library science research paper topics

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Library and information science research papers/topics, underutilisation of internet facilities at universities a case study of jomo kenyatta memorial library (jkml) university of nairobi and united states international university africa (usiu a).

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Perspectives on Knowledge Management:: A Literature Review

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Motivation Cognitive and Behavioral Theories and Techniques

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A Critique of the paper ‘Library Architecture around the World’ by Garba, Chiwendu and Mustapha

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How to Write an Empirical Review

The purpose of the paper is to offer guidance on how to write an empirical review. The paper presented an introduction, and discussed the concept of empirical review, the importance of empirical review, steps for writing empirical review, apractical approach to writing an empirical review, characteristics of a good empirical review and concluded with the following statement; well-crafted empirical reviews are the cornerstone of good papers, however it is not uncommon to find weak, or even abs...

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Regardless of which type of library and the environment it is designed to serve, the basic mission and objectives of information service provision should be to support and promote natural and social justice, equity, fair play and democratization of information access and utilization.  It is within this perspective that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities under the principles of non-discrimination, equal opport...

Controlled vocabulary

Virtually every common word in the English language has more than one meaning or senseand many of those senses have more than one nuance; many words can be used as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and/or adverbs. Search systems that purport to allow the use of natural language cannot yet successfully distinguish among different meanings or various parts of speech in very large general systems, although some progress has been made in narrow subject areas. 

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Concept of Information Retrieval and the Strategies

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An organized structure for vocabulary control

This paper examined the concept of controlled vocabulary, it gave the definition and discussed the major concerns in establishing a controlled vocabulary, the types of controlled vocabulary. The principles of creating vocabulary control, principles for applying controlled vocabulary, controlled vocabulary standards, mechanics of vocabulary control, the merits and demerits of vocabulary control, and vocabulary control challenges and their solutions, and other vocabulary control challenges. The...

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A Critical Analysis of the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress houses the largest information resources, records and archival collection of materials in the world (Whitman, 2021). As part of the Library's mission to make its resources available and useful to the American public, the Library has digitized a number of these materials and has also created an array of online secondary sources that highlight life and work. 

Information Need and Seeking Behaviour of Pregnant Women in Ughelli General Hospital, Delta State

This paper examined the topic on information needs and seeking behaviour of Pregnant Women in Ughelli General Hospital, Delta State to this end therefore, the researcher came up with four objectives which are: to identify the information needs of pregnant women in ughelli general hospital, to ascertain the information seeking behaviour of pregnant women in ughelli general hospital, to identify the information sources used by pregnant women in ughelli general hospital, to identify challen...

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This paper examined administration and management of digital libraries: an overview. The concept management was clearly defined and explained in the context o f the work; thereafter the term digital library was explained succinctly as an age that is characterized by efficient and effective conversion, storage, diffusion and dissemination of data to users. The various services that are performed in the digital environment were listed as follows: Circulation Services (Reader Services); Ser...

Knowledge and Access to Primary Health Care Information Among Women in Rural Setting

Primary health care center offer professional medical care for individuals based on a locality or community before shifting them to more advance hospital-based care. Unfortunately, few studies exist on Knowledge and access to primary health care information among women in rural area in developing countries. This study adopted interpretative paradigm and collected qualitative data using Dervin Sense-Making theory approach. The collected data were analyzed using inductive analytical processes. ...

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Research paper topics in library and information science

A systematic approach is best when undertaking research in the library and information science. Not only should you have an in-depth knowledge of major themes in the area, but you should also be aware of current research methods and topics of influence, such as library systems, cooperation between libraries, and the flow of information between libraries.

Finding a good research paper topic can greatly depend upon your interests and what you took away from your coursework. Paying attention in classes and taking adequate notes makes it easier to assimilate that knowledge into a coherent research paper topic. Take a look at the following research paper topics for some ideas:

• A critical analysis of student attitudes towards cataloguing and classification in college campus libraries
• The Impact of Public Libraries at the state level
• The implementation of information and communication technology in academic libraries in Brazil
• Evaluating the effect of feminization and professionalization on librarianship
• The challenges involved in running private libraries in Nigeria
• Defining comparative and international library and information science
• An assessment of international cultural exchange through libraries
• The role of international librarianship in promoting freedom of information and expression
• International issues faced by librarians and information science professionals with regard to the knowledge society
• Exploring the relationship between government schools and public libraries in the context of South Asia
• The importance of resource-sharing in an international library network: bridging gaps using modern technology
• Tackling indigenous knowledge by adopting innovative tools and strategies
• The influence of library aid in developing countries during globalization
• A critical comparison of American librarianship and information science research in European countries
• Learnings from major book acquisitions in American academic libraries
• The expanding purview of American ideas in German public libraries
• The British Council and its critical role in building bridges across the developing world

Browsing through sample topics in library and information science can help you brainstorm your own ideas more effectively. Take the time to scan such resources and choose a topic that you can convincingly discuss and analyze. A good source for potential research paper topics and paper help is mypaperwriter.com , also papers written by past students as well as reputed works in the field.

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Home > Books > Qualitative versus Quantitative Research

Research Methods in Library and Information Science

Submitted: 28 October 2016 Reviewed: 23 March 2017 Published: 28 June 2017

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.68749

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Qualitative versus Quantitative Research

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Library and information science (LIS) is a very broad discipline, which uses a wide rangeof constantly evolving research strategies and techniques. The aim of this chapter is to provide an updated view of research issues in library and information science. A stratified random sample of 440 articles published in five prominent journals was analyzed and classified to identify (i) research approach, (ii) research methodology, and (iii) method of data analysis. For each variable, a coding scheme was developed, and the articles were coded accordingly. A total of 78% of the articles reported empirical research. The rest 22% were classified as non‐empirical research papers. The five most popular topics were “information retrieval,” “information behaviour,” “information literacy,” “library services,” and “organization and management.” An overwhelming majority of the empirical research articles employed a quantitative approach. Although the survey emerged as the most frequently used research strategy, there is evidence that the number and variety of research methodologies have been increased. There is also evidence that qualitative approaches are gaining increasing importance and have a role to play in LIS, while mixed methods have not yet gained enough recognition in LIS research.

• library and information science
• research methods
• research strategies
• data analysis techniques
• research articles

Author Information

Aspasia togia *.

• Department of Library Science & Information Systems, Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Thessaloniki, Greece

Afrodite Malliari

• DataScouting, Thessaloniki, Greece

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Library and information science (LIS), as its name indicates, is a merging of librarianship and information science that took place in the 1960s [ 1 , 2 ]. LIS is a field of both professional practice and scientific inquiry. As a field of practice, it includes the profession of librarianship as well as a number of other information professions, all of which assume the interplay of the following:

information content,

the people who interact with the content, and

the technology used to facilitate the creation, communication, storage, or transformation of the content [ 3 ].

The disciplinary foundation of LIS, which began in the 1920s, aimed at providing a theoretical foundation for the library profession. LIS has evolved in close relationship with other fields of research, especially computer science, communication studies, and cognitive sciences [ 4 ].

The connection of LIS with professional practice, on one hand, and other research fields on the other has influenced its research orientation and the development of methodological tools and theoretical perspectives [ 5 ]. Research problems are diverse, depending on the research direction, local trends, etc. Most of them relate to the professional practice although there are theoretical research statements as well. LIS research strives to address important information issues, such as these of “ information retrieval, information quality and authenticity, policy for access and preservation, the health and security applications of data mining ”(p. 3) [ 6 ]. The research is multidisciplinary in nature, and it has been heavily influenced by research designs developed in the social, behavioral, and management sciences and to a lesser extent by the theoretical inquiry adopted in the humanities [ 7 ]. Methods used in information retrieval research have been adapted from computer science. The emergence of evidence‐based librarianship in the late 1990s brought a positivist approach to LIS research, since it incorporated many of the research designs and methods used in clinical medicine [ 7 , 8 ]. In addition, LIS has developed its own methodological approaches, a prominent example of which is bibliometrics. Bibliometrics, which can be defined as “ the use of mathematical and statistical methods to study documents and patterns of publication ” (p. 38) [ 9 ], is a native research methodology, which has been extensively used outside the field, especially in science studies [ 10 ].

Library and information science research has been often criticized as being fragmentary, narrowly focused, and oriented to practical problems [ 11 ]. Many authors have noticed limited use of theory in published research and have advocated greater use of theory as a conceptual basis in LIS research [ 4 , 11 – 14 ]. Feehan et al. [ 13 ] claimed that LIS literature has not evolved enough to support a rigid body of its own theoretical basis. Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 15 ] argued that LIS theories are usually vague and conceptually unclear, and that research in LIS has been dominated by a paradigm which “ has made little use of such traditional scientific approaches as foundations and conceptual analysis, or of scientific explanation and theory formulation ” (p. 415). This lack of theoretical contributions may be associated with the fact that LIS emanated from professional practice and is therefore closely linked to practical problems such as the processing and organization of library materials, documentation, and information retrieval [ 15 , 16 ].

In this chapter, after briefly discussing the role of theory in LIS research, we provide an updated view of research issues in the field that will help scholars and students stay informed about topics related to research strategies and methods. To accomplish this, we describe and analyze patterns of LIS research activity as reflected in prominent library journals. The analysis of the articles highlights trends and recurring themes in LIS research regarding the use of multiple methods, the adoption of qualitative approaches, and the employment of advanced techniques for data analysis and interpretation [ 17 ].

2. The role of theory in LIS research

The presence of theory is an indication of research eminence and respectability [ 18 ], as well as a feature of discipline’s maturity [ 19 , 20 ]. Theory has been defined in many ways. “ Any of the following have been used as the meaning of theory: a law, a hypothesis, group of hypotheses, proposition, supposition, explanation, model, assumption, conjecture, construct, edifice, structure, opinion, speculation, belief, principle, rule, point of view, generalization, scheme, or idea ” (p. 309) [ 21 ]. A theory can be described as “ a set of interrelated concepts, definitions, and propositions that explains or predicts events or situations by specifying relations among variables ” [ 22 ]. According to Babbie [ 23 ], research is “ a systematic explanation for the observed facts and laws that related to a particular aspect of life ” (p. 49). It is “ a multiple‐level component of the research process, comprising a range of generalizations that move beyond a descriptive level to a more explanatory level ” [ 24 ] (p. 319). The role of theory in social sciences is, among other things, to explain and predict behavior, be usable in practical applications, and guide research [ 25 ]. According to Smiraglia [ 26 ], theory does not exist in a vacuum but in a system that explains the domains of human actions, the phenomena found in these domains, and the ways in which they are affected. He maintains that theory is developed by systematically observing phenomena, either in the positivist empirical research paradigm or in the qualitative hermeneutic paradigm. Theory is used to formulate hypotheses in quantitative research and confirms observations in qualitative research.

Glazier and Grover [ 24 ] proposed a model for theory‐building in LIS called “circuits of theory.” The model includes taxonomy of theory, developed earlier by the authors [ 11 ], and the critical social and psychological factors that influence research. The purpose of the taxonomy was to demonstrate the relationships among the concepts of research, theory, paradigms, and phenomena. Phenomena are described as “ events experienced in the empirical world ” (p. 230) [ 11 ]. Researchers assign symbols (digital or iconic representations, usually words or pictures) to phenomena, and meaning to symbols, and then they conceptualize the relationships among phenomena and formulate hypotheses and research questions. “ In the taxonomy, empirical research begins with the formation of research questions to be answered about the concepts or hypotheses for testing the concepts within a narrow set of predetermined parameters ” (p. 323) [ 24 ]. Various levels of theories, with implications for research in library and information Science, are described. The first theory level, called substantive theory , is defined as “ a set of propositions which furnish an explanation for an applied area of inquiry ” (p. 233) [ 11 ]. In fact, it may not be viewed as a theory but rather be considered as a research hypothesis that has been tested or even a research finding [ 16 ]. The next level of theory, called formal theory , is defined as “ a set of propositions which furnish an explanation for a formal or conceptual area of inquiry, that is, a discipline ” (p. 234) [ 11 ]. Substantive and formal theories together are usually considered as “middle range” theory in the social sciences. Their difference lies in the ability to structure generalizations and the potential for explanation and prediction. The final level, grand theory , is “ a set of theories or generalizations that transcend the borders of disciplines to explain relationships among phenomena ” (p. 321) [ 24 ]. According to the authors, most research generates substantive level theory, or, alternatively, researchers borrow theory from the appropriate discipline, apply it to the problem under investigation, and reconstruct the theory at the substantive level. Next in the hierarchy of theoretical categories is the paradigm , which is described as “ a framework of basic assumptions with which perceptions are evaluated and relationships are delineated and applied to a discipline or profession ” (p. 234) [ 11 ]. Finally, the most significant theoretical category is the world view , which is defined as “ an individual’s accepted knowledge, including values and assumptions, which provide a ‘filter’ for perception of all phenomena ” (p. 235) [ 11 ]. All the previous categories contribute to shaping the individual’s worldview. In the revised model, which places more emphasis on the impact of social environment on the research process, research and theory building is surrounded by a system of three basic contextual modules: the self, society, and knowledge, both discovered and undiscovered. The interactions and dialectical relationships of these three modules affect the research process and create a dynamic environment that fosters theory creation and development. The authors argue that their model will help researchers build theories that enable generalizations beyond the conclusions drawn from empirical data [ 24 ].

In an effort to propose a framework for a unified theory of librarianship, McGrath [ 27 ] reviewed research articles in the areas of publishing, acquisitions, classification and knowledge organization, storage, preservation and collection management, library collections, and circulations. In his study, he included articles that employed explanatory and predictive statistical methods to explore relationships between variables within and between the above subfields of LIS. For each paper reviewed, he identified the dependent variable, significant independent variables, and the units of analysis. The review displayed explanatory studies “ in nearly every level, with the possible exception of classification, while studies in circulation and use of the library were clearly dominant. A recapitulation showed that a variable at one level may be a unit of analysis at another, a property of explanatory research crucial to the development of theory, which has been either ignored or unrecognized in LIS literature ” (p. 368) [ 27 ]. The author concluded that “explanatory and predictive relationships do exist and that they can be useful in constructing a comprehensive unified theory of librarianship” (p. 368) [ 27 ].

Recent LIS literature provides several analyses of theory development and use in the field. In a longitudinal analysis of information needs and uses of literature, Julien and Duggan [ 28 ] investigated, among other things, to what extent LIS literature was grounded in theory. Articles “ based on a coherent and explicit framework of assumptions, definitions, and propositions that, taken together, have some explanatory power ” (p. 294) were classified as theoretical articles. Results showed that only 18.3% of the research studies identified in the sample of articles examined were theoretically grounded.

