Methodological Choices for Research in Information Science
5 METHODOLOGICAL CHOICES FOR RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SCIENCE from 1972 to 1972 from ação ação da produção esearch approach, d interview were the f analysis; the research itative research. itative Artigos de Periódicos em Artigos Periódicos de Base Referencial de Artigosde Referencial Base ch in the 1970s, and those e cinco critérios: fins, meios, es to the identification of its of identification the to es he corpus. The results point out point results The corpus. características de produção e s de s tion criteria: research purposes, research criteria: tion tudies use two methodological two use tudies domínio da Ciência da Informa- da Ciência da domínio is empirically applied, represented applied, empirically is , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., o da Informação. Curitiba, PR, Brasil. PR, Curitiba, Informação. da o Informação de Pós-Graduação em Ciência da Informação. R. Hygino R. Informação. da Ciência em Pós-Graduação de : J.L. FREITAS. E-mail:
6 J.L. FREITAS et al. 7 METHODOLOGICAL CHOICES FOR RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SCIENCE es . To . 2010. and content and Vergara (1998). Vergara from 1972 to 1972 from Information Science the classification system classification the , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Informação Trans The proposed classification system allows one to one allows system classification proposed The documentary on based is study The The study of Gomes (2006) is another example of example another is (2006) Gomes of study The Some authors advocate the importance of at consisted of 689 scientific articles articles scientific 689 of consisted at it, we randomly selected a corpus in the Brapci database Brapci the in corpus a selected randomly we it, th The corpus of the content analysis from the proposed categories sought to emphasize the characteristics of choic methodological the from field the in production previously considering the categories and they suggest they and categories the considering previously using previously tested models in studies of a similar For 1990). Reser, & (Allen nature of methodologies proposed in our study, we used the by proposed approach methodological define a study accordingthe and goal; its to achieve to used its approach the purpose,intention; thatthought of is,strands the its explicitly more shows which focus, of the authors of a domain. The suggested model also provides the specification of the research techniquesthe of study used the for to required information collect data of type the is, that analysis, of types the and object processing. Methods choices methodological of range the identify to analysis used in the journal of literature validates that analysis subsequent and model the apply categorization using thematicInformation in dissertations and master-degree 63 methodological of choices Science from the from 1990 The to author 1999. points out that defining the type of study related to the categories of research, methods and techniques strategies, and research tools production, analyzing when aspect difficult most the was Oliveira by observed also were aspects these that arguing types the chose author the difficulties, the Given (1998). of studies used by follows: Bernhard as and field, Lambert the in (1993) that methods research thirteen includes survey; systems; information of design analysis; content bibliometric study; comparative study/ study;survey;evaluation study/naturalist ethnographic case study; study/ historical study; experimental evaluation; research historical research; theoretical study; Delphi method; analysis. research/system operational Observation prestige of doctoral of prestige 1987) reports a project a reports 1987) . ( . ditions to the program. the to ditions et al et Study, Historical Research, ed by researchers in Library and Information and Library in researchers by ed In 1996, to analyze the dissertations of the By studying doctoral programs in library economy library in programs doctoral studying By Järvelin and Vakkari (1993) confirm, through The study of Feehan Feehan of study The ments in doctoral programs, the the programs, doctoral in ments Science (LIS) focusing, in particular,methods. on qualitative http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2318-08892016002800001 Science and Technology Science in and Technology Brazil, Bufrem classified the cited the on based designs methodological and thematic sixteen the of corpus the study her to adapting literature, categories proposed by Järvelin and Vakkari Powell (1985)(1990). presented a review of various research us methods enroll programs on their campus, the number con admission and of awarded, degrees Graduate Program from the Information Institute of (1991) and Rochester and Vakkari(1998). and Rochester and (1991) and Information Science, Bobinski (1986) data presents the in adopted methodologies the as such variables on awarded, degrees of number the field, the in dissertations library economy and IS have presented several statistical several presented have IS and economy library the covers none although research, published of analysis full range of existing thematic and most establishedthe have seemsto study This methodological choices. a as used been has it as categories of system consistent framework for other studies, as those of Kumpulainen Experimental and Description, Operational Research,others. among Survey, Analysis, Secondary in literature the decades recent in that analysis, content selecting all representative articles in the field, choosing field, the in articles representative all selecting articles the classified We study. the for sample random a according to the topic and method, the research types of libraries studied, and the analytical techniques used. The classification of the research methods includedBibliometrics, Content Analysis, Delphi Method, and defined them, pointed out their characteristics,disadvantages. and advantages whose objective was to analyze aspects and trends of by Science Information and economy library in research In opposition to this trend, we selected manifestations of scientific thought in the field that are considered as previous attempts toward the object of this surveyed research, who (1983) Cunha of study the with beginning users of studies the for techniques used widely most the of are corpus dies provide dies Exploratory studies Methodologicalstudies ons with a social or operational or social a with ons database per period. