IN DEPTH


Making research relevant to practice


Andrew Shenton considers three approaches that researchers can take to help ensure that their fi ndings are of practical use to their intended readers.


IN a well-known tribute to libraries, Carl Sagan writes how they can “inspire us to make our own contri- bution to the collective knowledge of the human species.”1


We may reason


that, as information professionals, we are better placed than most to make such a contribution. It is hardly surprising then that, when writing of the importance of “library literature”, Michael Gorman implores informa- tion professionals to “share [their] own knowledge and opinions”.2 Although Gorman is not referring spe-


cifi­cally­to­research­here,­it­may­be­argued­ that,­in­today’s­world,­where­the­calibre­of­ research­and­information­is­so­important,­ librarians’­familiarity­with­these­resources­ means­they­are­well­positioned­to­conduct­ and­then­report­on­high­quality­investiga- tion.­Still,­any­practising­librarian­intent­on­ carrying­out­research­faces­challenges.­One­ of­the­most­fundamental­is­ensuring­that­ the­implications­of­their­work­are­of­use­to­ others.­This­will­especially­exercise­the­re- port­writer’s­mind­when­seeking­to­connect­ their­research­with­the­reader’s­world­of­ practice.­How­can­this­connection­be­made?­ My­experience­leads­me­to­think­that­three­ diff­erent­approaches­may­be­taken.


1 Present specifi c statements for action This­route­is­attractive­when­the­research­ is­internal­and­the­fi­ndings­relate­to­the­ same­organisation­whose­staff­­will­read­the­ fi­nal­report.­A­set­of­recommendations­is­ prepared,­with­each­point­emerging­from­ one­of­the­major­areas­of­fi­ndings­that­has­ already­been­identifi­ed.­In­order­to­demon- strate that the principles/instructions are


April-May 2019


Dr Andrew K. Shenton is a school librarian and former lecturer in the School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne. In 2014, he was awarded a Higher Doctorate for his published contribution to information science.


genuinely­evidence-based,­it­is­often­useful­ if­a­statement­is­fi­rst­noted­and­then­elucidated­ below­in­a­short­paragraph­which­makes­ref- erence­to­the­data.­From­a­writer’s­perspec- tive,­in­the­event­of­the­report­being­subject­ to­several­phases­of­revising­and­redrafting,­ it­may­be­necessary­to­add­new­statements.­ This­can­be­done­easily,­as­they­are­simply­ inserted­in­a­logical­position­in­the­sequence.­ The­biggest­weakness­of­this­­approach­is­that­ if­the­research­is­qualitative,­the­principles­ which­have­been­formulated­may­be­too­ particular­to­a­certain­context­and,­if­they­ are­to­be­more­widely­useful,­applicability­ may­be­restricted­to­similar­­organisations.­ Otherwise,­extra­work­may­be­needed­on­ the­researcher’s­part­to­ascertain­their­rele- vance­in­other­settings.


Example: IL in a high school Let us imagine that a research project has­explored­the­information­behaviour­ of­­pupils­in­a­high­school.­It­may­seem­


INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 51


Shenton research pp51-53.indd 4


25/04/2019 11:11


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60