Pettigrew and McKechnie [ 29 ] analyzed 1160 journal articles published between 1993 and 1998 to determine the level of theory use in information science research. In the absence of a singular definition of theory that would cover all the different uses of the term in the sample of articles, they operationalized “theory” according to authors’ use of the term. They found that 34.1% of the articles incorporated theory, with the largest percentage of theories drawn from the social sciences. Information science itself was the second most important source of theories. The authors argued that this significant increase in theory use in comparison to earlier studies could be explained by the research‐oriented journals they selected for examination, the sample time, and the broad way in which they defined “theory.” With regard to this last point, that is, their approach of identifying theories only if the author(s) describe them as such in the article, Pettigrew and McKechnie [ 29 ] observed significant differences in how information science researchers perceive theory:

Although it is possible that conceptual differences regarding the nature of theory may be due to the different disciplinary backgrounds of researchers in IS, other themes emerged from our data that suggest a general confusion exists about theory even within subfields. Numerous examples came to light during our analysis in which an author would simultaneously refer to something as a theory and a method, or as a theory and a model, or as a theory and a reported finding. In other words, it seems as though authors, themselves, are sometimes unsure about what constitutes theory. Questions even arose regarding whether the author to whom a theory was credited would him or herself consider his or her work as theory (p. 68).

Kim and Jeong [ 16 ] examined the state and characteristics of theoretical research in LIS journals between 1984 and 2003. They focused on the “theory incident,” which is described as “an event in which the author contributes to the development or the use of theory in his/her paper.” Their study adopted Glazier and Grover’s [ 24 ] model of “circuits of theory.” Substantive level theory was operationalized to a tested hypothesis or an observed relationship, while both formal and grand level theories were identified when they were named as “theory,” “model,” or “law” by authors other than those who had developed them. Results demonstrated that the application of theory was present in 41.4% of the articles examined, signifying a significant increase in the proportion of theoretical articles as compared to previous studies. Moreover, it was evident that both theory development and theory use had increased by the year. Information seeking and use, and information retrieval, were identified as the subfields with the most significant contribution to the development of the theoretical framework.

In a more in‐depth analysis of theory use in Kumasi et al. [ 30 ] qualitatively analyzed the extent to which theory is meaningfully used in scholarly literature. For this purpose, they developed a theory talk coding scheme, which included six analytical categories, describing how theory is discussed in a study. The intensity of theory talk in the articles was described across a continuum from minimal (e.g., theory is discussed in literature review and not mentioned later) through moderate (e.g., multiple theories are introduced but without discussing their relevance to the study) to major (e.g., theory is employed throughout the study). Their findings seem to support the opinion that “ LIS discipline has been focused on the application of specific theoretical frameworks rather than the generation of new theories ” (p. 179) [ 30 ]. Another point the authors made was about the multiple terms used in the articles to describe theory. Words such as “framework,” “model,” or “theory” were used interchangeably by scholars.

It is evident from the above discussion that the treatment of theory in LIS research covers a spectrum of intensity, from marginal mentions to theory revising, expanding, or building. Recent analyses of the published scholarship indicate that the field has not been very successful in contributing to existing theory or producing new theory. In spite of this, one may still assert that LIS research employs theory, and, in fact, there are many theories that have been used or generated by LIS scholars. However, “ calls for additional and novel theory development work in LIS continue, particularly for theories that might help to address the research practice gap ” (p. 12) [ 31 ].

3. Research strategies in LIS

3.1. surveys of research methods.

LIS is a very broad discipline, which uses a wide range of constantly evolving research strategies and techniques [ 32 ]. Various classification schemes have been developed to analyze methods employed in LIS research (e.g., [ 13 , 15 , 17 , 33 – 35 , 38 ]). Back in 1996, in the “research record” column of the Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, Kim [ 36 ] synthesized previous categories and definitions and introduced a list of research strategies, including data collection and analysis methods. The listing included four general research strategies: (i) theoretical/philosophical inquiry (development of conceptual models or frameworks), (ii) bibliographic research (descriptive studies of books and their properties as well as bibliographies of various kinds), (iii) R&D (development of storage and retrieval systems, software, interface, etc.), and (iv) action research, it aims at solving problems and bringing about change in organizations. Strategies are then divided into quantitative and qualitative driven. In the first category are included descriptive studies, predictive/explanatory studies, bibliometric studies, content analysis, and operation research studies. Qualitative‐driven strategies are considered the following: case study, biographical method, historical method, grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, symbolic interactionism/semiotics, sociolinguistics/discourse analysis/ethnographic semantics/ethnography of communication, and hermeneutics/interpretive interactionism (p. 378–380) [ 36 ].

Systematic studies of research methods in LIS started in the 1980s and several reviews of the literature have been conducted over the past years to analyze the topics, methodologies, and quality of research. One of the earliest studies was done by Peritz [ 37 ] who carried out a bibliometric analysis of the articles published in 39 core LIS journals between 1950 and 1975. She examined the methodologies used, the type of library or organization investigated, the type of activity investigated, and the institutional affiliation of the authors. The most important findings were a clear orientation toward library and information service activities, a widespread use of the survey methodology, a considerable increase of research articles after 1960, and a significant increase in theoretical studies after 1965.

Nour [ 38 ] followed up on Peritz’s [ 37 ] work and studied research articles published in 41 selected journals during the year 1980. She found that survey and theoretical/analytic methodologies were the most popular, followed by bibliometrics. Comparing these findings to those made by Peritz [ 37 ], Nour [ 38 ] found that the amount of research continued to increase, but the proportion of research articles to all articles had been decreasing since 1975.

Feehan et al. [ 13 ] described how LIS research published during 1984 was distributed over various topics and what methods had been used to study these topics. Their analysis revealed a predominance of survey and historical methods and a notable percentage of articles using more than one research method. Following a different approach, Enger et al. (1989) focused on the statistical methods used by LIS researchers in articles published during 1985 [ 39 ]. They found that only one out of three of the articles reported any use of statistics. Of those, 21% used descriptive statistics and 11% inferential statistics. In addition, the authors found that researchers from disciplines other than LIS made the highest use of statistics and LIS faculty showed the highest use of inferential statistics.

An influential work, against which later studies have been compared, is that of Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 15 ] who studied LIS articles published in 1985 in order to determine how research was distributed over various subjects, what approaches had been taken by the authors, and what research strategies had been used. The authors replicated their study later to include older research published between 1965 and 1985 [ 40 ]. The main finding of these studies was that the trends and characteristics of LIS research remained more or less the same over the aforementioned period of 20 years. The most common topics were information service activities and information storage and retrieval. Empirical research strategies were predominant, and of them, the most frequent was the survey. Kumpulainen [ 41 ], in an effort to provide a continuum with Jarvelin and Vakkeri’s [ 15 ] study, analyzed 632 articles sampled from 30 core LIS journals with respect to various characteristics, including topics, aspect of activity, research method, data selection method, and data analysis techniques. She used the same classification scheme, and she selected the journals based on a slightly modified version of Jarvelin and Vakkari’s [ 15 ] list. Library services and information storage and retrieval emerged again as the most common subjects approached by the authors and survey was the most frequently used method.

More recent studies of this nature include those conducted by Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ], Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ], Hider and Pymm [ 32 ], and Chu [ 17 ]. Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ] examined research articles published in 2001 and they found that the majority of them were questionnaire‐based descriptive studies. Comparative, bibliometrics, content analysis, and program evaluation studies were also popular. Information storage and retrieval emerged as the predominant subject area, followed by library collections and management. Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ] presented a review of the 2003–2005 published library research with special focus on methodology issues and the quality of published articles of both practitioners and academic scholars. They found that most research was descriptive and the most frequent method for data collection was the questionnaire, followed by content analysis and interviews. With regard to data analysis, more researchers used quantitative methods, considerably less used qualitative‐only methods, whereas 61 out of 206 studies included some kind of qualitative analysis, raising the total percentage of qualitative methods to nearly 50%. With regard to the quality of published research, the authors argued that “ the majority of the reports are detailed, comprehensive, and well‐organized ” (p. 254) [ 43 ]. Still, they noticed that the majority of reports did not mention the critical issues of research validity and reliability and neither did they indicate study limitations or future research recommendations. Hider and Pymm [ 32 ] described content analysis of LIS literature “ which aimed to identify the most common strategies and techniques employed by LIS researchers carrying out high‐profile empirical research ” (p. 109). Their results suggested that while researchers employed a wide variety of strategies, they mostly used surveys and experiments. They also observed that although quantitative research accounted for more than 50% of the articles, there was an increase in the use of most sophisticated qualitative methods. Chu [ 17 ] analyzed the research articles published between 2001 and 2010 in three major journals and reported the following most frequent research methods: theoretical approach (e.g., conceptual analysis), content analysis, questionnaire, interview, experiment, and bibliometrics. Her study showed an increase in both the number and variety of research methods but lack of growth in the use of qualitative research or in the adoption of multiple research methods.

In summary, the literature shows a continued interest in the analysis of published LIS research. Approaches include focusing on particular publication years, geographic areas, journal titles, aspects of LIS, and specific characteristics, such as subjects, authorship, and research methods. Despite the abundance of content analyses of LIS literature, the findings are not easily comparable due to differences in the number and titles of journals examined, in the types of the papers selected for analysis, in the periods covered, and in classification schemes developed by the authors to categorize article topics and research strategies. Despite the differences, some findings are consistent among all studies:

Information seeking, information retrieval, and library and information service activities are among the most common subjects studied,

Descriptive research methodologies based on surveys and questionnaires predominate,

Over the years, there has been a considerable increase in the array of research approaches used to explore library issues, and

Data analysis is usually limited to descriptive statistics, including frequencies, means, and standard deviations.

3.2. Data collection and analysis

Articles published between 2011 and 2016 were obtained from the following journals: Library and Information Science Research, College & Research Libraries, Journal of Documentation, Information Processing & Management, and Journal of Academic Librarianship ( Table 1 ). These five titles were selected as data sources because they have the highest 5‐year impact factor of the journals classified in Ulrich’s Serials Directory under the “Library and Information Sciences” subject heading. From the journals selected, only full‐length articles were collected. Editorials, book reviews, letters, interviews, commentaries, and news items were excluded from the analysis. This selection process yielded 1643 articles. A stratified random sample of 440 articles was chosen for in‐depth analysis ( Table 2 ). For the purpose of this study, five strata, corresponding to the five journals, were used. The sample size was determined using a margin of error, 4%, and confidence interval, 95%.

Table 1.

Profile of the journals.

Table 2.

Journal titles.

Each article was classified as either research or theoretical. Articles that employed specific research methodology and presented specific findings of original studies performed by the author(s) were considered research articles. The kind of study may vary (e.g., it could be an experiment, a survey, etc.), but in all cases, raw data had been collected and analyzed, and conclusions were drawn from the results of that analysis. Articles reporting research in system design or evaluation in the information systems field were also regarded as research articles . On the other hand, works that reviewed theories, theoretical concepts, or principles discussed topics of interest to researchers and professionals, or described research methodologies were regarded as theoretical articles [ 44 ] and were classified in the no‐empirical‐research category. In this category, were also included literature reviews and articles describing a project, a situation, a process, etc.

Each article was classified into a topical category according to its main subject. The articles classified as research were then further explored and analyzed to identify (i) research approach, (ii) research methodology, and (iii) method of data analysis. For each variable, a coding scheme was developed, and the articles were coded accordingly. The final list of the analysis codes was extracted inductively from the data itself, using as reference the taxonomies utilized in previous studies [ 15 , 32 , 43 , 45 ]. Research approaches “ are plans and procedures for research ” (p. 3) [ 46 ]. Research approaches can generally be grouped as qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. Quantitative studies aim at the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties or phenomena and their relationships. Qualitative research can be broadly defined as “ any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification ” (p. 17) [ 47 ]. It is a way to gain insights through discovering meanings and explaining phenomena based on the attributes of the data. In mixed model research, quantitative and qualitative approaches are combined within or across the stages of the research process. It was beyond the scope of this study to identify in which stages of a study—data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation—the mixing was applied or to reveal the types of mixing. Therefore, studies using both quantitative and qualitative methods, irrespective of whether they describe if and how the methods were integrated, were coded as mixed methods studies.

Research methodologies , or strategies of inquiry, are types of research models “ that provide specific direction for procedures in a research design ” (p. 11) [ 46 ] and inform the decisions concerning data collection and analysis. A coding schema of research methodologies was developed by the authors based on the analysis of all research articles included in the sample. The methodology classification included 12 categories ( Table 3 ). Each article was classified into one category for the variable research methodology . If more than one research strategy was mentioned (e.g., experiment and survey), the article was classified according to the main strategy.

Table 3.

Coding schema for research methodologies.

Methods of data analysis refer to the techniques used by the researchers to explore the original data and answer their research problems or questions. Data analysis for quantitative researches involves statistical analysis and interpretation of figures and numbers. In qualitative studies, on the other hand, data analysis involves identifying common patterns within the data and making interpretations of the meanings of the data. The array of data analysis methods included the following categories:

Descriptive statistics,

Inferential statistics,

Qualitative data analysis,

Experimental evaluation, and

Other methods,

Descriptive statistics are used to describe the basic features of the data in a study. Inferential statistics investigate questions, models, and hypotheses. Mathematical analysis refers to mathematic functions, etc. used mainly in bibliometric studies to answer research questions associated with citation data. Qualitative data analysis is the range of processes and procedures used for the exploration of qualitative data, from coding and descriptive analysis to identification of patterns and themes and the testing of emergent findings and hypotheses. It was used in this study as an overarching term encompassing various types of analysis, such as thematic analysis, discourse analysis, or grounded theory analysis. The class experimental evaluation was used for system and software analysis and design studies which assesses the newly developed algorithm, tool, method, etc. by performing experiments on selected datasets. In these cases, “experiments” differ from the experimental designs in social sciences. Methods that did not fall into one of these categories (e.g., mathematical analysis, visualization, or benchmarking) were classified as other methods . If both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in an article, only the inferential were recorded. In mixed methods studies, each method was recorded in the order in which it was reported in the article.

Ten percent of the articles were randomly selected and used to establish inter‐rater reliability and provide basic validation of the coding schema. Cohen’s kappa was calculated for each coded variable. The average Cohen’s kappa value was κ = 0.60, p < 0.000 (the highest was 0.63 and lowest was 0.59). This indicates a substantial agreement [ 48 ]. The coding disparities across raters were discussed, and the final codes were determined via consensus.