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2318-08892016002800001 earch tools such as, for example, softw example, for as, such tools earch Assessmentstudies Explanatorystudies Descriptivestudies nsidering that descriptive stu Base Referencial de Artigos de Periódicos em Ciência da Typesresearchof regarding thepurposes thein the Informação . The highest incidence of assessment studies was studies assessment of incidence highest The We We found that the methodological studies (48) common more even are studies Methodological Figure 1 Source: The authors (2012). between 1982 and 1991, with themes that refer to studies to refer that themes with 1991, and 1982 between of information use, particularly in libraries, information centers and information The systems. low incidence of this type of study is due to the focus on assessment of organizati and programs descriptive studies and a decrease in exploratory studies. exploratory in decrease a and studies descriptive This marks a phase of transformation in the quality of co research, in-depth treatment of the topics. The researchincidence regarding oftheir purpose confirm the primarily are studies deeper social whose IS, of nature science descriptive. are in third place, followed by assessment studies (25) 1. Figure in shown as (9), explanatorystudies and the explanatoryin and studies studies assessment than field of Information Science, which usually address the analysis and development of methods, techniques or alternative res development, information systems,models or analysis methods of managementuser profile in different contexts. . characteristics corpus o the strengthening the o nment to the categories the to nment es, followed by descriptive ory: purpose, approach, focus, , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., s was required to identify these choices, ce of exploratory studies is compatible with compatible is studies exploratory of ce The characteristic of descriptive research is that it that is research descriptive of characteristic The The predominance of exploratory studies on the on studies exploratory of predominance The The methodological choices identified in the We used bibliometric techniques using the Brapci the using techniques bibliometric used We The reading of abstracts and full text of the articles the of text full and abstracts of reading The Informação erent themes that could contribute t contribute could that themes erent proach of the authors. The assig The authors. the of proach classifying and interpreting them. In Figure 1, according 1, Figure In them. interpreting and classifying to annual production, we can note an increase in Trans by the editors. the by succeeds exploratory studies as it must finding,go beyond reaching a level of observationportraying the conditions of a phenomenon or object, capable of theoretical and empirical constructs Exploratoryconsolidated. are studies especiallyare used in still being literature have reviews in the publications over which the first two analyzed, production of decades that do not always respect the formal language of a scientific paper, although they are recognized as such resources and Information tools Technology (ICT) that facilitate the production of and Communication innovative in research the field. On the other hand, the predominan whose production journal of characteristics incipient the of the corpus of 689 articl the of 33.2% representing (229), studies one hand reveals that research in the field investigates diff of IS, particularly regarding the contributions to new articles in each categ research techniques and presented as types follows: in the first 54.9% of category, of exploratory total a analyses representing predominated, (378) werestudies of the data obtained. We also examined the prevalence the examined also We obtained. data the of of use of specific techniques in certain themes, which field. the in research of trends the reveal can ResultsDiscussionand ap given research of type the of denomination the respected author. the by combination and compilation the for support as platform of the authors and relate them to the theoretical and production. the of dimensions epistemological in the corpu especially the part concerning the methodological
