Teaching Research Methods in Master’s-Level LIS Programs: The United States Perspective

Abstract

Training in research methodology is an essential component of educating twenty-first century information professionals and library practitioners. Traditionally, competencies in library and information science (LIS) education emphasized the fundamental knowledge of research methods and critical skills in evaluating the findings. However, librarians are not only consumers of research; they are also active contributors to scholarship and need practical skills in designing and carrying out research projects. Research competencies, including the fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative research methods, are listed in the American Library Association’s (ALA) Core Competences of Librarianship. Courses in research methods are offered in many LIS programs in the United States but are not always considered part of the core curriculum. Training in research methodology is inconsistent across LIS programs and in Master’s-level courses rarely goes beyond an overview of methods and terminology. This article summarizes the findings of a study that examined the current state of research methods training in LIS Master’s-level education in the United States and investigated how future library professionals are being prepared to be consumers of research and practitioner-researchers from the perspective of the faculty who teach the courses. The data for this study were collected using multiple techniques, including content analysis of documents, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. Teaching faculty, selected from ALA-accredited LIS programs, contributed their perspective through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.