3.3. Results

3.3.1. topic.

Table 4 presents the distribution of articles over the various topics, for each of which a detailed description is provided. The five most popular topics of the papers in the total sample of 440 articles were “information retrieval,” “information behavior,” “information literacy,” “library services,” and “organization and management.” These areas cover over 60% of all topics studied in the papers. The least‐studied topics (covered in less than eight papers) fall into the categories of “information and knowledge management,” “library information systems,” “LIS theory,” and “infometrics.”

Table 4.

Article topics.

Figure 1 shows how the top five topics are distributed across journals. As expected, the topic “information retrieval” has higher publication frequencies in Information Processing & Management, a journal focusing on system design and issues related to the tools and techniques used in storage and retrieval of information. “Information literacy,” “information behavior,” “library services,” and “organization and management” appear to be distributed almost proportionately in College & Research Libraries. “Information literacy” seems to be a more preferred topic in the Journal of Academic Librarianship, while “information behavior” is more popular in the Journal of Documentation and Library & Information Science Research.

Figure 1.

Distribution of topics across journals.

3.3.2. Research approach and methodology

Of all articles examined, 343 articles, which represent the 78% of the sample, reported empirical research. The rest 22% (N = 97) were classified as non‐empirical research papers. Research articles were coded as quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods studies. An overwhelming majority (70%) of the empirical research articles employed a quantitative research approach. Qualitative and mixed methods research was reported in 21.6 and 8.5% of the articles, respectively ( Figure 2 ).

Figure 2.

Research approach.

Table 5 presents the distribution of research approaches over the five most famous topics. The quantitative approach clearly prevails in all topics, especially in information retrieval research. However, qualitative designs seem to gain acceptance in all topics (except information retrieval), while in information behavior research, quantitative and qualitative approaches are almost evenly distributed. Mixed methods were quite frequent in information literacy and information behavior studies and less popular in the other topics.

Table 5.

Topics across research approach.

The most frequently used research strategy was survey, accounting for almost 37% of all research articles, followed by system and software analysis and design, a strategy used in this study specifically for research in information systems (Jarvelin & Vakkari, 1990). This result is influenced by the fact that Information Processing & Management addresses issues at the intersection between LIS and computer science, and the majority of its articles present the development of new tools, algorithms, methods and systems, and their experimental evaluation. The third‐ and fourth‐ranking strategies were content analysis and bibliometrics. Case study, experiment, and secondary data analysis were represented by 15 articles each, while the rest of the techniques were underrepresented with considerably fewer articles ( Table 6 ).

Table 6.

Research methodologies.

3.3.3. Methods of data analysis

Table 7 displays the frequencies for each type of data analysis.

Table 7.

Method of data analysis.

Almost half of the empirical research papers examined reported any use of statistics. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, means, or standard deviations, were more frequently used compared to inferential statistics, such as ANOVA, regression, or factor analysis. Nearly one‐third of the articles employed some type of qualitative data analysis either as the only method or—in mixed methods studies—in combination with quantitative techniques.

3.4. Discussions and conclusions

The patterns of LIS research activity as reflected in the articles published between 2011 and 2016 in five well‐established, peer‐reviewed journals were described and analyzed. LIS literature addresses many and diverse topics. Information retrieval, information behavior, and library services continue to attract the interest of researchers as they are core areas in library science. Information retrieval has been rated as one of the most famous areas of interest in research articles published between 1965 and 1985 [ 40 ]. According to Dimitroff [ 49 ], information retrieval was the second most popular topic in the articles published in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, while Cano [ 50 ] argued that LIS research produced in Spain from 1977 to 1994 was mostly centered on information retrieval and library and information services. In addition, Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ] found that information access and retrieval were the domain with the most research, and in Hildreth and Aytac’s [ 43 ] study, most articles were dealing with issues related to users (needs, behavior, information seeking, etc.), services, and collections. The present study provides evidence that the amount of research in information literacy is increasing, presumably due to the growing importance of information literacy instruction in libraries. In recent years, there is an ongoing educational role for librarians, who are more and more actively engaging in the teaching and learning processes, a trend that is reflected in the research output.

With regard to research methodologies, the present study seems to confirm the well‐documented predominance of survey in LIS research. According to Dimitroff [ 49 ], the percentage related to use of survey research methods reported in various studies varied between 20.3 and 41.5%. Powell [ 51 ], in a review of the research methods appearing in LIS literature, pointed out that survey had consistently been the most common type of study in both dissertations and journal articles. Survey reported the most widely used research design by Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 40 ], Crawford [ 52 ], Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ], and Hider and Pymm [ 32 ]. The majority of articles examined by Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ] were descriptive studies using questionnaires/surveys. In addition, survey methods represented the largest proportion of methods used in information behavior articles analyzed by Julien et al. [ 53 ]. There is no doubt that survey has been used more than any other method in LIS research. As Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 15 ] put it, “it appears that the field is so survey‐oriented that almost all problems are seen through a survey viewpoint” (p. 416). Much of survey’s popularity can be ascribed to its being a well‐known, understood, easily conducted, and inexpensive method, which is easy to analyze results [ 41 , 42 ]. However, our findings suggest that while the survey ranks high, a variety of other methods have been also used in the research articles. Content analysis emerged as the third‐most frequent strategy, a finding similar to those of previous studies [ 17 , 32 ]. Although content analysis was not regarded by LIS researchers as a favored research method until recently, its popularity seems to be growing [ 17 ].

Quantitative approaches, which dominate, tend to rely on frequency counts, percentages, and descriptive statistics used to describe the basic features of the data in a study. Fewer studies used advanced statistical analysis techniques, such as t‐tests, correlation, and regressions, while there were some examples of more sophisticated methods, such as factor analysis, ANOVA, MANOVA, and structural equation modeling. Researchers engaging in quantitative research designs should take into consideration the use of inferential statistics, which enables the generalization from the sample being studied to the population of interest and, if used appropriately, are very useful for hypothesis testing. In addition, multivariate statistics are suitable for examining the relationships among variables, revealing patterns and understanding complex phenomena.

The findings also suggest that qualitative approaches are gaining increasing importance and have a role to play in LIS studies. These results are comparable to the findings of Hider and Pymm [ 32 ], who observed significant increases for qualitative research strategies in contemporary LIS literature. Qualitative analysis description varied widely, reflecting the diverse perspectives, analysis methods, and levels of depth of analysis. Commonly used terms in the articles included coding, content analysis, thematic analysis, thematic analytical approach, theme, or pattern identification. One could argue that the efforts made to encourage and promote qualitative methods in LIS research [ 54 , 55 ] have made some impact. However, qualitative research methods do not seem to be adequately utilized by library researchers and practitioners, despite their potential to offer far more illuminating ways to study library‐related issues [ 56 ]. LIS research has much to gain from the interpretive paradigm underpinning qualitative methods. This paradigm assumes that social reality is

the product of processes by which social actors together negotiate the meanings for actions and situations; it is a complex of socially constructed meanings. Human experience involves a process of interpretation rather than sensory, material apprehension of the external physical world and human behavior depends on how individuals interpret the conditions in which they find themselves. Social reality is not some ‘thing’ that may be interpreted in different ways, it is those interpretations (p. 96) [ 57 ].

As stated in the introduction of this chapter, library and information science focuses on the interaction between individuals and information. In every area of LIS research, the connection of factors that lead to and influence this interaction is increasingly complex. Qualitative research searches for “ all aspects of that complexity on the grounds that they are essential to understanding the behavior of which they are a part ” (p. 241) [ 59 ]. Qualitative research designs can offer a more in‐depth analysis of library users, their needs, attitudes, and behaviors.

The use of mixed methods designs was found to be rather rare. While Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ] found higher percentages of studies using combined methods in data analysis, our results are analogous to those shown by Fidel [ 60 ]. In fact, as in her study, only few of the articles analyzed referred to mixed methods research by name, a finding indicating that “ the concept has not yet gained recognition in LIS research ” (p. 268). Mixed methods research has become an established research approach in the social sciences as it minimizes the weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research alone and allows researchers to investigate the phenomena more completely [ 58 ].

In conclusion, there is evidence that LIS researchers employ a large number and wide variety of research methodologies. Each research approach, strategy, and method has its advantages and limitations. If the aim of the study is to confirm hypotheses about phenomena or measure and analyze the causal relationships between variables, then quantitative methods might be used. If the research seeks to explore, understand, and explain phenomena then qualitative methods might be used. Researchers can consider the full range of possibilities and make their selection based on the philosophical assumptions they bring to the study, the research problem being addressed, their personal experiences, and the intended audience for the study [ 46 ].

Taking into consideration the increasing use of qualitative methods in LIS studies, an in‐depth analysis of papers using qualitative methods would be interesting. A future study in which the different research strategies and types of analysis used in qualitative methods will be presented and analyzed could help LIS practitioners understand the benefits of qualitative analysis.

Mixed methods used in LIS research papers could be analyzed in future studies in order to identify in which stages of a study, data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation, the mixing was applied and to reveal the types of mixing.

As far as it concerns the quantitative research methods, which predominate in LIS research, it would be interesting to identify systematic relations between more than two variables such as authors’ affiliation, topic, research strategies, etc. and to create homogeneous groups using multivariate data analysis techniques.

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Research 101: Pick a Topic

• Pick a Topic
• Search Words
• Where to Search
• Troubleshooting
• Evaluate Sources
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You'll search better when you know what you're looking for.

• Brainstorm or do an exploratory search
• Learn more with background research
• Narrow your topic to a manageable size

Always keep assignment details from your teacher in mind. When in doubt, ask your instructor for feedback.

Brainstorming Topics

Jot down any and all ideas that come to mind. Consider the following questions:

• If you were provided with a list of possible topics by your professor, which do you find interesting?
• What do you find interesting about the course?
• How does the topic of the course relate to your hobbies or interests? This may be a cool paper topic.
• Are there any controversial aspects to this topic or area of study you could explore?

Exploratory Searching

What are people talking about .

If you aren't sure what you want to write about yet, try looking at what others are writing about.

• Browse a current events library database.
• Search for a broad topic, like "women's basketball," and then skim the titles that come up. (In a library database, check out the terms listed under the Subject filter for an overview of result topics.) For an argumentative essay, consider filtering by recent news articles to find ongoing conversations.
• Go to a website that cares about your assignment topic to browse recent posts. This could be a professional organization, a non-profit, a company, or a government organization. 

Example: A Paper About a Gender Issue

• I wrote down gender issues discussed in class and any others I could think of.
• I looked up a Wikipedia page about gender inequality for background information.
• I decided to focus on gender issues for female athletes. 
• I searched to see what people are saying about this narrower topic.
• I decided to write about how women don't receive equal pay in professional sports.

Exploring Your Topic Visually

Creating a mind map or concept map can help you explore your topic.  This may help you narrow down your topic, find a specific research question, or think about alternative ways to search.

The example below shows how a single topic such as American culture, can expand into many smaller or related topics like religion, marriage, art, language, holidays, and beyond. Each subtopic can usually expand further. For example, the topic of American art includes painting, photography, comedy, film, Broadway, etc. 

This image by Vmarss is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0  and can be found at  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_culture_mind_map.png 

Get More Info

Learning more about a topic is an important first step in research, sometimes called background research.

• Learn important context
• Identify new search terms
• Find new subtopics to explore

Current Events Databases

Browse these for topic ideas or to learn more about today's debates.

• Issues & Controversies on File This link opens in a new window Issues & Controversies offers in-depth pro/con articles exploring hundreds of current topics in politics, government, business, society, education, and popular culture. It features key facts, arguments, history, and current context of timely issues and provides infographics, court cases, editorial cartoons, graphs and charts, and editorials. more... less... Subjects: communication, criminal justice, education, english, latin-american studies, media studies, political science, sociology, speech communication Content: journals, government documents, newspapers Publication dates: 1995 - present
• CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher provides comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. Each single-themed report is researched, footnoted and fact checked, and contains an introductory overview; a background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources. more... less... Subjects: health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, environment, technology, economy, political science Content: reports Publication dates: 1996 - present

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Find short explanations of different concepts, events, people, and places.

To find more, search for a topic in Spartan Search and select the Resource Type filter "Reference Entries." 

• Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia contains over 25,000 records and is a useful place to begin research on unfamiliar topics. It provides facts, images and brief biographies as well as background information in a variety of subject areas. more... less... Subjects: multidisciplinary Format: book Publication date: 2015
• Encyclopedia Britannica Encyclopedia Britannica is a fact-checked and trusted online source for general information.
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary This trusted English dictionary and thesaurus is available online for free!

Pick a Bite-Sized Topic

While you may want to solve world hunger, that's not likely to happen in a short paper due next week. Instead, you will need to find a smaller topic.

Try narrowing big topics by:

• a time period (i.e. the Great Depression)
• a geographic category (i.e. rural areas)
• a specific place (i.e. Illinois, Australia, or Europe)
• a category of people (i.e. single-parent households, men, children, or Asian Americans)
• a mode of conversation (i.e. in music)
• an approach or theory (i.e. cognitive behavioral therapy or social learning theory)

You can also narrow by who, what, when, where, and/or why. These can be informed by what you find when you do some exploratory searching or background research.

Can a Topic Be Too Specific?

Yes!  Some very specific questions may not have been written about yet.

Sometimes, this can be resolved by combining the existing evidence. Other times, it can be a  gap in the literature . Unless you're planning to do some original research, you may need to adjust your question. 

Before abandoning your topic, do some search troubleshooting or ask a librarian. 

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• Last Updated: Sep 6, 2024 11:53 AM
• URL: https://libguides.aurora.edu/research101

Library Trends

Melissa A. Wong, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Journal Details

Library Trends  addresses critical trends in professional librarianship. Each issue is a special topic issue, exploring a key area of activity or interest. Guest editors are selected by Melissa A. Wong, editor-in-chief, with the advice of the Editorial Board, based on the content of submitted proposals.

Issue topics for  Library Trends  are developed in many ways. We value recommendations from professional librarians, archivists, and other information personnel, from members of the faculties of schools of library and information science, and from others whose concern is with issues of the management of cultural heritage. We seek volunteers from these areas to act as guest editors.

A guest editor proposes the theme and scope of a new issue, draws up a list of prospective authors and article topics, calls for submissions to the issue, arranges for review of the manuscripts, provides short annotations of each article’s scope, and prepares a statement of philosophy guiding issue development.

The style and tone of the journal is formal rather than journalistic or popular.  Library Trends  reviews current theory and practice and identifies and evaluates new directions for both practice and research. Papers must represent original work. Extensive updates of previously published papers are acceptable, but revisions or adaptations of published work are not acceptable. Both issue proposals and the papers they contain are subject to rigorous external review.

