LS403 Evaluation of Information Services

1. LS403 Evaluation of Information Services Problem Statements

2. Evaluation Research Focuses On • Accountability • Continuous quality improvement (services) • Effectiveness (i.e. cost) • Impact • Efficiency • Remember- action is key

3. Research Begins With • Identification of a problem/ concern • Time from arrival of book to placement on shelf • Or a question • Do our ILL requests reflect weak areas in the collection?

4. The Problem Statement Setting the Stage for Research

5. The Problem Statement • The foundation of any research • Identifies the topic- specific problem or question under study • Provides justification • Concise- Usually only one paragraph • Focused, specific (consider the scope of the project)

6. Components of Problem Statement • Lead in • Originality* • Direction- what will be examined: purpose and/ or overarching questions • Significance/Justification/Value- why study done (value as basic, applied, action, or policy research) why should it have been published, why read it? *Necessary only if seeking publication for research- may also require a broader context.

7. Problem Statement • Needs to “hook” the reader, pass the “so what” test. Consider: • Is the problem of current interest? • Is the problem likely to continue into the future? • Will more information about the problem have practical application? • Will more information about the problem have theoretical importance? • How large is the population affected by the problem? • How important, influential, or popular is this population? • Would this study substantially revise or extend existing knowledge? • Would this study create or improve an instrument of some utility? • Would research findings lead to some useful change in best practice? • Is there evidence or authoritative opinion from others to support the need for this research?

8. A Citation Analysis Study of Library Science: Who Cites Librarians? Meyer and Spencer from C&RL

9. Problem Statement • Other disciplines do not often refer to library science in their literature, and library science is often considered an insular field that has had limited impact on the development of other disciplines. To explore whether scholars outside the field of library science cite articles from library science journals, this study presents research data that uses citation analysis to identify which fields cite the literature of library and information science. Our primary research question is: Do scholars from other fields read, discuss, and cite library literature? • Significance?

10. E-book study • Most studies examine patterns of student and, to some extent, faculty use and nonuse of e-books, but do not focus on undergraduate students who are regular users. What types of e-books do they consult, for what purposes, and how do they access and use them? • Significance/ Value? • Given the financial commitment that many libraries make to acquiring e-books and the need for evidence of use to justify the expenditures, it is important to study student preferences and changing information-seeking behaviors. Further, the findings might have implications for reference service and information literacy programs, especially since libraries are beginning to adopt federated software which links various databases. Publishers and teaching faculty might also appreciate knowing about usage patterns.

11. Group Activity • Develop a problem statement • Choose: • Given your setting, develop/ identify a problem/ question • Be sure to outline the significance • Possible Topics • Success/ Accuracy of a Service or Process • Efficiency/ Effectiveness of a Process • Web Site Usability • Customer Satisfaction for a Service/ Process/ Product/ Program • Collection strengths/ weaknesses