Students have a critical grounding in theoretical perspectives that draw on research in LIS as well as other fields of knowledge, that inform their professional practices including research, organization, management, and access to information.
a. Students will describe applications of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in library and information science.
b. Students will identify opportunities for research and develop plans for research in applied settings in library and information science.
LIS 6511
a. Students will describe applications of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in library and information science.
For my LIS 6511 project, I applied quantitative and qualitative methods by analyzing real-life statistics and evaluating the needs of a fictional academic library, St. Jerome’s University. This informed the creation of a fully developed collection development policy that reflects both data-driven decision-making and professional judgment.
b. Students will identify opportunities for research and develop plans for research in applied settings in library and information science.
Through this project, I identified areas where research could guide collection decisions, such as assessing gaps in holdings or comparing policies at other academic libraries. Developing the collection policy allowed me to plan how applied research can support strategic library management and evidence-based decision-making.
LIS 6946
a. Students will describe applications of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in library and information science.
During my internship at the The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, my final project involved processing and organizing archival materials, which required qualitative analysis of documents and photographs to understand their context and relationships. Quantitative practices were also involved through tracking items, organizing materials according to archival standards, and creating structured metadata to support access and retrieval.
b. Students will identify opportunities for research and develop plans for research in applied settings in library and information science.
While completing my final project, I identified opportunities for further research when archival materials required additional context about people, events, or historical details within the collection. This process demonstrated how archivists develop research questions during collection processing and how applied research can improve archival description and accessibility.
Student Library Worker
a. Students will describe applications of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in library and information science.
While working as a student library worker at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, I observed how both qualitative and quantitative approaches inform library services. Through daily interactions with patrons, I gained qualitative insight into students’ information-seeking behaviors, common research challenges, and the ways users navigate library databases and physical collections. At the same time, patterns in frequently asked questions, service desk interactions, and commonly accessed resources demonstrate how quantitative information—such as usage trends and service statistics—can guide decisions about improving access to materials and services within an academic library.
b. Students will identify opportunities for research and develop plans for research in applied settings in library and information science.
My experience at Nelson Poynter Memorial Library also helped me recognize opportunities for applied research in an academic library setting. Recurring patron questions and navigation difficulties highlighted potential areas for investigation, such as evaluating how effectively students use library databases, assessing the accessibility of research guides, and studying user interactions with library systems. Observing these challenges helped me understand how librarians can identify research questions within their daily work and develop plans to assess and improve library services and user support.