If you would like to submit a proposal, it should include the nature and scope of the proposed topic and suggestions of the names of individuals whom you hope would contribute the articles. For ease of review, please submit your CV and a proposal using the following format:

1.Guest editor name and contact information

2.Proposed issue theme/draft issue title

3.Description of the nature and scope of the issue’s topic (300-500 words)

4.List of potential articles (8-10 articles)

5.List of potential authors to solicit (8-10 authors)

6.List of potential reviewers for the manuscripts (4-5 reviewers)

7.Proposed timeline for proposals, authoring, editing, etc. (12-14 months typical)

Please send your ideas, inquiries, or issue proposal to [email protected] .

The guest editor is responsible for adhering to the deadlines and page limits established by Library Trends editorial staff.  They will notify the Library Trends managing editor, Natasha Sims ( [email protected] ), regarding progress in the development of the issue, issues that may occur with securing manuscripts, and problems with the content of manuscripts.

Throughout the entire production process, the managing editor will remain in close contact with the guest editor.  If at any point in the process the guest editor and authors have questions, they should immediately contact the managing editor.

The Production Process

1.The guest editor(s) will provide an ordered table of contents to the editor-in-chief as well as a list of all contributing authors, including for each an email address and daytime telephone number.

2.Having completed the review process and confirmed that the article manuscripts follow the “Author Instruction for the Preparation of Articles,” the guest editor(s) will provide the articles to the journal’s general editor for review and approval.

3.All articles will be reviewed and approved by the journal’s editor-in-chief. For articles that are approved, revisions may be requested on occasion.

4.The journal’s managing editor will review for completeness all material submitted— including abstracts, author biographies, tables, figures, etc.—to be included in the respective articles. Any questions at that time will be referred to the issue editor.

5.The managing editor will send  publishing agreements  to authors and may need assistance from the issue editor in obtaining the authors’ signatures. Government employees may need to sign a separate publishing agreement (articles provided under governmental auspices need to be accessible in the public domain, and copyright cannot be transferred).  Translation permission forms  also will be required if the issue includes articles that have been translated into the English language.

6.The managing editor will assist authors with the process required to obtain  written permission to reprint any copyrighted material (photos, illustrations, etc.) , whether previously published or not, that falls outside the bounds of fair use.  Production cannot proceed until all forms are signed and on file.

7.Manuscripts will be submitted by the managing editor to the journal’s publisher, The Johns Hopkins University Press, for production of the issue: copy editing, typesetting, proofreading, and preparing files for printing. 

8.Copy editing consists of reviewing the manuscripts for style, format, organization, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and reference consistency; this process takes 6-8 weeks.  It does not include substantial content editing, which is the responsibility of the guest editor  prior to submission. During the copy-editing stage,  authors will be given an opportunity to review their manuscripts  and asked to answer any questions (articles authored by more than one person will be sent to the lead author). If the author(s) cannot review the article, the guest editor will need to answer any outstanding editorial queries. 

9.When copyedits have been reviewed and approved, the issue will be typeset. A complete set of page proofs will then be sent to a proofreader, who will closely read the issue; this process takes 2-3 weeks. Thereafter, the managing editor will review the proofs and resolve with the authors any queries raised by the proofreader (which also takes 2-3 weeks). The guest editor’s role at this stage is to review any article they have authored, as well as to assist the managing editor in resolving queries if the authors are not available to review their articles.

10.Finally, the issue will be sent to the printer; approximately 4 weeks later, advance copies will be available. Complimentary digital copies for the guest editor(s) and all authors will be emailed shortly thereafter. PDF files of individual articles will be available upon request by contacting the managing editor, Natasha Sims, at [email protected] .

Check back for future calls.

Please review the Library Trends Guest Editor and Author Handbook to learn more about the production process, review helpful guidelines, and find answers to frequently asked questions.

The Hopkins Press Journals Ethics and Malpractice Statement can be found at the ethics-and-malpractice  page.

Peer Review Policy

Each issue of  Library Trends  is a special-topic issue and is overseen by one or more guest editors. Articles are invited or the result of a call for proposals. The guest editors manage a peer review process for each issue and draw upon a reviewer pool developed for their expertise around that issue's topic. The process may be single-blind, double-blind, or open at the discretion of the guest editors. 

Editor-in-Chief

Melissa A. Wong, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA

Managing Editor

Natasha Sims, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA

Editorial Board

Hermina G.B. Anghelescu, Wayne State University, USA   Tiago Emmanuel Nunes Braga, Brazilian Institute for Information in Science and Technology, Brazil   Camille Callison, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada   Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA    Noah Lenstra, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA   Rachel Magee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA    Amal W. Mostafa, Cairo University, Egypt   Linda Smith, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA   Travis Wagner, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA   Yuxiang (Chris) Zhao, Nanjing University, China

Abstracting & Indexing Databases

• Current Contents
• Web of Science
• Dietrich's Index Philosophicus
• IBZ - Internationale Bibliographie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Zeitschriftenliteratur
• Internationale Bibliographie der Rezensionen Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaftlicher Literatur
• Academic Search Alumni Edition, 1/1/1993-
• Academic Search Complete, 1/1/1993-
• Academic Search Elite, 1/1/1993-
• Academic Search Premier, 1/1/1993-
• Academic Search: Main Edition, 1/1/1993-
• Biography Index: Past and Present (H.W. Wilson), vol.38, 1989-vol.56, no.4, 2008
• Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson), Apr.1984-
• Business Source Corporate, 1/1/1993-, dropped
• Business Source Corporate Plus, 1/1/1993-
• Corporate ResourceNet, 1/1/1993-
• Current Abstracts, 1/1/2000-
• Education Abstracts (H.W. Wilson), 4/15/1984-
• Education Index (Online), 1984/04-
• Education Research Complete, 1/1/1993-
• Education Research Index, Jan.1993-
• Education Source, 4/15/1984-
• Information Science & Technology Abstracts, 1/1/1993-
• Library & Information Science Source, 1/1/1937-
• Library Literature & Information Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson), 04/15/1984-
• Library Literature & Information Science Index (H.W. Wilson), 4/15/1984-
• Library Literature & Information Science Retrospective: 1905-1983 (H.W. Wilson), 1/1/1937-12/16/1983
• Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), 1/1/1966-
• MainFile, 1/1/1993-
• MasterFILE Complete, 1/1/1993-
• MasterFILE Elite, 1/1/1993-
• MasterFILE Premier, 1/1/1993-
• MasterFILE: Main Edition, 1/1/1993-
• MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association)
• OmniFile Full Text Mega (H.W. Wilson), 4/15/1984-
• Professional Development Collection, 1/1/1993-
• Professional Development Collection: Main Edition, 1/1/1993-
• Public Affairs Index, 6/1/1993-
• RILM Abstracts of Music Literature (Repertoire International de Litterature Musicale)
• Russian Academy of Sciences Bibliographies
• TOC Premier (Table of Contents), 1/1/1995-
• Scopus, 1980-
• Business & Company ProFile ASAP, 1/2000-
• Business ASAP, 1/2000-
• Business ASAP International, 1/2000-
• Business Insights: Essentials, 06/1978-
• Business Insights: Global, 06/1978-
• Gale Academic OneFile, 06/1978-
• Gale Academic OneFile Select, 06/1978-
• Gale General OneFile, 06/1978-
• Gale in Context: College
• Gale in Context: Elementary
• Gale OneFile: Business, 06/1978-
• Gale OneFile: Educator's Reference Complete, 06/1978-
• Gale OneFile: High School Edition, 01/1985-
• Gale OneFile: Information Science, 06/1978-
• Gale OneFile: Leadership and Management, 06/1978 -
• Gale OneFile: Popular Magazines, 06/1978-
• General Business File ASAP, 1/2000-
• General Reference Center, 06/1978-
• General Reference Center Gold, 06/1978-
• General Reference Centre International, 1/1980-
• InfoTrac Custom, 1/1980-
• Student Resources in Context, 06/1978-
• Gale In Context: Canada, 06/1978-
• Gale in Context: High School
• Magazine Index Plus, Jan.1998-
• ArticleFirst, vol.38, no.3, 1990-vol.60, no.1, 2011
• Electronic Collections Online, vol.54, no.1, 2006-vol.60, no.1, 2011
• Library Literature, vol.32, 1984-vol.59, no.1/2, 2010
• Periodical Abstracts, v.36, n.3, 1988-v.59, n.1/2, 2010
• Personal Alert (E-mail)
• Advanced Technologies & Aerospace Database, 1/1/1988-, dropped
• Education Collection, 1/1/1988-
• Education Database, 1/1/1988-
• Library & Information Science Collection, 01/01/1988-
• Library Science Database, 01/01/1988-
• LISA: Library & Information Science Abstracts (Online), Core Coverage - Actively Indexed
• PAIS Archive, vol.6, 1957-vol.25, no.2, 1976
• Periodicals Index Online
• Professional ProQuest Central, 01/01/1988-
• ProQuest 5000, 01/01/1988-
• ProQuest 5000 International, 01/01/1988-
• ProQuest Central, 01/01/1988-
• ProQuest Professional Education, 01/01/1988-
• ProQuest SciTech Collection, 1/1/1988-
• Research Library, 01/01/1988-
• SciTech Premium Collection, 1/1/1988-, dropped
• Social Science Premium Collection, 01/01/1988-
• Technology Collection, 1/1/1988-, dropped
• Referativnyi Zhurnal, coverage dropped

Abstracting & Indexing Sources

• Chicano Index   (Ceased)  (Print)
• Children's Literature Abstracts   (Ceased)  (Print)
• Family Index   (Ceased)  (Print)
• Legal Information Management Index   (Ceased)  (Print)
• Personnel Literature   (Ceased)  (Print)
• Middle East: Abstracts and Index   (Researched / Unresolved)  (Print)

Source: Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.

0.3 (2023) 0.7 (Five-Year Impact Factor) 0.00041 (Eigenfactor™ Score) Rank in Category (by Journal Impact Factor): 131 of 160 journals in “Information Science & Library Science”

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Also of Interest

Jeremy A. Greene, M.D., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University; Alisha Rankin, Ph.D., Tufts University; Gabriela Soto Laveaga, Ph.D., Harvard University

Christopher Sogge, Johns Hopkins University

Jane Hanenberg, Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute

Werdie van Staden, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Ellysa Stern Cahoy, Penn State University

Hopkins Press Journals

Topics for a Graduate-Level Research Paper on Library Science

Christopher cascio.

When writing a research paper for a graduate-level course in library science, you need to explore a topic that is relevant to the state of library systems and that can inform future discussions in the field. A graduate paper is different from an undergraduate project in that an undergraduate paper can succeed by exhibiting a thorough understanding of the subject, while a graduate project, conversely, needs to contribute to the field's body of knowledge.

Explore this article

• Search Engine Technology
• The Role of the Librarian
• Interpersonal Issues Inquiry
• Underprivileged Paper

1 Search Engine Technology

A constantly evolving subject to study in a research paper is the impact of search engine technology on libraries. For example, you could investigate how libraries could better utilize current search engine technology to ease the tedium of locating specific information. You could also propose a search system designed specifically for public libraries that offers a set of advanced search features or databases not currently available to the public. Continuing in the vein of exploring how libraries can distinguish themselves from home computers, you could examine whether publicly available, full-text databases could potentially eliminate the need for physical libraries altogether.

2 The Role of the Librarian

While exploring how libraries will undoubtedly change with advancements in information technology, you could also investigate how the role of librarians will change in accord with these advancements. You could trace the evolution of the librarian's role from gatherer and organizer of information to search facilitator or information technology support technician. You might hypothesize which aspects of being a librarian are most vulnerable to changes in technology and which appear to be firmly cemented in place. For example, you could question whether librarians will need to have expertise in a given subject area in the years to come, or whether a broad understanding of many topics will be more desirable.

3 Interpersonal Issues Inquiry

Focusing on the specific roles and duties of librarians, you could research the issues associated with handling difficult library patrons. For instance, you could present the strengths and weaknesses of current policies and suggestions offered by the American Library Association, arguing why certain strategies might be ideal, and why others might require revision. You could also provide a statistical analysis of library incidents involving patrons and determine whether or not there are any emergent trends or correlations with those activities. For example, you might find that librarians who engage in confrontational speech are either more or less likely to become the victims of violent outbursts, which could potentially cast new light on current policies.

4 Underprivileged Paper

In addition to exploring the effects of technology on librarians and on digital content, you could also examine the effects on actual books. Access to digital databases costs money, and budgets that funnel capital into digital information often take that capital from resources allocated for maintaining the stacks. For example, you could investigate the decision-making processes associated with deciding which physical collections receive funds for updating and which are allowed to deteriorate. You could also examine the ethics associated with the cost of access to digital information as opposed to the cost of that same information in physical form, or how libraries either place value on a digital text or measure its use.

• 1 E-LIS: Using Search Engine Technology to Improve Library Catalogs; Dirk Lewandowski
• 2 D-Lib Magazine: Search Engine Technology and Digital Libraries: Libraries Need to Discover the Academic Internet; Norbert Lossau
• 3 Electronic Full-Text Articles as a Substitute for Traditional Interlibrary Borrowing; David Solar
• 4 Association of College and Research Libraries: Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries

About the Author

Christopher Cascio is a memoirist and holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and literature from Southampton Arts at Stony Brook Southampton, and a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in the rhetoric of fiction from Pennsylvania State University. His literary work has appeared in "The Southampton Review," "Feathertale," "Kalliope" and "The Rose and Thorn Journal."

