Librarians as researchers - Sheila Corrall

Librarians as Researchers An Information School Perspective

Professor Sheila Corrall [email protected]

Session outline •  Teaching research in LIS schools − undergraduate and Masters programmes at Sheffield

•  Higher degrees in librarianship − traditional MPhil/PhD and professional doctorates − opportunities for full-time and part-time study

•  Writing for publication − why should you write and what could you write about? − where could you publish and how should you start?

27/05/10 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Information Studies

Research at Library and Information Schools

Case study of how research is covered in the UG and PGT programmes of the iSchool @ Sheffield

A research-led university •  Uni commitment to inquiry-based learning with a

particular focus on information literacy •  BSc Information Management includes inquiry-

based module with research element at level 1 − group project culminating in poster conference

•  BSc Information Management includes research methods module, proposal and project at level 3 − individual project sometimes leading to publication


‘Modelling the process of research in the student learning experience’

Research in MA Lib programme •  Semester 1 core units have research elements − group project, e.g. evaluation of service quality − individual literature review as answer to client query

•  Semester 2 core units include research methods module, critique, proposal and dissertation − dissertation project often leading to publication

•  Semester 2 includes research-based electives − e.g. Information Literacy Research (seminar-based)


Research methods module •  Developing a research

proposal •  Research ethics •  Qualitative and

quantitative approaches •  Role of the literature in

the research process •  Data collection in

qualitative and quantitative research

•  Dissertation preparation

•  Quantitative −  descriptive statistics −  inferential statistics − SPSS practical −  bibliometrics

•  Qualitative −  practical problems in

qualitative data collection −  data analysis based on

grounded theory −  content analysis and

discourse analysis


Examples of recent dissertations

•  Effects of the economic downturn on LIS in HE •  Evaluating information literacy activity at the University of

Manchester •  Evaluation of an online cultural awareness training

course for academic library staff •  Impact of VLEs on the roles of subject librarians •  Involvement of staff and other stakeholders in the

process of developing strategy in academic LIS •  Organisational structures used by British university LIS

to deliver subject support and academic liaison •  Pedagogical knowledge and needs of subject librarians •  Role of the subject librarian in UK universities


Higher Degrees in Librarianship

MPhil, PhD and Professional Doctorates Examples of studentships, projects and programs

Research degrees •  MSc by Research − one year full-time, two or three years part-time

•  MPhil − one year full-time, two or three years part-time

•  PhD − three/four years full-time, six/eight years part-time

•  Professional Doctorate − four years part-time


Standard PhD programmes Several methods of finding a research topic, e.g. •  Identify topic of interest, draft a proposal and

then look for a likely department/research group •  Identify topic of interest and potential supervisor,

then contact to discuss and develop a proposal •  Apply for an advertised PhD project of interest,

offered as studentship or part of research grant − relatively few opportunities of this type in librarianship


Finance for PhD study Fees for research degrees [Home/EU students] •  Sheffield £3,960 per annum (pro-rata part-time) •  Loughborough £4,250 per annum •  Other institutions vary – check websites for details

Studentships for research degrees •  Fees at standard rate •  Maintenance grant @ £13,650 per annum •  Additional support from partner @ £1,000 per annum


PhD studentships @Sheffield 2010-11

Conceptualising the library collection for the digital world: a case study of social enterprise − What constitutes a library collection in the digital world?

University of Sheffield-British Library Studentship, Supervisors: Prof Sheila Corrall & Prof Peter Marsh (Sociological Studies)

Evaluating the intellectual assets of the Scholarship & Collections Directorate at the British Library − What is the value of the intellectual assets of the directorate?

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award, Supervisors: Prof Sheila Corrall & Oliver Urquhart Irvine (British Library)

User-centred design of a recommender system for a ‘universal’ library catalogue − AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award, Supervisors:

Dr Paul Clough, Barbara Sen & Dr Lynn Connnaway (OCLC)


Example of a PhD study programme

Year 1 (or Years 1-2 for part-time study) Months 1-6: concentrate on literature review, to refine research

questions, aims and objectives; inform methodological choices Months 4-9: develop methodology; decide specific methods Months 7-12: design and test instruments; conduct pilot study Participate in research training programme (3 15-credit modules)

Year 2 (or Years 3-4 for part-time study) Months 1-3: write up work done to date; present research seminar

and submit transfer report to upgrade to PhD registration Months 4-12: carry out main fieldwork (data collection and analysis)

Year 3 (or Years 5-6 for part-time study) Months 1-12: complete analysis and interpretation of data; write up

results and discussion chapters; write and revise other chapters.


