Useful Websites and Resources for LIS Research Methods

Websites

LIS Research Journals

Databases

Other

Websites 

Research Methods Resources on the WWW: Action Research
http://www.slais.ubc.ca/resources/research_methods/action.htm

Research Methods & Statistics Links
http://www.socialpsychology.org/methods.htm

Electronic Resources for Information Research Methods
http://informationr.net/rm/

The Researching Librarian
http://www.researchinglibrarian.com/index.html

LIS Research Journals 

Only a small percentage of all LIS journal literature can be considerated research articles.  This core list provdes a guide and context for both evaluating and finding LIS research. Users should note that journal titles on the list vary greatly in the percentage of research included each issue and that this only represents a selected core list; research may be published in other LIS journals on less consistant basis.  The list was developed by Linda Watkins, GSLIS Librarian, for Peter Hernon's LIS 403: Role of Research course.

Selected Core List of LIS Research Journals*

General

• LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal (Online)
http://libres.curtin.edu.au/
• Library & Information Science Research
• Library Quarterly
• Library Trends
• New Review of Information and Library Research

Academic Libraries

• College & Research Libraries
• College & Undergraduate Libraries
• Journal of Academic Librarianship
• Portal: Libraries and the Academy

Archives

• American Archivist

Public Libraries

• Public Libraries
• Public Library Quarterly
• Scandanavian Public Library Quartlerly

School Libraries

• School Libraries in Canada
• School Libraries Worldwide
• New Review of Children's Literature and Librarianship
• School Library Media Research (SLMR) (Online)
http://www.ala.org/aasl/SLMR

Special Subjects

• Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science
• Cataloging & Classification Quarterly
• Government Information Quarterly
• Internet Research
• Music Reference Services Quarterly
• Journal of the Medical Library Association (formally Bulletin of the Medical Library Association
• Journal of the American Society for Information Science & Technology (JASIS&T)
• Journal of Documentation
• LIBER Quarterly
• Reference Librarian

*Note: The percentage of research content varies with each journal

Databases 

Library Literature

Useful Subjects Headings
Surveys (note: this category is not all research)
Use studies
Information needs
Citation analysis

Research in librarianship

Library and Information Science Abstracts

Useful Subject Headings
Surveys (note: this category is not all research)
Use
User needs
Information seeking behaviour
Citation analysis

Research methods

Information Science and Technology Abstracts

Useful Subject Headings

Dissertation Abstracts

Useful Subject Headings

Other 

ALISE (Association for Library and Information Science Education) LIS Research Areas Classification Scheme
http://www.alise.org/research_class_guide.html

"Internaional LIS Research: A Comparison of National Trends," Rochester, Maxine and Pertti Vakkari (1998), " IFLA Journal, 24(3): pp.166-175.
http://www.ifla.org/VII/s24/pub/iflapr-82-e.pdf

"Research Quesions for the Twenty-first Century." Theme issue of Spring 2003 Library Trends:

• Lynch, Mary Jo. "Introduction," pp. 499-502
• Neuman, Delia.  "Research in School Library Media for the Next Decade," pp. 503-524
• Dalrymple, Prudence.  "Improving Health Care Through Information: Research Challenges for Health Sciences Librarians," pp. 525-540.
• Durrance Joan C. and Karen E. Fisher.  "Determining How Libraries and Librarians Help," pp. 541-570
• Walter, Walter A.  "Public Library Service to Children and Teens: A Research Agenda," pp. 571-589.
• Bertot, John Carlo and Charles R. McClure.  "Outcomes Assessment in the Networked Environment: Research Questions, Issues, Considerations, and Moving Forward," pp. 590-613
• Tenopir, Carol.  "Electronic Publishing: Research Issues for Academic Librarians and Users," pp. 614-638
• Marcum, Deanna B.  "Research Questions for the Digital era Library," pp. 639.

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Created by Linda Watkins, GSLIS Librarian
Simmons College Libraries
Last updated 10/7/04