It's Academic

Have you ever thought about doing research in a particular area of librarianship? It seems a bit daunting, a bit overwhelming. There are so many variables to consider. What do I want to research? Is there any published literature on this topic? Do I want to collaborate with colleagues? How will I design the study?  How will I analyze the study data? Where will I publish the results?

As someone who loves structure and lists, here are some helpful tips to consider when designing and submitting a research article for publication:

1. Select a topic that interests you, a topic related to your field of librarianship (e.g. technology, instruction, reference, cataloging, leadership).
2. Consider collaborating with colleagues. They can bring insight and experience, especially to the novice researcher. But choose your team members carefully. Select colleagues with whom you have worked on a number of projects.
3. Perform a literature search. This will not only identify the published information but will also help you detect gaps in the literature.
4. Construct a hypothesis. Be specific.
5. Decide where you would like to publish the results. If you’re unsure where to publish, ask colleagues about the most appropriate peer reviewed journals. Don’t forget to review journals impact factors.
6. Work with a statistician. The statistician will review your hypothesis, study design, methodology, results, and conclusions. Statisticians are invaluable members of the research team.
7. Design your study. The study can be qualitative in nature or quantitative. Review the different kinds of study designs and data collection methodologies. If you will be collecting data from individuals then you must contact your organizations institutional review board.
8. Implement the study.
9. Analyze the data. The statistician will identify statistically significant findings from the study.
10. Write the article.
11. Review the article.
12. Submit the article for publication.
13. Revise the article per reviewers’ recommendations. If your article is rejected consider submitting it to another journal.

While the process may seem formidable its rewards are great. As my grandmother used to say, “the hardest part is getting started.”

The following post was submitted by Charlotte Myers.  Charlotte is a recent graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Library & Information Science, and is a part-time Reference Librarian at Duquesne University with a background in business research.

ACRL has announced that this year’s Spring Virtual Institute will place a strong focus on the twin themes of collaboration and community involvement. The institute, Extending Reach, Proving Value: Collaborations Strengthen Communities aims to facilitate greater outreach to all library users by organizing all types of librarians around the collective cause of reaching out to their diverse constituencies. Harvard Law School’s Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources, John G. Palfrey Jr., will open the institute with a discussion on the Digital Public Library of America, a prime example of collaboration among stakeholders and libraries.

This year’s Spring Virtual Institute aligns well with PaLA’s PA Forward initiative, which, as many members are already aware, is a marketing and advocacy initiative that stresses the vital role that the library plays in working with Pennsylvanians to establish five essential information literacies. For those interested in furthering this message and enhancing their own community outreach, the Virtual Institute will surely be of interest.

The institute will be held April 18th & 19th. More information on registration and programs, including the webcast schedule and program descriptions, can be found on the ACRL website.