Module Identifier IL33320  
Module Title RESEARCH METHODOLOGY  
Academic Year 2005/2006  
Co-ordinator Mr Raymond E Lonsdale  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Dr Allen E Foster, Dr Christopher M Baggs, Dr David A Stoker, Professor David Ellis  
Course delivery Lecture   13 x 1 hour lectrures  
  Seminars / Tutorials   7 seminars  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment Critical evaluation of four references chosen from the bibliography (equivalent to 2,000 words) - weighted 25%. 
Semester Assessment Compilation of bibliography of 20-30 resources after conducting a literature search on a chosen topic (equivalent to 2,000 words) - weighted 25%. 
Semester Assessment Formulation of a research proposal for the research project (equivalent to 3,000 words) - weighted 50%. 

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:
   









Brief description

This module provides a basic introduction to research methods which can be used within information and library services professions. It will help students to propose, plan and carry out small-scale in-house investigations. It will lay a foundation for personal research such as the dissertation, or possibly a masters or other higher degree at a later date. This might not be part of the students? personal agenda at the present time, but continuing professional development plays an increasingly important role in the careers of information workers.

Aims

The aim of this module is to provide a basic introduction to research methods, which can be used within information and library services. It will help students to plan, propose and execute small-scale in-house investigations. It will lay a foundation for personal research such as the dissertation, or possibly a masters or other higher degree at a later date. This might not be part of the students? personal agenda at the present time, but continuing professional development plays an increasingly important role in the careers of information workers.

Module Skills

Team work Several of the seminars involve informal group activities.  
Information Technology Students have to undertake Internet searching, and identify and exploit electronic resources as part of post-lecture exercises and for assignments 1 and 3.  
Application of Number The sessions on quantitative methodologies, and data analysis and presentation require the students to use and analyse numerical information.  
Personal Development and Career planning This module is designed to equip students to undertake research in the professional context, and as such offers an awareness of their career needs.  
Subject Specific Skills * Writing in an academic context: the three assignments require different forms of academic writing (assessed) * Oral discussion and presentation: seminars and certain lectures will necessitate oral contributions * Self-management: some seminars and the assignments demand time-management abilities  

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Background
Gash S (2000) Effective Literature Searching for Research 2nd. Aldershot: Gower
Bell Judith (1993) Doing your research project: a guide for first time researchers in education and social science 2nd. Buckingham: Open University Press
Blaxter L. et al (1995) How to research Buckingham: Open University Press
Bryman A (2001) Social research methods Open University Press
Birley G. and Moreland N.A (1998) A practical guide to academic research Kogan Page
CRUS CRUS guides (series of guides published by University of Sheffield?s Centre for Research in User Studies

Articles
Eager C. and Oppenheim C (1996) An observational method for undertaking user needs studies Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 28, pp15-23
Fidel R (1984) The case study method: a case study LISR 3, pp273-288
Goulding A (1997) Joking, being aggressive and shutting people up: the use of focus groups in LIS research Education for Information 15, pp331-341
Kuhlthau C.C (1991) Inside the search process: information seeking from the user?s perspective Journal of the American Society for Information Science 42(5), pp361-371

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6