Page 68 - DLIS401_METHODOLOGY_OF_RESEARCH_AND_STATISTICAL_TECHNIQUES

Unit 4: Historical and Experimental Research Methods

Board members of the selected organizations using a questionnaire as a third data gathering Notes
tool. Within-case and cross-case analysis of data are selected as analysis techniques.
Step 3. Prepare to Collect the Data
The researcher prepares to collect data by first contacting each organization to be studied to
gain their cooperation, explain the purpose of the study, and assemble key contact information.
Since data to be collected and examined includes organizational documents, the researcher
states his intent to request copies of these documents, and plans for storage, classification, and
retrieval of these items, as well as the interview and survey data. The researcher develops a
formal investigator training program to include seminar topics on non-profit organizations
and their structures in each of the four categories selected for this study. The training program
also includes practice sessions in conducting open-ended interviews and documenting sources,
suggested field notes formats, and a detailed explanation of the purpose of the case study. The
researcher selects a fifth case as a pilot case, and the investigators apply the data gathering
tools to the pilot case to determine whether the planned timeline is feasible and whether or
not the interview and survey questions are appropriate and effective. Based on the results of
the pilot, the researcher makes adjustments and assigns investigators particular cases which
become their area of expertise in the evaluation and analysis of the data.
Step 4. Collect Data in the Field
Investigators first arrange to visit with the Board of Directors of each non-profit organization
as a group and ask for copies of the organization's mission, news clippings, brochures, and
any other written material describing the organization and its purpose. The investigator reviews
the purpose of the study with the entire Board, schedules individual interview times with as
many Board members as can cooperate, confirms key contact data, and requests that all Board
members respond to the written survey which will be mailed later.
Investigators take written notes during the interview and record field notes after the interview
is completed. The interviews, although open-ended, are structured around the research questions
defined at the start of the case study.

Research Question: Why do non-profit organization participants use the network?
Interview Question: How did the organization make the decision to place data on the World
Wide Web community network? What need was the organization hoping to fulfil?

Research Question: How do non-profit organization participants determine what to place
on the electronic community network?
Interview Questions: What process was used to select the information that would be used on
the network? How is the information kept up to date?
Research Question: Do the non-profit organization participants believe the community network
serves a useful purpose in furthering their mission? How?
Interview Question: How does the organization know if the electronic community network is
beneficial to the organization? How does the electronic community network further the mission
of the organization? What systematic tracking mechanisms exist to determine how many or
what types of users are accessing the organization information?
The investigator's field notes record impressions and questions that might assist with the
interpretation of the interview data. The investigator makes note of stories told during open-
ended interviews and flags them for potential use in the final report. Data is entered into the
database.
The researcher mails written surveys to all Board members with a requested return date and
a stamped return envelope. Once the surveys are returned, the researcher codes and enters the

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