Alison Jane Pickard, with contributions from Sue Childs, Elizabeth Lomas, Julie McLeod and Andrew K. Shenton, 2nd edn, London, Facet Publishing, 2013, xxii+361 pp, £49.95 (paperback), ISBN-978-1-85604-813-2
It has become increasingly recognised in recent times that there needs to be more encouragement of a research culture in the LIS profession in Australia, particularly from a practitioner perspective. In 2007, UK academic Alison Jane Pickard wrote Research Methods in Information as an introduction for those studying and working in the field, who have an interest in conducting a research project. It seems timely that a new edition has now been released. There are two new chapters contributed by other writers, firstly on the importance of developing and maintaining good research data management processes as research begins, and the second on how to analyse existing data that previous researchers have created, which may be used in the development of new research. The book also considers how the online environment is having an impact on the way research is conducted.
The author is a published LIS researcher, who also teaches research methods to students, so is well qualified to offer her expertise in this area. However, a consistent thread throughout her writing is that what she offers is not a panacea; she states that her word is not the final one. She presents what has worked for her and her students in a way that the reader will connect with; the helpful sage, not the prescriptive expert. Her style is accessible and overall this should be one of the book's appeals for readers. There are practical real-life examples within each chapter to demonstrate concepts or techniques and exercises at the conclusion, so that readers can hone their skills. Each chapter is also supplemented with pointers to further reading when the author feels another resource may give a deeper understanding, there are space limitations, or her own insight is not sufficient.
The book is divided into four main sections, with a fifth listing a glossary of terms and a more extensive reference list. The first covers the considerations that must be taken into account before research is begun or as it starts: understanding what approach to take with research and the limitations that will be placed on it, what data will be collected and how it will be managed, and the importance of undertaking a literature review to help situate the research, as well as ethical considerations. The fourth covers the last stages of research: how to conduct data analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, and a brief chapter on how to present the final research in a report. It is parts two and three, however, that cover the most content and are the most interesting, because they discuss a variety of research methods appropriate for LIS, followed by the data collection techniques available once a method is chosen. Pickard believes the distinction between methods and collection techniques is sometimes confused and makes this clearer. For example, a questionnaire is a collection technique if the method chosen is a survey; these are not synonyms. Moreover, a variety of collection techniques may be used to carry out a research method. For example if the case study method is chosen, interviews and observation may be used.
Overall, the work should not be read without engaging with the content. While it may be underpinned by theory, the emphasis is on putting the ideas discussed into practice, which is where it may differ from other texts. It is especially recommended for the novice researcher who wants to understand the steps involved in a research process, and to get a taste for the different options available.
© 2013, Daniel Giddens