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Home > FACULTIES > Information & Media Studies (FIMS) > LIS-ETD

Library and Information Science Theses and Dissertations

This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Library and Information Science, collected from the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

Advancing Anti-Racism in Public Libraries for Black Youth in Canada , Amber Matthews

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Recreational nastiness or playful mischief? Contrasting perspectives on internet trolling between news media and avid internet users , Yimin Chen

Discourse, Power Dynamics, and Risk Amplification in Disaster Risk Management in Canada , Martins Oluwole Olu-Omotayo

Folk Theories, Recommender Systems, and Human-Centered Explainable Artificial Intelligence (HCXAI) , Michael Ridley

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Exploiting Semantic Similarity Between Citation Contexts For Direct Citation Weighting And Residual Citation , Toluwase Victor Asubiaro

The Use of Intimate Partner Violence Websites: Website Awareness, Visibility, Information Quality, Perceived Usefulness, and Frequency of Use , Sze Hang Lee

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The General Artificial Intellect , Ramon S. Diab

The Public Library as Past Become Space , Greg Nightingale

Making Sense of Online Public Health Debates with Visual Analytics Systems , Anton Ninkov

Information, Employment, and Settlement of Immigrants: Exploring the Role of Information Behaviour in the Settlement of Bangladesh Immigrants in Canada , Nafiz Zaman Shuva

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Accessibility And Academic Libraries: A Comparative Case Study , Claire Burrows

The Information Practices of New Kadampa Buddhists: From "Dharma of Scripture" to "Dharma of Insight" , Roger Chabot

Narratives of Sexuality in the Lives of Young Women Readers , Davin L. Helkenberg

Strategic and Subversive: The Case of the Disappearing Diaphragm and Women’s Information Practices , Sherilyn M. Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Informing care: Mapping the social organization of families’ information work in an aging in place climate , Nicole K. Dalmer

A Study of Six Nations Public Library: Rights and Access to Information , Alison Frayne

Information Freedoms and the Case for Anonymous Community , Rachel Melis

Academic Librarians and the Space/Time of Information Literacy, the Neoliberal University, and the Global Knowledge Economy , Karen P. Nicholson

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Expertise, Mediation, and Technological Surrogacy: A Mixed Method Critical Analysis of a Point of Care Evidence Resource , Selinda Adelle Berg

The E-Writing Experiences of Literary Authors , Kathleen Schreurs

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Understanding Collaborative Sensemaking for System Design — An Investigation of Musicians' Practice , Nadia Conroy

Laying the Foundation for Copyright Policy and Practice in Canadian Universities , Lisa Di Valentino

Towards Evidence-Informed Agriculture Policy Making: Investigating the Knowledge Translation Practices of Researchers in the National Agriculture Research Institutes in Nigeria , Isioma N. Elueze

Different Approaches for Different Folks , Alexandre Fortier

Creating Context from Curiosity: The Role of Serendipity in the Research Process of Historians in Physical and Digital Environments , Kim Martin

Alternate Academy: Investigating the Use of Open Educational Resources by Students at the University of Lagos in Nigeria , Daniel Onaifo

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Contentious information: Accounts of knowledge production, circulation and consumption in transitional Egypt , Ahmad Kamal

Multilingual Information Access: Practices and Perceptions of Bi/multilingual Academic Users , Peggy I. Nzomo

Words to Live By: How Experience Shapes our Information World at Work, Play and in Everyday Life , Angela Pollak

Watching Storytelling: Visual Information in Oral Narratives , James Ripley

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Africa: Investigating Information Access and Use of Information and Communication Technologies by Women-Owned Enterprises in Zambia , Daniel Mumba

Young adults reflect on the experience of reading comics in contemporary society: Overcoming the commonplace and recognizing complexity , Lucia Cederia Serantes

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Space, Power and the Public Library: A Multicase Examination of the Public Library as Organization Space , Matthew R. Griffis

Knowledge Organization Practices in Everyday Life: Divergent Constructions of Healthy Eating , Jill R. McTavish

Semantics-based Automated Quality Assessment of Depression Treatment Web Documents , Yanjun Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Making Sense of Document Collections with Map-Based Visualizations , Olga Buchel

A Critical Historical Analysis of the Public Performance Right , Louis J. D'Alton

Intellectual Property and Its Alternatives: Incentives, Innovation and Ideology , Michael B. McNally

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Information Practices of People Living with Depression: Constructing Credibility and Authority , Tami Oliphant

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Dissertation Topics In Library And Information Science

Introduction.

Over and above, when you need to write something for a particular subject, it makes sense to consider what you want to write about. Writing may not be for you, but as a student, this is a very crucial requirement that you need to accomplish in order for you to graduate on time.

Are you in need of profound topics to write about in your scholarly thesis that has something to do with library and information science? It is true that deciding for the appropriate topic that you can consider for your paper is an exhausting stage. However, this can be outlasted if you will give it your best shot in researching for the best possible subjects that you know are worth talking about. Luckily, you can go over various offline and online resources and unveil from there the topic that precisely matches your writing skills.

Here is a collection of dissertation topics in Library and Information Science that you can delve into:

• Tackle change management in the library environment that is especially intended for organizational renewal
• The role and accreditation of the academic library in undergraduate, graduate as well as other teaching programs
• Benchmarking as an approach to obtain results; your library’s use of benchmarking and the outcomes, issues and opportunities
• Discuss collection development strategies for scholastic programs
• Time study or cost of services, programs and collections in the library, including the detailed description of the approaches and results at your library
• Developing a yearly scholastic agenda for the library. Discuss the benchmarks and performance measure
• Talk about electronic resources and their significant impact on scholastic library as the intellectual and social core of the school
• Development programs and fund raising for libraries
• Tackle the remarkable impact of cultural and demographic changes on library services
• Discuss the linkage between life-long learning and libraries: what this conveys and what are the necessary steps that need to be taken?
• The changing role of the library in the information economy
• Talk about the literacy programs carried out in the library environment

Students nowadays do not need to suffer from choosing what suitable topic to write about. If you are tasked to discuss something that is connected with library and information science, you will surely have countless of possible options to pick from. Take a look at the topic ideas provided in the list above and from there you can decide which one is right for you.

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College & Research Libraries News  ( C&RL News ) is the official newsmagazine and publication of record of the Association of College & Research Libraries,  providing articles on the latest trends and practices affecting academic and research libraries.

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2021–22 ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee

Top trends in academic libraries

A review of the trends and issues

This article summarizes trending topics in academic librarianship from the past two years–a time of tremendous upheaval and change, including a global pandemic, difficult reflections concerning racial justice, and war between nation states. Rapid changes and uncertainty from these events have created a significant amount of shifts to academic libraries, higher education, and society in general. Such shifts have yielded new perspectives and innovations in how librarians approach delivering services, supporting student success, managing staff and physical spaces, embracing new technology, and managing data. This report attempts to provide a snapshot of developments worth noting.

COVID-related trends

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academic library services has been significant, and these changes, in many cases, are ongoing. The issues identified below transcend the period covered by this review as libraries face a fundamental shift that will extend far into the future and beyond the pandemic. In early 2020, nearly all academic 1 and public 2 libraries closed temporarily and shifted towards virtual services. Despite in-person closures, libraries continued online services, 3 kept their communities informed, 4 and adopted innovative collaborations 5 and technologies to adapt to changing circumstances. These closures and the institutional changes that enabled them had a significant and diverse impact on librarianship, including rethinking long-held paradigms, 6 increased professional stress around institutional budgets, 7 and the ability to work remotely. 8 The pandemic also surfaced long-standing issues of inequality 9 and inaccessibility 10 in libraries. Despite the challenges raised by closures, libraries continued to deliver core services and creative solutions, including virtual reference with increasing complexity, 11 a renewed focus on digital literacy with the rise in online learning, 12 and born-digital collection development. 13

Library staffing challenges

Since early 2020, the pandemic and racial justice protests have drawn increased attention to several trends in library and higher education staffing. Inequities between librarians and other library staff were heightened. One study found many lower-income and lower-status staff were required to work in-person to a greater degree than librarians and administrators. 14 The contradiction between the necessity of these “frontline” and “essential” positions and their lower-rates of financial compensation has become difficult to ignore. Such staff, often quite ably, perform duties that had previously been the purview of credentialed librarians. 15 Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics note that while workers of color represent 25% of the higher education workforce, more than half of individuals who lost jobs during COVID-19 have been nonwhite. 16 Lingering pandemic impacts, such as budget cuts and hiring freezes, have led to inadequate staffing, 17 even as services have largely returned to pre-pandemic levels. Of note is that, partly in response to university pandemic austerity measures, Northwestern University’s library workers announced their unionization with SEIU Local 73, which has been recognized by the university. 18, 19

Low morale continues to be an area of concern in librarianship, 20, 21 particularly for librarians of color, nonlibrarian staff, 22 and members of underrepresented groups. Stress from caretaking responsibilities for workers who lost childcare or other forms of support during the pandemic has exacerbated issues of esprit de corps and well-being in the workplace. For academic librarians, who are pre-tenure or otherwise expected to contribute publications and presentations to library scholarship (and already at a high-stress time in their careers), 23 the pandemic has created additional challenges to those with caretaking responsibilities, particularly women. 24, 25 These workers already experience burnout at higher rates. 26 Future research concerning recruitment and retention may also investigate the benefits and repercussions of library staff working remotely and wanting to continue doing so.

Space utilization

COVID has thrust the physical spaces of libraries, along with most campus facilities, into the forefront of faculty, staff, and student consciousness over the past two years. Balancing demands for the use of current spaces, increases to construction pricing that may extend projects into 2023, and aligning current capital budgets to this reality continue to impact decisions about how existing spaces will evolve in the near future.

Beyond maintaining appropriate distancing or providing adequate sanitization, librarians operating physical facilities are asking questions, including whether and how to operate in-person collaboration spaces safely (for both users and staff), how to provide resources consistently during waves of openings and closures, and how to assess and address patron and staff levels of comfort interacting in a physical space. Rapidly changing methods of service delivery, information access, and materials storage are continuing to generate questions that may possibly reshape the reliance on centralized, in-person settings as more options move online or become embedded externally. 27

Simultaneously, key trends in library design continue to be reassessed and may help inform librarians in the near future. For instance, one study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln argues that recent trends in library space have overcommitted to collaborative learning spaces at the cost of providing valued space for intensive academic work. 28 Daejin Kim, Sheila Bosch, and Jae Hwa Lee investigated, pre-COVID, how collaboration spaces are used and found that furniture or spaces intended for multiple people are frequently being used by single individuals. 29 Similar studies looking at more nuanced patron needs find that, much like evolving workplace trends, users want a wide variety of space types with different acoustical, privacy, and technology needs according to the work undertaken. 30 Recent studies in other academic settings point to taking this moment of change to pilot new layouts or space configurations that align better with current service needs and that are more activity-based rather than based on type of occupant or user. 31 A multiplicity of trends dominate discussions surrounding space. Accordingly, it is clear that local institutional factors ranging from budget to different use cases will continue to influence how space is allocated, constructed, and used.

Collaborative collections and growth of shared print

While there is a long history of libraries working together to preserve and provide access to rich collections, collaboration around shared print programs has rapidly accelerated in recent years. By creating a collaborative collection, which “elevates the concept of a library collection to scales above a single institution, extending its boundaries to encompass the resources concentrated among a group of libraries,” 32 these programs help research libraries to fulfill their mission to preserve the scholarly record in an era of changing usage, limited funding, and space constraints.

With an initial focus on print journals, shared print programs have matured and evolved to include print monographs more recently. According to Susan Stearns and Alison Wohlers, 33 “over 300 academic and research libraries in the U.S. and Canada participate in some form of shared print program, committing to archive or retain tens of millions of monographs and hundreds of thousands of serial and journal print titles.” A major factor in the growth of shared print monograph initiatives was the launch of the HathiTrust Shared Print Program, which “has now secured commitments on more than 5.4 million individual titles held in the HathiTrust Digital Library.” 34

However, as these programs have grown, so has the need for more coordination, standards, and infrastructure. Several groups have been launched in recent years to tackle these issues. In 2015, the Rosemont Shared Print Alliance was founded to coordinate among regional shared print journal programs in order to archive more titles and ensure sufficient copies are preserved. 35 As a complementary organization, the Partnership for Shared Book Collections was founded in 2019 to collaborate around shared print monographs, aiming to “reduce the cost of retaining the scholarly record” and “develop and promote evidence-based best practices.” 36 Recently the California Digital Library, the Center for Research Libraries, and HathiTrust announced a collaboration around shared print infrastructure intended to develop standards, workflows, and tools to support collaborative efforts and embed shared print work into the lifecycle of collection development and management. 37 In addition, groups such as the Big Ten Academic Alliance, the University of California Libraries, and the Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group have embarked on their own initiatives to take more strategic and intentional approaches to collection development and management in light of their shared print collaborations. 38

Finally, it is worth noting that controlled digital lending (CDL) is an emerging trend where libraries “circulate temporary digital copies of print books they own in a one-to-one ratio of ‘loaned to owned,’ removing the print copy from circulation while the digital copy is in use.” 39 ACRL has signed a statement in support of CDL. 40 CDL advocates argue that reasonable interpretation of copyright law should insulate libraries from legal exposure; however, the legality of CDL remains an open question. 41

Open everything

The open access (OA) movement to “make scholarly works both freely available and reusable” continues to be important for librarians, educators, and administrators in higher education. 42 Yet, as Ángel Borrego, Lluís Anglada, and Ernest Abadal, state, the “landscape of scholarly communication is characterized by increasing costs and limited access to research output.” 43 Numerous barriers exist ranging from economics to policy that prevent wide-scale adoption in higher education of executing scholarly communication strategies that would be considered open access. Issues with increasing subscription costs for academic journals are well documented. 44 While librarians typically report favorable beliefs about OA there is a noted lack of OA policy. 45 A report from Hannah Rosen and Jill Grogg, states “while both formal and informal policies exist. . .” regarding OA scholarship, data, and open educational resources, most institutions do not have policies in place “resulting in a scatter-shot approach to open content of all types and less than cohesive institutional strategies.” 46

In addition to further opportunities regarding OA training and outreach, librarians also have opportunities to help with the “identification of, and sometimes deposit into the institutional repository of works that are sitting outside the peer reviewed literature,” often called gray literature. 47 Barriers continue to exist for accessing and using open access information. Some scholars are concerned that open access materials are not understandable to the general public, defeating the point of making such materials open and accessible in the first place. 48 For such reasons there is an increasing call for articles to use a “significance statement,” which describes an article concisely in plain language understandable to a lay audience. 49

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided opportunities for various types of OA content to become more widely available and served as “proof of concept” for what is possible. 50 For instance, OA resources were viewed as important for providing off-campus access to library materials in some developing countries. 51 Some publishers recognized the public health importance of providing timely information related to COVID-19 and committed to open access publication of articles relating to it. 52 Worthy of note were the use of preprint servers by scientists, which “in effect [were] crowdsourcing rapid expert peer-review.” 53 Europe developed an open access publishing initiative—Plan S—in 2018 with support from national research agencies and 12 European countries. As of 2020, notable journals like Nature announced they would facilitate Plan S committing to publishing with full open access in the future. 54

