Yazdan Mansourian

Adoption of grounded theory in LIS research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the implementations and implications of Grounded Theory as an exploratory and inductive research method in the LIS studies. The paper seeks to illustrate the opportunities and challenges that this methodology has brought to the methodological paradigms of LIS research body. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on two blended constituents including a selective literature review and the authors personal experience in using Grounded Theory. Regarding the papers scope it possesses a holistic approach to the issue and does not examine the results of individual reviewed studies in detail. Findings – The results suggest that up to now there have been a considerable number of studies in the LIS area that have successfully employed Grounded Theory. Nevertheless, it does not mean that this methodology is applicable in any research context. Accordingly, there is not a unanimous agreement on the usefulness of this methodology in the research community. Nevertheless, these arguments not only did not diminish the value of Grounded Theory but also helped grounded theorists to enhance this methodologys credibility and trustfulness. Research limitations/implications – Regarding the wide use of Grounded Theory it was not possible to carry out an exhaustive review of all studies that have employed Grounded Theory. However, the reviewed studies in this paper can be considered as a representative of the targeted research body. Providing the research community with an overall image of the applicability of Grounded Theory in LIS research is the main implication of the paper. Future researchers will benefit from the paper by finding out about the nature of this methodology and the aspects that they need to consider before using it. Originality/value – Although Grounded Theory is a widely used methodology, there are few publications about its applicability in LIS research. Therefore, this paper can contribute to the area through providing a holistic picture of the role of this methodology in LIS research.

Methodological approaches in web search research

Purpose – This paper seeks to review the methodologies employed by researchers working in the field of information seeking on the web. It aims to present an overall picture of the research methods used in the area, in a way that will be of value to anyone seeking to design research‐based studies of web searching.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the past 11 years of research on information seeking on the web was carried out. The paper focuses mainly on the methodological approaches adopted by researchers, but, where relevant, studies of different aspects of user interaction with web‐based search tools are considered.Findings – The area is growing fast and the number of studies has been increasing steadily. A variety of research methods was employed in the studies reviewed here. However, the emphasis to date has been on quantitative rather than qualitative methods. The paper argues that a better balance is needed between these two approaches.Research limitations/implications – Web search research c...

Coping strategies in web searching

Purpose – This paper seeks to report selective findings of a wider study to identify the mechanisms that end users employ to overcome their information seeking failure on the web.Design/methodology/approach – Data collection was conducted by semi‐structured and in‐depth interviews. The study adopted a qualitative approach and was carried out based on grounded theory. The biology community at the University of Sheffield was selected as the research population.Findings – Identified coping strategies are divided into active and passive categories. Active strategies such as revising and help‐seeking require further actions to obtain more satisfactory results. In contrast, passive strategies entail less action to modify the situation and mainly relate to accepting the existing circumstances. Web users prioritise their coping strategies according to the importance of the search topic and their determination to fulfil the search successfully. They develop coping strategies through training courses, using trial a...

Exploratory nature of, and uncertainty tolerance in, qualitative research

Purpose – This paper seeks to depict an overall picture of an exploratory research journey to exemplify how qualitative studies on little understood phenomena can be done successfully. The paper aims to show how the author adopted an appropriate approach and an apposite methodology to cope with the uncertainty, stress and ambiguity arising during exploratory research.Design/methodology/approach – The paper was developed based on a reflective and narrative approach by the author to highlight the pivotal milestones of the reported research. The paper narrates how the research naturally evolved through seven stages including origination, orientation, exploration, elucidation, consolidation, reflection and culmination.Findings – Dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity is inevitable in exploratory studies. Constant interplay with the data, thorough implementation of the employed methodology and deep involvement with the research context are pivotal elements to achieve success in these studies. Finally, findings...

Evolving perceptions of LIS students about their discipline: An action research with inquiry-based learning approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report findings of an action research on students’ perceptions of their area of study, Library and Information Science (LIS). The paper aims to demonstrate how an inquiry‐based learning (IBL) can help students to gain a more realistic view of their discipline and consequently become more involved in the active learning.Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected in two phases during an academic year. The data collection tools were observation, interview, and questionnaire with open‐ended questions. In total, 38 first‐year LIS undergraduate students at Tarbiat Mollem University (TMU) in Tehran formed the target group. The study adopted a qualitative approach to seek a deep insight into the case and did not attempt to generalize the results.Findings – At the beginning of the first semester, most of the students did not possess a clear and realistic view of their discipline and they had to cope with uncertainty and ambiguity about their future career. Emplo...

Keeping a learning diary to enhance researchers’ understanding of and users’ skills in web searching

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how using a learning diary can enable researchers to gain a deeper insight into end users’ information searching behaviour and how it can improve users’ search skills as well.Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted a qualitative approach and used a learning diary as its data collection tool. A group of 62 Library and Information Science students from Tarbiat Moallem University in Tehran formed the target group. They were asked to keep a search diary for eight weeks to reflect on their search experiences during that period of time. Moreover, 15 of them participated in a follow‐up interview after handing in their diaries.Findings – A tentative model was developed to illustrate a number of elements which contribute to the formation of problematic, satisfying and optimal search situations. Moreover keeping a diary was perceived useful by the participants in improving their search skills.Research limitations/implications – Only 34 of the subjects (5...