Abstract
Using a group consensus methodology, the research sought to generate a list of the twelve to fifteen most important and answerable research questions in health sciences librarianship as part of a broader effort to implement the new Medical Library Association (MLA) research policy. The delphi method was used. The committee distributed a brief survey to all estimated 827 MLA leaders and 237 MLA Research Section members, requesting they submit what they considered to be the most important and answerable research questions facing the profession. The submitted questions were then subjected to 2 rounds of voting to produce a short list of top-ranked questions. The survey produced 62 questions from 54 MLA leaders and MLA Research Section members, who responded from an estimated potential population of 1,064 targeted colleagues. These questions were considered by the process participants to be the most important and answerable research questions facing the profession. Through 2 rounds of voting, these 62 questions were reduced to the final 12 highest priority questions. The modified delphi method accomplished its desired survey and consensus goals. Future survey and consensus processes will be revised to generate more initial questions and to distill a larger number of ranked prioritized research questions.
Highlights
A research agenda assists a professional organization such as the Medical Library Association (MLA) in focusing its limited resources on investigating those research topics likely to be most valued by its members
As these authors underscore in their article, the new research policy features a pragmatic action plan with two specific recommendations listed in the first section: & MLA will ask the MLA Research Section to create a forum for identifying research priorities in the field. & MLA will ask the Research Section to recommend annually to the MLA Board of Directors an MLA research agenda that suggests research topics of highest priority to the association [2]
Research Section Research Agenda Committee Chair Jonathan Eldredge, AHIP, formulated a research protocol, which was approved by the MLA Research Section Executive Committee and the MLA Board of Directors
Summary
A research agenda assists a professional organization such as the Medical Library Association (MLA) in focusing its limited resources on investigating those research topics likely to be most valued by its members. The 2007 MLA research policy, The Research Imperative, recommends broad changes in the roles of research for medical librarians’ professional practices. Grefsheim et al have described the process and results that led to the 2007 MLA research policy [1]. As these authors underscore in their article, the new research policy features a pragmatic action plan with two specific recommendations listed in the first section: & MLA will ask the MLA Research Section to create a forum for identifying research priorities in the field. As these authors underscore in their article, the new research policy features a pragmatic action plan with two specific recommendations listed in the first section: & MLA will ask the MLA Research Section to create a forum for identifying research priorities in the field. & MLA will ask the Research Section to recommend annually to the MLA Board of Directors an MLA research agenda that suggests research topics of highest priority to the association [2]
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