The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) tracks “Big Deal” cancellations, which continue to occur. For instance, Purdue University canceled a $3.3 million contract for 2020 opting instead for a one-year, title-by-title contract for 2021, while New Mexico State University pointed out both inflationary journal prices and COVID-19 considerations while cutting their collections budget by $800,000 for fiscal year 2021. 55 Some universities and consortia are seeking “transformative agreements,” which promote open access publishing by their authors and allow those authors to maintain copyright. Transformative agreements facilitate a more transparent journal licensing process and aim to shift the focus of “scholarly journal licensing from cost containment towards open access publication.” 56

Many facets of the OA movement continue to develop. As libraries continue more aggressive journal subscription negotiations, which may include transformative agreements, as well as possible Big Deal cancellations, 57 more questions will develop about the future of access to scholarly materials. This is multivariable including open data, open educational resources, and OA policies, tools, and advocacy. Combined with the results of unanticipated experiments born from COVID-19, OA continues to be a focal point for academic librarians and administrators.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being increasingly embedded in academic libraries tools and services. Pattern recognition, 58 AI-powered text recognition, transcription, and searching of historical documents 59 are prime examples that facilitate search and discovery. Keenious, cofunded by the Horizon 2020 program of the European Union, is a research tool for document and writing analysis, attempting to make online research easier. 60 Cactus Communications (CACTUS) recently announced a new AI-powered tool, Paperpal Preflight, “to improve the scholarly publishing experience for researchers, peer reviewers, and journal editors” during the manuscript submission process. 61

The adoption of AI in virtual reference services provides a new online model for libraries by using “chatbots.” 62 Recent attempts to automate standard library operations, such as cataloging, through expert systems have focused on simpler tasks like descriptive cataloging. 63 A team of researchers from the National Library of Norway describes an experiment that uses AI methods to automatically group articles and assign Dewey Decimal numbers to aid in cataloging. 64

The Library of Congress is experimenting with neural networks and the use of computer vision. The intent is to create new online search prototypes that can sort through large amounts of data in new ways, such as examining and contextualizing millions of digitized items that humans could not do alone. 65 Other experimental work like the Newspaper Navigator aims to explore the visual and textual content via AI. 66 At Yale’s Digital Humanities Lab, data-mining techniques are used to illuminate the conventions of portraiture and other visual genres in the 19th century. 67 Leaders, such as Eun Seo Jo and Timnit Gebru, have drawn archives as a model for data collection and annotation in order to inform how decisions that surround fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics are addressed in machine learning systems. 68

In the Netherlands, concerns that surround data, information ethics, and data-driven public management have been captured under the Data Ethics Decision Aid (DEDA) to use a deliberative rather than rule-based approach to ethical concerns and advance the development of responsible data practices. 69 It is also important to acknowledge cybersecurity concerns as AI becomes more and more embedded in systems routinely used in libraries. 70

While AI technologies could be harnessed to provide more tailored search results, monitor social distancing, and integrate the library into personal assistants, 71 it can also help academic libraries demonstrate real value to institutions if it is used judiciously. Asaf Tzachor et al. expressed concerns stemming from urgency in adopting these technologies along with the challenging ethical issues and risks that can arise in a crisis—the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and response is one example. 72 At the same time, AI’s potential has remained largely untapped among research libraries. A recent Ex Libris survey revealed that while nearly 80 percent of research librarians are exploring the use of AI and machine learning, only about 5 percent are currently leveraging the technology. 73

Higher education faces increased challenges with the surging interest in big data. The need to invest in training skilled employees, increase repository capacity, and assign and clarify responsibilities 74 remains critical as libraries and librarians continue to take on leadership roles 75 and provide data services. Those vanguard libraries that were the first to offer services have begun to evaluate programs, 76 services, 77 and tools 78 and make adjustments focusing both on usability for the owner of the data to upload and share data sets and discoverability of those data sets for the end user. The body of literature associated with research data management services in libraries and skill development has reached the point where literature reviews and scoping reviews are looking back in time to draw conclusions and offer suggestions to advance the field and the libraries’ role. 79

Data mining proves itself as an emerging field as well, especially when linked to the Internet of Things (IoT). A recent study using both Clarivate Analytics Web of Science and Sciverse Scopus revealed that knowledge discovery in databases are paving the way to make data increasingly more meaningful. 80 Along these same lines, data analytic methods are constantly changing with the ever-increasing volume of data generated. As a result, “cloud-based AI activities are expected to increase five-fold by 2023,” 81 which could translate into a greater capacity “to store data in a cost-effective manner and glean more actionable insight from IoT data.” 82

Data curation remains an overarching role for the library. 83 The term active curation, involvement of the curator from collection and development of the data set to its final analysis and storage, 84 will continue to expand as librarians become more embedded in the data life cycle. Additionally, institutions of higher education continue to show a growing interest in data science education. Based on the study conducted at Purdue University in 2017 to examine the roles of academic libraries to support data science education curriculum, results showed that “hard-core” scientific courses for third- and fourth-year STEM students were most common as opposed to offerings in data-oriented skills, such as data management, data ethics, and data communications. 85 At schools of information, a group of instructors who teach data curation have expressed the importance of integrating both research and teaching in the curriculum. The objective would give students opportunities to develop core competencies, learn about data librarianship and practices to support preservation and access, and broaden their professional horizons by gaining a greater awareness with multidimensional problems of working with data. 86

Finally, in light of the growing prominence of data, data visualization skills continue to be highly valued, and visual results can be interpreted as a research product and form of expression. Libraries are taking a greater interest in data visualization as they seek to tell their own story, including assessment, value of the library, collection analysis, and internal capacity building. 87

Critical librarianship

Critical librarianship continues to be an important theoretical perspective for information professionals. Rooted in critical theory (originally denoting a group of Marxist philosophers but over time scholars in many fields now employ critical theory or critical approaches), critical librarianship challenges traditional concepts in librarianship. 88 For instance, critical librarianship argues that libraries are not neutral and challenges librarians to take active steps toward antiracist and antioppresive practices both for the benefit of users but also for the benefit of the profession itself. 89 As libraries continue to aim for accessibility and more welcoming spaces, scholars familiar with critical librarianship, urge library workers to take meaningful action to include its teachings in their daily practice–referred to as praxis. 90 With little diversity in the library professions, 91 and many critiques of popular approaches to information literacy, for instance the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education’s lack of acknowledgement of the underlying power structures in which academia operates, 92 critical librarianship argues that there are numerous opportunities for librarians to fight inequity, racism, sexism, and other problems through concrete action.

One facet of critical librarianship and critical pedagogy is critical information literacy (CIL). CIL literature discusses why and how information professionals should ask questions about power dynamics within academia, equal access to information, and the economic incentives around how information and data are created, stored, and used. CIL scholarship also critiques academia itself. As with other teaching and learning theories, CIL is constantly evolving and must be adapted for students in different course levels and in different course subjects. 93 Margaret Rose Torrell examined implementing CIL when using a writing across the curriculum approach with undergraduates, and highlighted the benefits of having more than a one-shot session with students. 94 Marcia Rapchak employed CIL with graduate students who were “eager to engage in discussion and material,” such as case studies, essays, and self assessments. 95 L Sofia Y. Leung and Jorge R. López-McKnight taught LIS students and found that including and centering intersectionalities such as race and gender in their pedagogical approach allowed them to be better teachers. 96 Erin Fields and Adair Harper incorporated CIL and open pedagogy into a university course and found that by using nonacademic sources and student work, their students were more empowered to work within and assess the current information landscape. 97

Critical approaches to librarianship and information literacy will likely continue to be an area of exploration for LIS scholars.

We foresee numerous challenges in the next few years, including potential budget reductions as well as questions about returning to the physical office after an extended period of virtual work. We are also excited that new opportunities for collaboration, additional interest in critical perspectives, and incorporation of different approaches to manage shared collections will allow academic librarians to continue leading the way in student success and learning, organizational impact, and rigorous scholarly inquiry.

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• Eun Seo Jo and Timnit Gebru, “Lessons from Archives: Strategies for Collecting Sociocultural Data in Machine Learning,” In FAT* ’20: Proceedings of the 2020 Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (2020): 306–16, https://doi.org/10.1145/3351095.3372829 .
• Aline Shakti Franzke, Iris Muis, and Mirko Tobias Schäfer, “Data Ethics Decision Aid (DEDA): A Dialogical Framework for Ethical Inquiry of AI and Data Projects in the Netherlands,” Ethics and Information Technology 23 (2021): 551–67, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-020-09577-5 .
• Clayton Davis, “Does a Lack of AI Security Mean More Cyberattacks Are Coming?” November 1, 2021, https://www.dbta.com/Editorial/Trends-and-Applications/Does-a-Lack-of-AI-Security-Mean-More-Cyberattacks-are-Coming-149731.aspx .
• C. C. Cox, “Changed, Changed Utterly,” Inside Higher Ed, 2020, https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/06/05/academic-libraries-will-change-significant-ways-result-pandemic-opinion .
• Asaf Tzachor et al., “Artificial Intelligence in a Crisis Needs Ethics with Urgency,” Nature Machine Intelligence 2 (2020): 365–66, https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-020-0195-0 .
• Ellen Prokop et al., “AI and the Digitized Photoarchive,” Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America 40, no. 1 (2021): 1–20, https://doi.org/10.1086/714604 .
• Bradley Wade Bishop et al., “Potential Roles for Science Librarians in Research Data Management: A Gap Analysis,” Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship, no. 98 (Summer 2021): 21–37, https://doi.org/10.29173/istl2602 .
• Jeonghyun Kim, “Determining Research Data Services Maturity: The Role of Library Leadership and Stakeholder Involvement,” Library & Information Science Research 43, no. 2 (2021): 101092, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2021.101092 ; Cas Laskowski, “Structuring Better Services for Unstructured Data: Academic Libraries Are Key to an Ethical Research Data Future with Big Data,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 47, no. 4 (2021): 102335, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102335 .
• Fred Willie Zametkin LaPolla, Nicole Contaxis, and Alisa Surkis, “Piloting a Long-Term Evaluation of Library Data Workshops,” Journal of the Medical Library Association 109, no. 3 (October 5, 2021), https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2021.1047 .
• Jeonghyun Kim, “Determining Research Data Services Maturity: The Role of Library Leadership and Stakeholder Involvement,” Library & Information Science Research 43, no. 2 (2021): 101092, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2021.101092 .
• Sagar Bhimrao Gajbe et al., “Evaluation and Analysis of Data Management Plan Tools: A Parametric Approach,” Information Processing & Management 58, no. 3 (2021): 102480, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2020.102480 ; Sara Mannheimer et al., “Dataset Search: A Lightweight, Community-Built Tool to Support Research Data Discovery,” Journal of EScience Librarianship 10, no. 1 (January 19, 2021), https://doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2021.1189 ; Kasey Soska et al., “(Hyper)Active Data Curation: A Video Case Study from Behavioral Science,” Journal of EScience Librarianship 10, no. 3 (August 11, 2021), https://doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2021.1208 .
• Angeliki Andrikopoulou, Jennifer Rowley, and Geoff Walton, “Research Data Management (RDM) and the Evolving Identity of Academic Libraries and Librarians: A Literature Review,” New Review of Academic Librarianship, 2021, 1–17, https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2021.1964549 ; Nedelina Tchangalova et al., “Research Support Services in STEM Libraries: A Scoping Review,” Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, no. 97 (May 7, 2021), https://doi.org/10.29173/istl2574 .
• Sumeer Gul and Shohar Bano, “Exploring Data Mining: Facets and Emerging Trends,” Digital Library Perspectives, 2021, http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/DLP-08-2020-0078 .
• Raghavendra Singh, “Top Data and Analytics Trends for 2021,” Data Science Central, n.d., https://www.datasciencecentral.com/profiles/blogs/top-data-and-analytics-trends-for-2021 .
• Seth Erickson, “Plain Text and Character Encoding: A Primer for Data Curators,” Journal of Escience Librarianship 10, no. 3 (August 11, 2021), https://doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2021.1211 ; F. Rios and C. Ly, “Implementing and Managing a Data Curation Workflow in the Cloud,” Journal of EScience Librarianship 10, no. 3 (2021): e1205, https://doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2021.1205 ; Kasey Soska et al., “(Hyper)Active Data Curation: A Video Case Study from Behavioral Science,” Journal of eScience Librarianship 10, no. 3 (August 11, 2021), https://doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2021.1208 .
• Inna Kouper et al., “Active Curation of Large Longitudinal Surveys: A Case Study,” Journal of EScience Librarianship 10, no. 3 (August 11, 2021), https://doi.org/10.7191/jeslib.2021.1210 .
• Gang Shao et al., “Exploring Potential Roles of Academic Libraries in Undergraduate Data Science Education Curriculum Development,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 47, no. 2 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102320 .
• Amelia Acker, Devan Ray Donaldson, Adam Kriesburg, Andrea Thomer, and Nicholas Weber, “Integrating Research and Teaching for Data Curation in ISchools,” In Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology 57, (October 2020), https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.285 .
• Negeen Aghassibake, Justin Joque, and Matthew L. Sisk, “Supporting Data Visualization Services in Academic Libraries,” The Journal of Interactive Technology & Pedagogy, 2020, https://jitp.commons.gc.cuny.edu/supporting-data-visualization-services-in-academic-libraries/ .
• James BohmanJeffrey Flynn, and Robin Celikates, “Critical Theory,” in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta, Spring 2021, Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2021, https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2021/entries/critical-theory/ .
• Marcia Rapchak, “Introducing Critical Librarianship to Information Professionals: Using Critical Pedagogy and Critical Information Literacy in an LIS Graduate Course,” Communications in Information Literacy 15, no. 1 (June 21, 2021), https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2021.15.1.8 ; Suzanne M. Stauffer, “Educating for Whiteness: Applying Critical Race Theory’s Revisionist History in Library and Information Science Research: A Methodology Paper,” Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 61 no. 4 (October 2020): 452–62, https://doi.org/10.3138/jelis.61.4.2019-0042 .
• Marcia Rapchak, “Introducing Critical Librarianship to Information Professionals: Using Critical Pedagogy and Critical Information Literacy in an LIS Course,” Communications in Information Literacy 15, no. 1 (2021): 140-157, https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2021.15.1.8 .
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Includes over 2,000 journals and 35,000 books published by Elsevier Science and its subsidiary publishers, including Academic Press, Cell Press, Pergamon, Mosby, and Saunders journals. Coverage is particularly strong for the life and physical sciences, medicine, and technical fields, but also includes some social sciences and humanities. Includes chemistry, chemical engineering, clinical medicine, computer science, earth & planetary sciences, economics, engineering, energy & technology, environmental science & technology, life sciences, materials science, mathematics, physics, astronomy.  

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Collection of five major collections in biology, environmental sciences, ecology, and agriculture.

