate and synthesize qualitative historical research consisting primarily of secondary sources.

References

Creswell, J. (2013). Telling a complete story with qualitative and mixed methods research [Video]. SAGE Research Methods Video https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781506358390