This book introduces students to the information-seeking process. It focuses on basic concepts, strategies, tools, and tactics for research--in both electronic and print formats.

Learn the ins and outs of working with online databases, the best tactics for effective research online, and the methods for conveying these search skills to others. The book focuses on two broad themes: effective searching of library databases and mentoring your library patrons to do the same. Each chapter includes discussions, concrete examples, exercises, and points to consider on such topics as the design of online databases, strategies for indexing, and tips for teaching users both online and in person.

A brief, simple overview of statistics to help readers gain a better understanding of how statistics work and how to interpret them correctly.

A practical guide to the challenges of social science research methodology. Includes detailed, practical information which can make or break a given project.

This handbook is intended as a practical instrument for the evaluation of library services. Although it aims specifically at academic and public libraries, most indicators will also apply to all other types of libraries.

Most questions in social and biomedical sciences are causal in nature: what would happen to individuals, or to groups, if part of their environment were changed? This text presents statistical methods for studying such questions. This book starts with the notion of potential outcomes, each corresponding to the outcome that would be realized if a subject were exposed to a particular treatment or regime. In this approach, causal effects are comparisons of such potential outcomes. The fundamental problem of causal inference is that we can only observe one of the potential outcomes for a particular subject. The authors discuss how randomized experiments allow us to assess causal effects and then turn to observational studies. They lay out the assumptions needed for causal inference and describe the leading analysis methods, including matching, propensity-score methods, and instrumental variables. Many detailed applications are included, with special focus on practical aspects for the empirical researcher.

It's written in an accessible way, with few calculations and fewer equations, for readers from a broad set of academic disciplines. Numerous illustrative examples. Emphasis is on understanding how statistics can be used to help answer research questions, rather than on the minute details of particular statistical tests.

A brief, simple overview of statistics to help readers gain a better understanding of how statistics work and how to interpret them correctly.

An essential resource for LIS master's and doctoral students, new LIS faculty, and academic librarians, this book provides expert guidance and practical examples based on current research about quantitative and qualitative research methods and design. This book broadly covers the principles, data collection techniques, and analyses of quantitative and qualitative methods as well as the advantages and limitations of each method to research design.

The second edition illustrates research methods for library and information science, describing the most appropriate approaches to a question--and showing you what makes research successful. This book helps you acquire a deeper understanding of research methods so you will be able to design more effective studies yourself.

This step-by-step handbook provides comprehensive and practical guidance on the process of researching a range of relevant literature on a subject, as well as planning and writing a literature review.

The Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences,now in its fourth edition, compiles the contributions of major researchers and practitioners and explores the cultural institutions of more than 30 countries. This major reference presents over 550 entries extensively reviewed for accuracy in seven print volumes or online. The new fourth edition, which includes 55 new entires and 60 revised entries, continues to reflect the growing convergence among the disciplines that influence information and the cultural record, with coverage of the latest topics as well as classic articles of historical and theoretical importance.