Qualitative trends in library & information science (LIS) research

Background Over the past two decades, theorists have noted an increase in the use of qualitative research methods within library and information science (LIS). However, no recent study has sought to provide rigorous evidence of this increase. This ongoing study seeks to address two research questions: 1. How widespread is the use of qualitative data collection and analysis methods in the recent LIS research literature? 2. What are some common themes and trends within the body of recent LIS studies that have used qualitative methods? Data Collection The researchers mined the Web of Science database for abstracts from the top four LIS research journals for the period 2001-2006. Next, they designed an automated program to search the resulting pool of abstracts for set of 14 keywords. Manual analysis was then used to remove false drops. Data Analysis The study includes two data analysis stages. For Stage 1, the researchers used statistical methods to generate a quantitative snapshot of the data. The study is currently in Stage 2, which entails the use of qualitative data analysis techniques to search for themes and patterns within the pool of abstracts. Expected Findings The quantitative results will provide concrete evidence of the frequency of qualitative research methods within these top-ranked LIS research journals. The qualitative analysis will point to possible trends within LIS studies that use qualitative methods, such as dominant data collection or data analysis methods. Together, these results will help to provide a better understanding of the current face of LIS research