What's your epistemology?: Quiz design as a pedagogical tool in library & information science doctoral education

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe propose that collaboratively developing a quiz that identifies individuals’ epistemologies is an effective way to meet critical pedagogical ends in Library & Information Science (LIS) doctoral education. As a case study, we recount the process of creating and sharing one such quiz in a recent research design course at our home institution. Posted to various social media outlets in March 2015, this quiz has since been taken over 25,000 times and has a 69% completion rate. The pedagogical impact of this tool has thus extended far beyond a single classroom.We evaluate the current LIS PhD research methods and design course requirements of programs in North America to contextualize our arguments regarding the value of quiz design as a pedagogical tool. Using an activity theory framework, we suggest a plan for productively employing quiz design in relevant doctoral courses. Ultimately, we contend that the process of designing and implementing an epistemology quiz can help LIS faculty teach a complicated subject matter to beginning researchers. Further, the quiz can help LIS doctoral students to (1) make sense of methodological differences, (2) engage in epistemological perspective‐taking, and (3) fruitfully negotiate epistemological and methodological disputes with colleagues.