The SSLS, partnering with the Library Theory & Research (LTR) Section, host a webinar series/workshop to inspire and enhance the professional practise of those performing social science research across the globe. In this series, librarians and academic professionals will share their extensive experience in research design, methods, analysis, and dissemination to introduce participants to research in real-world settings and translate empirical findings to both practice and publishable results.

The working title of the Series is “Research Methods in Librarianship, From A- Z: designing, implementing, and disseminating your research“.

The Project is realized under Strategic Direction 2 – Inspire and Enhance Professional Practice,
Key Initiative 2.1 Produce, communicate and distribute key resources and materials that inspire the profession

Working group: Lindsay Ozburn (Chair, USA), Jennifer Voutssas (Secretary, Mexico), Ekaterina Shibaeva (Information Coordinator, Russia), Abby Moore (USA), Celia Emmelhainz (USA)

Future topic:

General Research Methods: Qualitative vs Quantitative  

Description: 
• General Quantitative VS Qualitative VS Mixed Methods;
• Considering the Ethics VS. Law of Data Collection in Your Methods

Future topic:

Disseminating your Research and Showing your Value

Description: 
• How to make your research appealing and get published?
• How do you write in a way that does not overwhelm the reader?
• How do write administrative reports on your research?
• How can you demonstrate your impact to local audiences and beyond?

Past webinars

An Introduction into Social Science Research Methods and Design

The first webinar from the Series was presented on May 25th, 2021 at 9:00 am Mountain Standard Time. The webinar was titled “An Introduction into Social Science Research Methods and Design“. Our speakers shared their extensive experience in research design, methods, analysis, and dissemination to introduce participants to research in real-world settings and translate empirical findings to both practice and publishable results.

The webinar started with a video presentation by Dr. Guillermo Alfaro López. Dr. López is the author of Comprender y Vivir la Lectura (Understanding and Experiencing Reading) and a researcher at the Library and Information Science Research Institute in the National Autonomous University of México. Dr. Alfaro discussed the importance of formulating the right research questions from an epistemological perspective, and also examined how the right questions can generate change and evolution of the discipline.

The second speaker, Professor Ashlynn Kogut, is an Assistant Professor/Education & Social Sciences librarian at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She received her BA and MSIS from the University of Texas at Austin and her PhD in educational administration from Texas A&M University. She has worked in academic and medical libraries in a variety of roles including instruction, assessment, outreach, and collection development. Her articles have been published in multiple library journals including College and Research Libraries, Journal of Academic Librarianship, and Evidence Based Library and Information Practice. Her current research projects focus on systematic reviews in education and the social sciences and librarians’ teaching philosophies. Professor Kogut presented an overview of the initial research process, including a discussion of how to come up with ideas, how to approach potential journals, how to find collaborators.