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
