Asking Anthropological QuestionsQUALITATIVE METHODS IN THE LIBRARY, PART 1JANUARY 2017

CELIA EMMELHAINZ – ANTHROPOLOGY LIBRARIAN – UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY

Outline1. Introductions2. Assessment vs. research3. Stages of qualitative research4. Types of anthropological questions5. Focusing a good research question

Introductions

Assessment

• Mixed methods• Evaluation of a single

library• Focused on impact of

instruction or user experience

Research

• Extending knowledge in the field

• Focused on uncovering something new

• Conceptual contribution

Image: Saad Aqeel & R Campbell, contextualresearch.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/the-ethnographic-research-cycle.png

Stages of qualitative research:

Develop an anthropological questionLit review and conversations for focusChoose a methodChoose a sampling strategyCollect data ethicallyAnalyze data by coding for themesShare results and apply in your communities

Isaacs (2014) “An Overview of Qualitative Research Methodology for Public Health Researchers,” p. 318-21

“With so much focus on method, one might be forgiven for wondering… why conduct research in academic librarianship?

…before we consider ‘how did you answer the question,’ we should attend to ‘was the question worth asking?’”

– Emily Drabinski & Scott Walter, C&RL 2016

“ “

Choosing questions worth asking:

* Impact on your work * New insights

* Actionable changes * Under-researched / value to profession

* Fascinating to you!

Worksheet, part 1:

List any topics or questions you’re curious about

(five minutes)

Anthropological Questions

The Holistic Question What is the context for this practice or idea, what does it lead to, and of what is it a part?

Example: What expectations in the social research department affect how PhD students approach a literature review?

The Interpretive Question What do people mean by [X], and how do they use this perception to describe, interpret, explain, defend, or change their world?

* What do librarians and administrators mean by the “value” of a library? * What are library donors looking for when they want to “leave a legacy”?

The Comparative Question Do other libraries, patron groups, or librarians in other contexts also do this?

* Do international vs. American postdocs use our resources in the same way? * Do adjuncts and permanent faculty engage with our instruction differently? What is the impact on students?

The Temporal Question How is this practice, role, or idea changing?

* How have vendor-librarian negotiations changed in the context of consortial spending? * What strategies do vendors use to negotiate with libraries?

The Biocultural Question How do human biology, culture & physical environments interact here?

* How does the presence of plants or therapy animals affect physical library usage? * How do disabled Cal students interact with the library’s physical and digital spaces?

The Sociostructural Question How do policies affect relationships and personal choices? How do people organize, or how is power distributed?

* How does the success or failure of collective bargaining affect librarian career strategies? * What strategies do library leaders engage to gain budget increases from administration at R1 universities?

The Reflexive Question How does my culture, training, or personality influence what I choose to research, or learn from respondents?

* How do librarians decide which tasks to prioritize? Do their / my values change as their taskload increases? * Have my own values changed in light of this research?

The Dialogic Question What do the people I’m observing think? Are they part of shaping the study?

* How do ethnic studies majors approach consultations with librarians? How do first generation students look for information online? (Hire students to co-design and lead a project with you)

Thomas Mathle, Accordion Players on Buchanan, Glasgow, on Flickr

Exercise 2:

Revise your question / topic to fit one or more of these categories

(five minutes)

Bringing it back into focus1. Get a conversation partner2. Check your ideas against the literature3. Be able to state your core concept4. Focus on concepts, not specific data points5. Know your concept when you see it6. Know why you’re doing this and what it contributes

Thomas Mathle, Accordion Players on Buchanan, Glasgow, on Flickr

Exercise 3:

Choose a partner; share your best idea and have them ask questions.

Switch.

(five minutes)

How do you know your concept

when you see it? Broad

• “Experiences of nontraditional women in libraries”

• “Student worker motivation”

Focused• “Factors that build student

confidence in locating archival materials”

• “Transmission of beliefs about “real” vs “practice” work among student library employees”

Exercise, part 4:

Try listing one core concept, and how you’ll know it when you

see it.

Will your results be robust? Go beyond description or evaluation of a single program to suggest something new. Examples of robust questions:

How does …. function to do ….? How do …. people perceive ….? What factors affect …? What strategies do …. use to do …? How do …. respond to ….? What is the relationship between … and …? How do … differ in the context of …? Under what conditions do ….? By what mechanisms do …?

Can this question surprise you?

Chicken Surprise, by Apionid, on Flickr

What does this contributeto the profession?

Building Boats, by World bank, on Flickr

Review: question to ask yourself

Am I aiming for assessment, or original research? Do I have a holistic, interpretive, comparative, temporal,

biocultural, structural, or dialogic question? Have I mined the literature and brainstormed with others? Can I define a concept so I’ll know it when I see it? Do I know why I’m asking this and what value it brings? Is it interesting? Can it surprise me—and others?

Questions & Feedback