First a Good Question and Then an Appropriate Research Method
4:35 PM - 4:50 PM
Description: The research question must be clear and address a significant problem. In a good reference interview, it is a waste of time to plan a search before you have a clearly defined question. Choosing the best scientific research method to create evidence that will answer a particular research question is as important as choosing the right reference source to use for a reference question. And the best research method or reference source for your question may not be your favorite, most handy, or most familiar one!
Authors: Michelynn McKnight, AHIP, Assistant Professor, School of Library and Information Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Refining the Process and Doing the Work
4:50 PM - 5:05 PM
Description: Have you chosen a problem and identified a method for investigating it? Then it is time to move on to the next phase of the project: doing the research! Implementation strategies, time management, funding concerns, consent issues, and building of a team of colleagues and consultants are crucial to completing a research project. Tips and ideas for moving a research project toward completion will be discussed, and typical barriers to success will be identified together with ways to deal with them, with the goal of moving your research project along to a successful end point.
Authors: Ellen G. Detlefsen, Associate Professor, School of Information Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Getting to the Heart of the Matter: An Overview of Research Data Collection and Analysis
5:05 PM - 5:20 PM
Purpose: This paper outlines the process of collecting and analyzing data for research projects.
Brief Description: An overview of general techniques for quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of having a clear, systematic approach to your research for successful data collection and analysis.
Summary: When engaging in research, it is important to have a plan for how you will collect and analyze data. Data collection and analysis are dependent on the study objectives and design as well as the availability of resources.
Authors: Ana D. Cleveland, AHIP, Regents Professor and Director, Health Informatics and Houston Programs, Department of Library and Information Sciences, College of Information, University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Disseminating Your Results
5:20 PM - 5:35 PM
Description: Why do the research if you keep the results all to yourself? If you have found the research to be worthwhile and informative, then likely your colleagues in the profession will find it helpful too. Valuable results include not only the findings, but the methods you used to do the study and the challenges that you faced. This presentation will focus on strategies for disseminating your results at several different levels: in your own workplace, in your region, as well as nationally and internationally. Possibilities for disseminating the results to the health care field at large will also be discussed. Selecting the appropriate formats such as a poster, paper, roundtable, wiki, blog, email discussion list, or peer-reviewed paper will be considered. The importance of adding these activities to your curriculum vitae and tracking then for use in your own professional development plan through the Academy of Health Information Professionals will be emphasized.
Authors: Joanne Gard Marshall, FMLA, Professor, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