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• Agricola: Millions of records from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Library dating back to 1970. The citations include journal articles, monographs, theses, patents, software, audiovisual materials, and technical reports related to agriculture.  
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80 Impactful Research Topics for High School Students

By Rebekah Pierce

Educational writer and former teacher

3 minute read

Choosing the right research topic can be the secret ingredient to making your high school student paper not only impressive but also fun to write. Let's face it - no one wants to slog through a boring topic that has been done a million times before. 

A good research topic is like the foundation of a strong building. It sets the stage for everything else - not to mention that it helps you develop critical thinking and analytical skills that you’ll need as you move into college and beyond. 

Here are some of the best research paper ideas (and some tips to help you get started with writing about these fun research topics for high school projects).

How to Choose the Right Research Paper Topic

Begin by identifying what interests you most. What do you want to learn more about? These don’t necessarily have to be controversial topics. Just think about what might be a good research topic for your interests.

Once you have a few ideas for a good topic, start the research process to hunt down resources and relevant literature. Aim for the best research paper topics that will allow for a comparative study, such as analyzing different perspectives on a social issue or contrasting historical events. 

Make sure your chosen topic is neither too broad nor too narrow. Finding the right balance is incredibly important if you want to produce a focused and impactful paper.

Do your own research through Polygence!

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own.

How to Get Started with Your Research Paper Writing

First up, do a thorough literature review to gather existing research and insights relevant to your topic. This may even inspire new angles for you to explore!

Organize your findings and outline the structure of your paper to keep things clear, tight, and tidy. Write an abstract to break down your intentions.

As you write a research paper , critically analyze the information and present your arguments coherently, allowing your voice to shine through (objectively) while incorporating scholarly evidence. In the introduction , grab the reader with an enticing bit of information, like a hook, quote, or stat.

Edit, edit, and edit some more - then, get ready to publish!

Need some inspiration to get the creative juices flowing? Keep reading to discover the best research topics for high school students.

Technology Research Paper Topics

The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Modern Society: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a concept from sci-fi movies. What are the ethical considerations? 

Cybersecurity Threats and Measures in the Digital Age: With the rise of digital technology, cybersecurity is more important than ever. 

The Future of Renewable Energy Technologies: Solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars are just the beginning. 

Impact of Social Media on Youth Behavior: Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat dominate the lives of teenagers - for better or worse.

The Role of Technology in Modern Education : How are digital tools and online platforms enhancing learning experiences? 

Health and Medicine Topics

The Effects of Diet and Nutrition on Mental Health: What we eat doesn't just affect our physical health.

Advances in Cancer Research and Treatment: Explore the latest advances in cancer research.

The Impact of Vaccines on Public Health: Are vaccines safe? What does the future hold?

Mental Health Issues Among Teenagers: For these psychology research paper topics for high schoolers, explore the many factors leading to an increased incidence of mental health issues in teens, from academics to Snapchat and everything in between.

The Role of Genetics in Personalized Medicine: Take a closer look at how genetic studies are being used to create personalized, in-depth treatment plans for patients.

Making a difference starts with you

Interested in Environmental Science? We'll match you with an expert mentor who will help you explore your next project.

Environment Topics

Climate Change and Its Impact on Global Ecosystems: Climate change is affecting us all. Take a look at how melting ice caps and rising temperatures are impacting ecosystems around the world. 

Sustainable Practices in Urban Development: To minimize our environmental impact, we need to think green. But what does this mean for urban development?

The Effects of Pollution on Marine Life: How can we reduce the impact of pollution on marine life?

Renewable Energy Sources: Benefits and Challenges: Renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power offer numerous benefits but also come with challenges. Explore these.

The Importance of Biodiversity Conservation: How can we incorporate strategies to protect endangered habitats?

Social Issues and Sociology Research Topics

The Impact of Social Media on Interpersonal Relationships: Social media is shaking up the way we interact with others. 

The Role of Education in Reducing Inequality: Education is the number one way to reduce inequality. Explore strategies and policies that can help with this.

Gender Equality in the Workplace: Gender equality remains a significant issue in workplaces worldwide - talk about why and how to address this.

The Effects of Poverty on Community Health: Explore how poverty has far-reaching impacts on nutrition, healthcare access, and overall health and well-being.

Immigration Policies and Their Social Implications: Immigration policies are far-reaching, impacting more than just immigrant communities. 

History Argumentative Essay Topics

The Causes and Effects of World War II: Research the causes and ripple effects of the Second World War.

The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement on Modern Society: Ask how the Civil Rights Movement impacted racial equality today - and look at the continuing challenges.

Ancient Civilizations and Their Contributions to the Modern World: How do these ancient achievements influence us today?

The History of Space Exploration: Space exploration has captivated humanity for decades - but what’s the background?

The Evolution of Democracy Throughout History: Democracy has evolved significantly over the centuries - detail this evolution.

Science Research Topics

The Exploration of Space: Past, Present, and Future: What are the scientific and societal benefits of exploring space?

Genetic Engineering and Its Ethical Implications: Are there ethical considerations (or risks) of genetic engineering? Take a look at them. 

The Impact of Climate Change on Natural Disasters: Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters. 

Advances in Renewable Energy Technology: Renewable energy technology is advancing rapidly - what innovations hold the most promise?

The Role of Science in Solving Global Problems: How can science help solve problems related to disease, poverty, and climate change? 

Literature Research Topics

The Influence of Classic Literature on Modern Writing: Ever wondered how Shakespeare still affects today's bestsellers? A research paper on how classic literature influences modern writing can uncover fascinating parallels and divergences.

Themes of Dystopia in Contemporary Literature: From "The Hunger Games" to "1984," dystopian themes have captivated readers for ages. 

The Role of Literature in Social Change: Literature has the power to inspire revolutions. Explore books like "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" and how they created societal shifts.

Comparative Analysis of Major Literary Movements: Compare the themes, styles, and impacts on society of different literary movements like Romanticism, Realism, and Modernism. 

The Impact of Digital Media on Reading Habits: Is the Kindle killing books? If so, research how and why in this essay topic.

Economics Topics

The Effects of Globalization on Local Economies: Globalization is reshaping economies worldwide -explore its impacts on local businesses and job markets.

The Role of Technology in Transforming the Job Market: From AI to automation, technology is revolutionizing jobs. 

Economic Impacts of Climate Change: Climate change isn't just an environmental issue; it's an economic one too.

The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Market Trends: Ever bought something because it was trending? Study how consumer behavior shapes market trends.

The Future of Cryptocurrencies in the Global Economy: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin - what's the deal? 

Education Research Paper Topics

The Impact of Online Learning on Student Performance: Online learning is more relevant now than ever, which you’ll explore in this education research topic.

The Role of Technology in Modern Education: How are smart boards and tablets changing classrooms for public schools? How can they improve academic achievement?

Comparative Analysis of Education Systems Around the World: Why do some countries excel in education while others lag? Compare different education systems to see what works and doesn’t.

The Effects of Standardized Testing on Student Learning: Standardized tests are controversial; research their impacts on student learning and whether they accurately measure academic performance and predict academic success, particularly related to special education, elementary school, and early childhood education.

Innovations in Educational Methodologies: From flipped classrooms in elementary education to gamification for middle school, explore different teaching methods with this research question.

Arts Research Project Ideas

The Evolution of Visual Arts Through Different Periods: Study how visual arts have evolved from the Renaissance to Postmodernism.

The Influence of Digital Media on Traditional Arts: Analyze how digital media is affecting traditional arts like painting and sculpture.

The Role of Art in Cultural Preservation: Art isn’t just for aesthetics; it preserves culture too. 

Comparative Study of Art Movements: Compare movements like Impressionism and Cubism.

The Impact of Public Art on Community Identity: Murals, sculptures, and public installations - how do they shape community identity and pride? 

Athletics Topics

The Impact of Sports on Academic Performance: Do athletes perform better academically? 

The Role of Athletics in College Admissions: Sports can be a ticket to higher education. Research how athletics influence college admissions and scholarships for current college students.

The Effects of Physical Activity on Mental Health: Exercise isn’t just for the body; it’s also for the mind. Explore that in these research ideas.

The Influence of Sports on Leadership Skills

Sports teach more than physical skills. Analyze how participation in sports cultivates leadership qualities.

The Future of Technology in Sports Training: From wearable tech to virtual reality, technology is revolutionizing sports training. 

Music Research Paper Topics

The Influence of Classical Music on Modern Genres: Ever heard classical elements in pop songs? Explore how classical music influences modern genres.

The Role of Music in Cultural Identity: Music defines cultures. Study how different genres contribute to cultural identity.

The Effects of Music Therapy on Mental Health: Music heals. Research why that is.

Evolution of Music Technology: From vinyl to Spotify, music tech has come a long way. 

The Impact of Music Education on Academic Performance: Does music make you smarter? 

Government and Politics Persuasive Essay Topics

The Impact of Government Policies on Economic Growth: Government policies can make or break economies. 

Comparative Analysis of Political Systems: Democracy, autocracy, and everything in between - compare different political systems and their effectiveness.

The Role of Youth in Political Movements: Young people are powerful when it comes to historical and current political movements. 

Government Response to Climate Change: How are governments tackling climate change? 

The Influence of Lobbying on Legislation: Lobbying shapes laws. Investigate how.

Writing and Communication Topics

The Evolution of Writing Styles Over the Centuries: Writing styles have changed dramatically. Study their evolution and what influenced these changes.

The Impact of Digital Media on Writing and Communication: Digital media is reshaping communication. 

Creative Writing Techniques for Young Authors: Explore techniques and tips to enhance creative writing.

The Role of Writing in Personal Expression: Research how writing can be a powerful tool for self-expression.

The Importance of Effective Communication Skills: Study why effective communication skills are crucial in various aspects of life.

Society, Culture, and Social Science Topics

The Effects of Social Media on Cultural Norms: Social media is changing culture. Research its impacts on cultural norms and behaviors.

The Role of Tradition in Modern Society: Traditions persist in modern times. Study the role of ancient traditions in contemporary society.

Comparative Analysis of Cultural Practices Around the World: Different cultures, different practices. Compare cultural practices and their meanings worldwide.

The Influence of Media on Public Perception: Media shapes how we see the world. 

The Impact of Globalization on Cultural Identity: Globalization is blending cultures. Research its effects on cultural identities.

Business and Entrepreneurship Topics

The Impact of Startups on the Economy: Startups are economic powerhouses. Study their impacts on local and global economies.

The Role of Innovation in Business Success: Research how innovation influences business achievements.

Ethical Considerations in Business Practices: Investigate ethical considerations and their impacts on business practices.

The Influence of Digital Marketing on Consumer Behavior: Analyze the effects of digital marketing on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions.

Strategies for Successful Entrepreneurship: Want to start a business? Explore strategies.

Polygence Scholars Are Also Passionate About

Engaging in research with polygence's core program.

Picking the right research topic can set the tone for your entire project. It's not just about getting a good grade—it’s about developing critical thinking and enhancing your analytical skills. Your high school research paper topics can even set the stage for future academic pursuits or careers. 

Polygence’s Core Program offers a variety of resources to help you nail every aspect of your research paper. Sign up today!

By selecting an impactful research topic , you're not just writing a paper - you're developing research skills that will serve you for a lifetime. These skills can enhance your understanding of your current school curriculum and prepare you for the rigorous demands of higher education, setting a strong foundation for your academic future.

• USC Libraries
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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

• Reading Research Effectively
• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Independent and Dependent Variables
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Applying Critical Thinking
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Research Process Video Series
• Executive Summary
• The C.A.R.S. Model
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tiertiary Sources
• Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Insiderness
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Limitations of the Study
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Writing Concisely
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Generative AI and Writing
• USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
• Bibliography

Reading a Scholarly Article or Research Paper

Identifying a research problem to investigate requires a preliminary search for and critical review of the literature in order to gain an understanding about how scholars have examined a topic. Scholars rarely structure research studies in a way that can be followed like a story; they are complex and detail-intensive and often written in a descriptive and conclusive narrative form. However, in the social and behavioral sciences, journal articles and stand-alone research reports are generally organized in a consistent format that makes it easier to compare and contrast studies and interpret their findings.

General Reading Strategies

W hen you first read an article or research paper, focus on asking specific questions about each section. This strategy can help with overall comprehension and with understanding how the content relates [or does not relate] to the problem you want to investigate. As you review more and more studies, the process of understanding and critically evaluating the research will become easier because the content of what you review will begin to coalescence around common themes and patterns of analysis. Below are recommendations on how to read each section of a research paper effectively. Note that the sections to read are out of order from how you will find them organized in a journal article or research paper.

1.  Abstract

The abstract summarizes the background, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions of a scholarly article or research paper. Use the abstract to filter out sources that may have appeared useful when you began searching for information but, in reality, are not relevant. Questions to consider when reading the abstract are:

• Is this study related to my question or area of research?
• What is this study about and why is it being done ?
• What is the working hypothesis or underlying thesis?
• What is the primary finding of the study?
• Are there words or terminology that I can use to either narrow or broaden the parameters of my search for more information?

2.  Introduction

If, after reading the abstract, you believe the paper may be useful, focus on examining the research problem and identifying the questions the author is trying to address. This information is usually located within the first few paragraphs of the introduction or in the concluding paragraph. Look for information about how and in what way this relates to what you are investigating. In addition to the research problem, the introduction should provide the main argument and theoretical framework of the study and, in the last paragraphs of the introduction, describe what the author(s) intend to accomplish. Questions to consider when reading the introduction include:

• What is this study trying to prove or disprove?
• What is the author(s) trying to test or demonstrate?
• What do we already know about this topic and what gaps does this study try to fill or contribute a new understanding to the research problem?
• Why should I care about what is being investigated?
• Will this study tell me anything new related to the research problem I am investigating?

3.  Literature Review

The literature review describes and critically evaluates what is already known about a topic. Read the literature review to obtain a big picture perspective about how the topic has been studied and to begin the process of seeing where your potential study fits within the domain of prior research. Questions to consider when reading the literature review include:

• W hat other research has been conducted about this topic and what are the main themes that have emerged?
• What does prior research reveal about what is already known about the topic and what remains to be discovered?
• What have been the most important past findings about the research problem?
• How has prior research led the author(s) to conduct this particular study?
• Is there any prior research that is unique or groundbreaking?
• Are there any studies I could use as a model for designing and organizing my own study?