8 J.L. FREITAS et al. 9 METHODOLOGICAL CHOICES FOR RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SCIENCE tudies decreased tudies of understanding of turn, are not included not are turn, l moment was marked ce it is instrumentalized is it ce cused on the production the on cused approximately the same the approximately 72 and 1981, as during this , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., udies characterize the decade at aimed at solving operational Informação d field st Trans The studies of users are users of studies The Case Case an We noticed We that the incidence of metric studies of occurrence no is there that noted be should It lems. Consequently, studies fo studies Consequently, lems. the world of experience and hen and experience of world the combination of them with the purpose purpose the with them of combination years analyzed, but with a tendency to increase as of 2002. of as increase to tendency a with but analyzed, years in These, studies. experimental as in the period from 1982 to 2001. However, they political influence. This historica by positivist studies th prob of quantitative data, not always contextualized data, as studies. bibliometric of case the in from 1982 tothe in studies in present 1991,is approach phenomenological a period duringfield inwhich which the the descriptiveuse studies of is evident.support Considering the directed is techniquesmethod the same manifest, they ways the aspects, to to observationsinterviews, questionnaires, of use the with triangulation the allowed have that techniques other and or the These phenomenon. studies are also related to the hermeneutic approach, considered whereby a process information thatunderstood differently can by is the subjects. beInformation is perceivedis which view, of points different subjects’ the from andseen incidence the clarify to seems issue This addressed. now feature which information, of users and use of studies of a continuous line, with slight fluctuations over the 39 between 1972 and 1981 is significant and between 1982 between and significant is 1981 and 1972 between s of type this of production the 1991 and due to the expansion of social and studies. politicalcase and documentary research, field especially studies, The latter type of study representsproduction analyzed. The 15.57%production of fieldof studies the gradually increased over the years analyzed. These are commonly found in studies concerning social aspects, use frequent and focus ethnographic an with sometimes of systematic observation techniques and interviews, participant and groups discussion techniques, narrative observations. field studies between 19 period authors preferred an epistemological approach science, and politics in both moment historical the to due by restricted was reality to criticism of exercise the when 2002-2010 e 2. e Experimental studies Metricstudies Fieldstudies cesses of management of cesses 1992-2001 database per period. Period Base Referencial de Artigos de Periódicos 1982-1991 tory research model appeared in the in modelappeared toryresearch of the , followed by documental studies (168) Studiesof use and usersof information corpus 1972-1981 em Ciência da Informação Types of predominantapproachinresearchofregarding theTypes the . As for the research purpose of the articles No explana No Casestudies Documentalstudies corpus Bibliographicstudies
5 0,
10 35 30 25 20 15 45 40
) % ( e c n e d i c n formation dissemination and pro and dissemination formation I Source: The authors (2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2318-08892016002800001 Figure 2 and metric studies (30), as shown in Figur in shown as (30), studies metric and and organizational learning. organizational and analyzed, bibliographic studies (269) represent 39.50% of the representing 24.67% in the same corpus. Case studies (32) studies field by followed place, third the in rank (106) phenomena phenomena and the relationship established between or aspectsthe forces them. that surround By observing studies of predominance a noted we used, keywords the that relate and explain how flows and tools influence in found found that some studies denominated as explanatory do not always go beyond however, thethe authorsdescriptive adopted this denominationaspect, to to due studies of category this into studies their include their purpose. The aim of explanatoryelucidate studies key is factorsto for the occurrence of certain nature, thus requiring caution concerning the criteria and criteria the concerning caution requiring thus nature, variables. assessment nine However, analyzed. decades two first the in corpus was It 2010. and 2002 between method this used articles database 2002-2010 Base Referencial de Phenomenological Scientometric Theoretical stematic observation stematic 1992-2001 of the Period corpus 1982-1991 Infometric Linguistic Patentometric http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2318-08892016002800001 pecific characteristics of sy of characteristics pecific 1972-1981 Research focus in the Artigos de Periódicos em Ciência da Informação per period. . The types of techniques are applied to 262 s The 0 Ethnographic Bibliometric Dialetic
Historical 80
60 40 20
120 100 ) % ( e c n e d i c n I Figure 3 Source: The authors (2012). technique is structured, planned and subject to control subjectto and planned structured, is technique 2002, though less than the bibliometric and science This metric is due focus. to the concern with indicators available tools the as well as Internetuse and access on to measure the variables related to dialecticthe object. andThe linguistic focuses are representativeamong the less research focus occurrences,with respectively.three The latterand is tworelated to retrieval. information and the representation of theme studies, considering that not all studies use them and than more one type can be identified in a single article as they can Mostbe combined. articles that do not use studies exploratory are techniques collection information using bibliographic research for data collection. The predominant technique is systematic observation (42), (28). interview general and (32) questionnaire by followed most first the being recurrent, most the it make technique frequent, representing 27.8% of the articles. This to 1991 to idences of chnology and the have a predominantly a have ngage in measurement in ngage refore refore experimental studies are focus, representing 17.8% of representing the focus, e more evident from 1982 from