Research Methods and Data Literacy Flashcards
6 cards from real MLS - Master of Library and Information Science practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Research Methods and Data Literacy flashcards as text
A library researcher uses existing borrowing records to study patron reading patterns without collecting new data. This method is called:
Answer: Secondary data analysis
Secondary data analysis involves analyzing data originally collected for another purpose, such as circulation records or census data.
In information behavior research, Brenda Dervin's Sense-Making Methodology focuses on:
Answer: How users construct meaning to bridge knowledge gaps across situations
Dervin's Sense-Making views information seeking as a process of constructing bridges over situational gaps to make sense of experience.
Which statistical test is most appropriate for determining whether there is a significant difference in reference transaction counts between two branch libraries?
Answer: Independent samples t-test
An independent samples t-test compares the means of two unrelated groups to determine whether they differ significantly.
Open coding, axial coding, and selective coding are analytical stages associated with which qualitative research methodology?
Answer: Grounded theory
Grounded theory uses open coding to identify concepts, axial coding to relate them, and selective coding to develop a core category and theory.
When a researcher reports that an instrument has high test-retest reliability, this means:
Answer: The instrument produces consistent scores when administered twice under similar conditions
Test-retest reliability assesses stability by correlating scores from two administrations of the same instrument over time.
Which U.S. legislation most directly governs the privacy of library patron records at the federal level regarding law enforcement requests?
Answer: USA PATRIOT Act Section 215
Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act expanded government authority to obtain library circulation and Internet use records through court orders, raising significant privacy concerns for librarians.