4.  Discussion/Conclusion

The discussion and conclusion are usually the last two sections of text in a scholarly article or research report. They reveal how the author(s) interpreted the findings of their research and presented recommendations or courses of action based on those findings. Often in the conclusion, the author(s) highlight recommendations for further research that can be used to develop your own study. Questions to consider when reading the discussion and conclusion sections include:

• What is the overall meaning of the study and why is this important? [i.e., how have the author(s) addressed the " So What? " question].
• What do you find to be the most important ways that the findings have been interpreted?
• What are the weaknesses in their argument?
• Do you believe conclusions about the significance of the study and its findings are valid?
• What limitations of the study do the author(s) describe and how might this help formulate my own research?
• Does the conclusion contain any recommendations for future research?

5.  Methods/Methodology

The methods section describes the materials, techniques, and procedures for gathering information used to examine the research problem. If what you have read so far closely supports your understanding of the topic, then move on to examining how the author(s) gathered information during the research process. Questions to consider when reading the methods section include:

• Did the study use qualitative [based on interviews, observations, content analysis], quantitative [based on statistical analysis], or a mixed-methods approach to examining the research problem?
• What was the type of information or data used?
• Could this method of analysis be repeated and can I adopt the same approach?
• Is enough information available to repeat the study or should new data be found to expand or improve understanding of the research problem?

6.  Results

After reading the above sections, you should have a clear understanding of the general findings of the study. Therefore, read the results section to identify how key findings were discussed in relation to the research problem. If any non-textual elements [e.g., graphs, charts, tables, etc.] are confusing, focus on the explanations about them in the text. Questions to consider when reading the results section include:

• W hat did the author(s) find and how did they find it?
• Does the author(s) highlight any findings as most significant?
• Are the results presented in a factual and unbiased way?
• Does the analysis of results in the discussion section agree with how the results are presented?
• Is all the data present and did the author(s) adequately address gaps?
• What conclusions do you formulate from this data and does it match with the author's conclusions?

7.  References

The references list the sources used by the author(s) to document what prior research and information was used when conducting the study. After reviewing the article or research paper, use the references to identify additional sources of information on the topic and to examine critically how these sources supported the overall research agenda. Questions to consider when reading the references include:

• Do the sources cited by the author(s) reflect a diversity of disciplinary viewpoints, i.e., are the sources all from a particular field of study or do the sources reflect multiple areas of study?
• Are there any unique or interesting sources that could be incorporated into my study?
• What other authors are respected in this field, i.e., who has multiple works cited or is cited most often by others?
• What other research should I review to clarify any remaining issues or that I need more information about?

NOTE:   A final strategy in reviewing research is to copy and paste the title of the source [journal article, book, research report] into Google Scholar . If it appears, look for a "cited by" reference followed by a hyperlinked number under the record [e.g., Cited by 45]. This number indicates how many times the study has been subsequently cited in other, more recently published works. This strategy, known as citation tracking, can be an effective means of expanding your review of pertinent literature based on a study you have found useful and how scholars have cited it. The same strategies described above can be applied to reading articles you find in the list of cited by references.

Reading Tip

Specific Reading Strategies

Effectively reading scholarly research is an acquired skill that involves attention to detail and an ability to comprehend complex ideas, data, and theoretical concepts in a way that applies logically to the research problem you are investigating. Here are some specific reading strategies to consider.

As You are Reading

• Focus on information that is most relevant to the research problem; skim over the other parts.
• As noted above, read content out of order! This isn't a novel; you want to start with the spoiler to quickly assess the relevance of the study.
• Think critically about what you read and seek to build your own arguments; not everything may be entirely valid, examined effectively, or thoroughly investigated.
• Look up the definitions of unfamiliar words, concepts, or terminology. A good scholarly source is Credo Reference .

Taking notes as you read will save time when you go back to examine your sources. Here are some suggestions:

• Mark or highlight important text as you read [e.g., you can use the highlight text  feature in a PDF document]
• Take notes in the margins [e.g., Adobe Reader offers pop-up sticky notes].
• Highlight important quotations; consider using different highlighting colors to differentiate between quotes and other types of important text.
• Summarize key points about the study at the end of the paper. To save time, these can be in the form of a concise bulleted list of statements [e.g., intro provides useful historical background; lit review has important sources; good conclusions].

Write down thoughts that come to mind that may help clarify your understanding of the research problem. Here are some examples of questions to ask yourself:

• Do I understand all of the terminology and key concepts?
• Do I understand the parts of this study most relevant to my topic?
• What specific problem does the research address and why is it important?
• Are there any issues or perspectives the author(s) did not consider?
• Do I have any reason to question the validity or reliability of this research?
• How do the findings relate to my research interests and to other works which I have read?

Adapted from text originally created by Holly Burt, Behavioral Sciences Librarian, USC Libraries, April 2018.

Another Reading Tip

When is it Important to Read the Entire Article or Research Paper

Laubepin argues, "Very few articles in a field are so important that every word needs to be read carefully." * However, this implies that some studies are worth reading carefully if they directly relate to understanding the research problem. As arduous as it may seem, there are valid reasons for reading a study from beginning to end. Here are some examples:

• Studies Published Very Recently .  The author(s) of a recent, well written study will provide a survey of the most important or impactful prior research in the literature review section. This can establish an understanding of how scholars in the past addressed the research problem. In addition, the most recently published sources will highlight what is known and what gaps in understanding currently exist about a topic, usually in the form of the need for further research in the conclusion .
• Surveys of the Research Problem .  Some papers provide a comprehensive analytical overview of the research problem. Reading this type of study can help you understand underlying issues and discover why scholars have chosen to investigate the topic. This is particularly important if the study was published recently because the author(s) should cite all or most of the important prior research on the topic. Note that, if it is a long-standing problem, there may be studies that specifically review the literature to identify gaps that remain. These studies often include the word "review" in their title [e.g., Hügel, Stephan, and Anna R. Davies. "Public Participation, Engagement, and Climate Change Adaptation: A Review of the Research Literature." Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change 11 (July-August 2020): https://doi.org/10.1002/ wcc.645].
• Highly Cited .  If you keep coming across the same citation to a study while you are reviewing the literature, this implies it was foundational in establishing an understanding of the research problem or the study had a significant impact within the literature [either positive or negative]. Carefully reading a highly cited source can help you understand how the topic emerged and how it motivated scholars to further investigate the problem. It also could be a study you need to cite as foundational in your own paper to demonstrate to the reader that you understand the roots of the problem.
• Historical Overview .  Knowing the historical background of a research problem may not be the focus of your analysis. Nevertheless, carefully reading a study that provides a thorough description and analysis of the history behind an event, issue, or phenomenon can add important context to understanding the topic and what aspect of the problem you may want to examine further.
• Innovative Methodological Design .  Some studies are significant and should be read in their entirety because the author(s) designed a unique or innovative approach to researching the problem. This may justify reading the entire study because it can motivate you to think creatively about also pursuing an alternative or non-traditional approach to examining your topic of interest. These types of studies are generally easy to identify because they are often cited in others works because of their unique approach to examining the research problem.
• Cross-disciplinary Approach .  R eviewing studies produced outside of your discipline is an essential component of investigating research problems in the social and behavioral sciences. Consider reading a study that was conducted by author(s) based in a different discipline [e.g., an anthropologist studying political cultures; a study of hiring practices in companies published in a sociology journal]. This approach can generate a new understanding or a unique perspective about the topic . If you are not sure how to search for studies published in a discipline outside of your major or of the course you are taking, contact a librarian for assistance.

* Laubepin, Frederique. How to Read (and Understand) a Social Science Journal Article . Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ISPSR), 2013

Shon, Phillip Chong Ho. How to Read Journal Articles in the Social Sciences: A Very Practical Guide for Students . 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2015; Lockhart, Tara, and Mary Soliday. "The Critical Place of Reading in Writing Transfer (and Beyond): A Report of Student Experiences." Pedagogy 16 (2016): 23-37; Maguire, Moira, Ann Everitt Reynolds, and Brid Delahunt. "Reading to Be: The Role of Academic Reading in Emergent Academic and Professional Student Identities." Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice 17 (2020): 5-12.

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Computer Science (UNH-Durham)

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Welcome to the computer science research guide!

Best Bets Computer Science

• Google Scholar This link opens in a new window Provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. Search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts, and court opinions from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities, and other web sites.
• ACM Digital Library This link opens in a new window Provides access to ACM journals, newsletters, and conference proceedings. Includes bibliographic information, abstracts, reviews, and the full text for articles along with selected works published by affiliated organizations. Dates of coverage: 1947-current
• O'Reilly This link opens in a new window Formerly Safari Tech Books Online, is an online learning platform providing access thousands of technical books online. Content emphasizes computer programming, software and apps (including mobile apps) including business aspects.
• arXiv.org This link opens in a new window An open access archive for scholarly articles in the fields of physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance, statistics, electrical engineering and systems science, and economics. Materials on this site are not peer-reviewed by arXiv.
• IEEE Xplore This link opens in a new window A digital library providing full text access to the world's highest quality technical literature in electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics. It contains full text documents from IEEE journals, transactions, magazines, letters, conference proceedings, standards, and IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Conferences. UNH no longer has access to IET Journals.

Selected Databases

• AccessEngineering This link opens in a new window Engineering reference and teaching platform that delivers interdisciplinary engineering content integrated with analytical teaching and learning tools.
• AccessScience This link opens in a new window A college-level encyclopedia of science and technology. Includes a science dictionary, an "In the News" section, and several features for undergraduate students: basic tables, study guides, and brief scientific biographies. Mac Users: Use Safari with this database. There have been access problems with Internet Explorer.
• Applied Science & Technology Abstracts This link opens in a new window Articles from both trade and professional society journals, in applied science and technology; including aeronautics; applied, optical, and neural computing; applied mathematics; artificial intelligence; atmospheric sciences; construction; energy resources; food science; information technology; marine and space technology, robotics, and several engineering areas, including automotive, biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, industrial, and mechanical. 1983-current
• Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science This link opens in a new window This citation index covers conference literature in all scientific and technical fields, including: Agriculture, Biochemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Medicine, and Physics. Dates of coverage: 1990-current
• Data Citation Index This link opens in a new window Access an array of data across subjects and regions, providing a comprehensive picture of research output to understand data in context and maximize research efforts. Dates of coverage: 1900-current
• Gale In Context: Science This link opens in a new window Provides contextual information on hundreds of today's most significant science topics. Drawing students in with captivating subject matter, Science showcases how scientific disciplines relate to real-world issues ranging from bacteria to obesity and weather. more... less... Integrating millions of full-text articles that include national and global publications, 200+ science experiments, 300+ interactive simulations, other multimedia, and top reference content, Science is updated daily and offers over 600 pages on topics across the curriculum, covering biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, physics, and more.
• Lecture Notes in Computer Science This link opens in a new window Provides searchable, full text access to new developments in computer science and information technology research and teaching. Original research results reported in proceedings and post-proceedings remains the core of LNCS. Dates of coverage: 1997-2017
• ScienceDirect This link opens in a new window Offers journal articles and book chapters in the disciplines of physical sciences and engineering, life sciences, health sciences, and social sciences and humanities.
• Gale OneFile: Computer Science This link opens in a new window Provides access to leading business and technical publications in the computer, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Also includes periodicals and journals with information on computer-related product introductions, news and reviews in areas such as hardware, software, electronics, engineering, communications, and the application of technology.
• Web of Science This link opens in a new window Facilitates research-level interdisciplinary search. Use the Basic Search to locate articles in high-impact scholarly journals in science, social science, arts, and humanities. Use the unique Cited Reference search for articles that cite an article you already know of, so you can track citations forward in time.
• INSPEC This link opens in a new window The world's leading resource for coverage of research literature in physics, including astronomy and astrophysics. Its other subject strengths are electrical engineering; control, and computing, including information technology. International journals and conference proceedings are covered, with selected indexing of books and reports. This resource allows searching by specialized fields. Dates of coverage: 1896-current
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• University of Wisconsin–Madison
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• FOOD SCIENCE 602, Senior Project; Capstone (Fall 2024)
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FOOD SCIENCE 602, Senior Project; Capstone (Fall 2024) : Find Research Articles

• Evaluate Information, Sources
• Manage Your Data
• Write, Cite, and Present
• Plan for Your Information Future

Searching Tips for Online Databases

• Use  AND  to combine search terms; retrieve records with those terms, in any order:  friends AND communication
• Use  OR  to combine similar search terms or synonyms: friends OR peers
• Use quotation marks  ( " ") to search a required phrase: "interpersonal communication"
• Use an  asterisk  ( * ) to retrieve singular and plural forms or suffixes for search terms: friend* = friend, friend s , friend ly or friend ship
• Review "subject headings" or "descriptors" to identify additional and useful search terms.
• Apply limits or filters to your results (by date, publication type, or other). 

Select and Search Databases by Subject or Type

Select databases from the library home page ( library.wisc.edu ). Use dropdown menu from Catalog button to go to Databases . OR, select the database link from the Find page .

There are several ways to browse and to select databases: 

1) Search by name of the database (for example, "FSTA").

2) Use  Browse by Subject/Type  to choose databases that find articles (and more) in a subject area.

3) Visit  Top 10 Databases  to choose from a selection of popular databases. 

An " Articles Search " can be run from the library home page. The "Articles Search" runs its search within several databases simultaneously. Apply filters by date, source, and more. This search is also useful to quickly determine whether a known article is available in full text.

• FSTA: Food Science & Technology Abstracts Large database covering pure and applied research in food science, food technology, and food-related nutrition from journals, books, proceedings, reports, theses, patents, standards, and legislation.
• Google Scholar Multi-disciplinary Web search engine to scholarly articles. Note: Choosing Google Scholar from the library database menu will help you to retrieve more full article content through our subscriptions.
• Industrial and Applied Microbiology Abstracts Article database covering practical microbiological applications in the field of agricultural, food and beverage, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries.
• Scopus Large, multidisciplinary database covering science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities. Includes tools to track, analyze, and visualize research.
• Web of Science Collection of databases indexing scholarly literature in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, from journals, conference proceedings, symposia, and more. Includes citation network data.

Understand the Peer Review Process

This video explains the peer review process: 

• Peer Review in Three Minutes How do articles get peer reviewed? What role does peer review play in scholarly research and publication?Video created by NCSU Libraries.

Retrieve the Full Article

• get online full text (when available)
• see if the journal is available in print (Library Catalog)
• request a copy of the article if full text is not available online ("Request a Copy" link)

If you already have a citation, use this Citation Search  to search for your article.

Browse Food Science Journals

BrowZine is available for UW-Madison students, faculty and staff. BrowZine lets you browse, read, save, and monitor scholarly journals in your subject areas on your mobile device or desktop/laptop.

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