evident more e , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., ry studies, characterized by discussing certaindiscussing by rycharacterized studies, In Figure 3 we can note that the theoretical focus theoretical the that note can we 3 Figure In The historical research is the second most Concerning the category on research focus, this Concerning the category focus, on research Informação thors. Of the 689 studies, only 287 287 only studies, 689 the Of thors. and the bibliometric focus becomes more predominant more becomes focus bibliometric the and The Infometric in is focus mid-2000. more evident as of Trans laws are applied and they do not e not do they and applied are laws activities. articles The years. the over increased has that one the is ar focus historical a with their incidence over the years. the over incidence their research predominant primarily place, third ranks focus bibliometric The corpus. based on mathematical models, approach is not considered a butmetric study because no the research Theoretical Theoretical research is often used as a complement in explorato topics using philosophical,the shows 3 Figure others. and theories/methodologies mathematical, logical research focus of the studies found in the corpus and could not be attributed to all the articles,the all to attributedespeciallybe the couldnot study usually not do they that given studies, exploratory a particular topic in depth nor are explicitly based on theoretical and/or epistemologicalau frameworks of (61.3%). articles176 in present focus, theoretical explicit approaches, approaches, some studies may be under two different research. comparative and fieldresearch as: types,such adopted normally is type predominant a cases, these In them. of one chooses who author, the by defined or information information and communications te internet. Other less representative typesregarding oftheir studiesresearch approach were: operational studies (9), interventionist studies (7), action studies (3) of view In (4). studies research survey and (2) participant the many options, particularly concerning research common during the period. In 2010, this need seems to seems need this 2010, In period. the during common conditions aimedat the under however, again, emerge development of productiontechnological context. in theInfoMetric fieldstudiesemerge inbegin in 2002, to resulting the from themes focused on contribute to the consolidation and development of IS as experiments often lead to laws and standards in the field. As shown in Figure 2, with some inc a become to seeks IS 1970s, the in studies experimental scientific field and the
J.L. FREITAS et al. 10 METHODOLOGICAL CHOICES FOR RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SCIENCE 11 , is of the corpus 2002-2010 corpus me, a large number large a me, fterwards, document fterwards, 1992-2001 Technological monitoring Systemor program analysisor design Systematic observation Period , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., tudies on author productivity and productivity author on tudies 1982-1991 database per period. is studies, were conducted. This type of type This conducted. were studies, is Informação Trans ically analyze the document organization and organization document the analyze ically 1972-1981 Types of predominant techniques in the Base Referencial de Artigos de PeriódicosInformação em Ciência da nificantly increased after 1982. In Figure 5, note 5, InFigure 1982. after increased nificantly . Citation analysis, used in 4% of the As As it can be noted, the pinnacle of the use of 0 cant from 1972 to 1981. At that ti that At 1981. to 1972 from cant
Directobservation General interview Comparison Participant observation Questionnaire 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1
ument analysis is the 1980s. Soon a Soon 1980s. the is analysis ument
e c n e d i c n I signifi of descriptive and documentary studies, characterized analys citation as s in common is analysis Figure 4 Source: The authors (2012). sig have periods. time specific in analysis of types predominant the doc analysis becomes as frequent as content analysis; later Content analysis. document overcomes analysis content analysis is also a type of document analysis, but it does specif not Since 2002, the representation. incidence of document compared when points percentage 10 decreases analysis analysis. content to he analysis of context and . Its incidence is always less when corpus terview (28) ranks third place, representing place, third ranks (28) terview We We found 367 occurrences of types of analysis, The technique of technological monitoring The in The The questionnaire was the second most uthors have described it as a type of research, It is worth mentioning that t discourse are specific types of content analysis, which http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2318-08892016002800001 techniques used per period. per used techniques with the greatest incidence for documentary analysis of analysis by followed (136), analysis content and (168) (16). analysis citation and (25) solving problem and tasks The critical incident technique was less significant, with significant, less was technique incident critical The researcher the that is weakness its but occurrences, two of use The memoryinterviewee.the of on rely to needs interaction the on focuses (3) technique group focus the people the among discussion and contact by promoted participating in 4 the Figure shows study. the trends of analysis for real situations. real for analysis enables the monitoring of technological change and it is important for information management, particularly for companies with respect to technological vigilance. increasing in field research and case studies. From 1992 From studies. case and