Examples of recent PhD projects

•  A critical analysis of IT developments in academic information centres in Kuwait

•  A critical history of collection development in American university libraries from 1945 to 1979

•  Current practices and future needs of academic library consortia in the Philippines

•  Developing performance indicators to evaluate the intellectual assets of Thai academic libraries

•  Impact of the Millennials generation on library services •  Leadership development of LIS professionals in HEIs •  Role of university libraries in graduate students’ research •  Total quality management in Saudi academic libraries


Professional doctorates •  Also known as practitioner or practice-based doctorates •  Incorporate the name of the profession in the title

− Doctor of Education (EdD), Business Administration (DBA)

•  Introduced because traditional PhD not adequately preparing people for senior positions in the professions

•  Prerequisite of 3 to 5 years of professional experience •  Highly structured programme with more taught elements •  Typically combine short residentials with online learning •  Shorter thesis often in form of publishable papers/book


Expected outcomes of PhD study •  Make an original contribution to the body of knowledge •  Develop higher-order cognitive skills, with the ability to: − deal with new and emerging issues − identify relevant concepts, theories and processes − evaluate the work of others critically, reflectively and

constructively − effectively resolve gaps and/or contradictions in the

information available − critically reflect on solutions and outcomes developed − make informed judgements on complex ethical and

professional issues − communicate ideas and conclusions effectively


Expectations of a professional doctorate Same outcomes and academic standard as traditional PhD,

but also expected to: − enhance professional practice − focus on work-related issues (project/set of projects) − apply learning within the practitioner’s organisation − participate in action learning sets/peer network − generate publishable work as part of submitted thesis − prepare professionals for senior leadership jobs


Writing for Publication

Why should you write? What should you write? Where should you publish? How can you start?

Why should you write? •  Capture lessons learned from projects •  Advance your own thinking and practice •  Share your experience and insights with peers •  Contribute to the professional knowledge base •  Act as a thought leader in your particular field •  Develop your writing and communication skills •  Enhance your CV and raise your profile


What should you write? •  Book reviews •  Conference reports •  Reflective accounts or

case studies reports of local initiatives

•  State-of-the-art reviews or surveys of current practices

•  Literature reviews •  Empirical research •  Theory-based papers − developing new ideas

or applying concepts of other fields to LIS

•  Position papers − taking/setting a stance


Where should you publish? •  Practitioner newsletters and magazines − Gazette, Update, Impact, Refer, Relay, Ariadne

•  Professional non-refereed/refereed journals − Library and Information Research, Library Review,

New Library World, Library Management, Program, Library Hi Tech, Journal of Information Literacy

•  Academic refereed (peer-reviewed) journals − Library Trends, Libri, Library Quarterly, JOLIS,

Information Research, Journal of Documentation 27/05/10 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Information Studies


Peer review ‘This new guide provides researchers with an understanding of how peer review works and highlights some of the issues surround the current debates about the peer review process.’

http://www.rin.ac.uk/node/519

How can you get started? •  Sign-up for alerts of new books to review •  Offer to write a report of a professional meeting •  Submit a proposal to a refereed conference •  Find a colleague willing to act as your co-author •  Form a writing group in your workplace •  Approach an experienced author for mentoring •  Register for a Masters degree or Doctorate



Closing date extended

to 1 December 2010

•  Open to new professionals and novice authors − within 3 years of LIS graduation/CILIP certification or

not previously published an article of 2,500+ words

•  Articles should be a minimum of 2,500 words − may be written individually or by two authors

•  Authors must be members of CILIP UCRG and working in a university, college or research LIS

•  Winner gets certificate and a cash prize of £250

CILIP UCR SC Publication Award


•  Are you interested in doctoral study? •  Would you prefer a professional doctorate to a

leadership development programme? •  Are you interesting in writing for publication? •  Would you like UCR to provide further support: − experienced writers available for advice? − facilitated workshops to help you make progress? − any other types of resources or events?

Questions and discussion


Librarians as researchers - Sheila Corrall

Education

Transcript of Librarians as researchers - Sheila Corrall