research field in increasing to 2001 the use of questionnairesinterviews decreasedbecame moreused commonly and most are (7) predominant. design or analysis program System or and/or creating for validating methods and/or types of because that it waives the need of the interviewer make interviewer the of need the waives it that because the questionnaire one of the most commonly analyzed. studies the in used techniques 15.65% of the beenuse has its although questionnaires, to compared commonly used instrument, in particular due applicabilityto itsin exploratory and descriptive studies in addition to being associated with objectivityand as such Othercharacteristics technique. the observation observation (4.2%), on the other hand, has been used in used been has hand, other the on (4.2%), observation field research. While participant observation greater proximity to the who allowsresearcher, is a simulated or actual subject of the group being studies, it is less one. first the than corpus the in significant and a framework epistemological the as intentionality denoting of some studies, which has been increasing in recent that approach phenomenological the of result a as years influences the area of qualitative studies. Direct he field. he ped in t in ped ct to the field because it ethods, one has to restate the http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2318-08892016002800001 lysis each and for measurements type ems, develop and apply theories and deal and theories apply and develop ems, oes not claim to be based on a comprehensive a on based be to claim not oes All authors contributed to the conception and design and conception the to contributed authors All The diversity The and the lack of a of nomenclatures Finally, it is important to emphasize that the We endeavored to show empirically through the through empirically show to endeavored We In the ana Contributors articlethe ofdraft final and analysis data study, the of or institutions. A larger quantity of descriptive studies represented a positive aspe counterbalances the exploratory studies regarding the authors. the by studied themes in-depth of degree common language regarding methodological choices principles Some study. present the in outstanding were thematic of freedom as such research, activityof the for and methodological choices and versatility of possible available tools and techniques methods, of combinations without account into taken be should researcher, the to content conducting for categories of choice the affecting analysis. theoretical framework developed for the categories of d studies are categories The proposed. categories the of approach intended to be a framework dedicated to rescue the intent and previous achievements to develo knowledge methodological organize the scientific probl scientific with the possible m epistemology of a field and its theoretical and political dimensions. analysis of scientific production models thatrigid and methodological situations stereotype to leads formalism a of lack the to knowledgedue of fields the delimit that creativity. and attitude critical of research choice adopted, we in development noticedof stage early an at are studies research that some the field, preciselynot are which reviews, literature and due studies exploratory to the predominance always associated of with analytical data processing and resolution the on focus often studies These studies. case of specific information problems in organizations and/ database Base Referencial de and epistemological and of the Contentanalysis Citation analysis Documentary analysis Social networkanalysis corpus retical called task and problem solving (7%) are (7%) solving problem and task called , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., nsidering the results obtained regarding the Artigos de Periódicos em Ciência da Informação per period. Types of analysis in the . The idea that to discern scientific knowledge from knowledge scientific discern to that idea The Co Analysisof context Analysisof tasks and problemsolving Analysisof discourse ent an overview of the theo the of overview an ent Informação common sense knowledge, discuss themes and define Trans influences of authors, historically determined by the conditions. research the of circumstances Conclusion studies on behavior, organizational environments, access environments, organizational behavior, on studies information. of use and methodological choices of authors, it was possible to pres type of analysis of type of analysis characteristic a as 2001, to 1992 from evident management and operational studies. Social network analysis begins to be used as a type of study only as of for networkingsocial of popularity the to due 1990s the Source: The authors (2012). The journals. scientific as such sources, formal of analysis Figure 5
J.L. FREITAS et al. 12 METHODOLOGICAL CHOICES FOR RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SCIENCE 13 . . São , v.41, n.1, Norwood:
. Libri , v.1, n.6, 2000. , v.24, n.3, p.166- , v.29, n.1, p.129-144, ysis of journal articles. Library & InformationLibrary&Science . Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, 1995. IFLA Journal DataGramaZero , , Campinas, 28(1):5-13, 2016 jan./abr., Metodologia das ciências humanas Informação Basic research methods for librarians Projetos e relatórios de pesquisa em administraçãopesquisaem relatóriosde eProjetos Trans M.; Vakkari, P. International LIS research: A As estruturas da história , v.12, n.4, p.395-421, 1990. z de Gómez, M.N. Metodologia de pesquisa no campo no pesquisa de Metodologia M.N. Gómez, de z Rochester, comparison of national trends. 175, 1998. S.C.Vergara, 3.ed. São Paulo: Atlas, 1998. Gonzále da Ciência da Informação.
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