Australian Academic & Research Libraries

ISSN: 0004-8623 (Print) 1839-471X (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uarl20

Research Methods: Information, Systems and

Contexts

Mark Brogan

To cite this article: Mark Brogan (2013) Research Methods: Information, Systems and Contexts,
Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 44:4, 259-261, DOI: 10.1080/00048623.2013.860663

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2013.860663

Published online: 06 Dec 2013.

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 Australian Academic & Research Libraries 259

have major significance for their work. At the same time the book clearly shows that with
effort major synergies can be achieved.
Digital humanities as a discipline, like ICT itself, is rapidly evolving (it is telling that the
discussion of free online learning resources in this 2012 publication does not mention Massive
Open Online Courses (MOOCs)). Digital Humanities in Practice is an excellent guide to the
current state of the discipline, and because it engages very widely with general issues as well as
practical examples it will remain an invaluable resource for some time to come.

David N. Wells
Curtin University
d.wells@curtin.edu.au
q 2013, David N. Wells
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2013.860670

Research Methods: Information, Systems and Contexts, edited by Kirsty Williamson

and Graeme Johanson, Prahran, Tilde University Press, 2013, 578 pp., $41.55 (paperback),
ISBN 978-0-7346-1148-2

The field of intellectual enquiry known as scholasticism grew up in the middle ages,
achieving its pinnacle with thinkers such as Anselm, Scotus and Aquinas. Scholasticism
held that truth was discoverable by pure thought alone. In the exercise of pure thought,
apparently nonsensical questions were taken seriously. Aquinas posed the question of
whether angels could cohabit the same space, a speculation handed down in a slightly
debased and pejorative form as the question of “how many angels can be accommodated
on a pin head”. The long term decline of scholasticism in favour of rationalism and
empiricism was inevitable, obscuring many of its achievements. Not that it was all plain
sailing for empiricism, the invention of which is attributed to the Elizabethan thinker,
Francis Bacon. Intrigued by the possibility of using snow to preserve meat, Bacon
purchased a chicken for experimentation. The repeated application of snow to the chicken
resulted in Bacon contracting a severe case of pneumonia leading to his death in 1626.
Pathways to knowledge are not always reliable and can be abused or simply overtaken.
Scholasticism was overtaken by humanism and Bacon’s empiricism. While the period of
the middle ages may seem remote, errors in method and thinking are just as common as
ever. The popular tendency to pass off rationalism as science is an obvious and glaring
example. The idea that good science is certain and bad science uncertain, is another howler
all too frequently encountered in discussions of science and society. Science often argues
by induction and claims to knowledge are frequently probability based and inherently
“uncertain”. That we have a problem with probability based assertions about the impacts
of climate change, is a problem with us and the way we think about science, and not with
the science itself.
So how to avoid error in the time honoured pursuit of new knowledge? Kirsty
Williamson and Graeme Johanson’s edited volume Research Methods: Information,
Systems and Contexts is not the only way to build knowledge and skill in research methods
and “techniques” that help to avoid error, but it just might be an excellent beginning. The
work is very comprehensive on research methodology and design, and begins with a strong
introduction from Williamson to foundation concepts such as ontology, rationalism,
positivism and interpretivism (including paradigms). Often powerful insight is delivered
260 Book Reviews

with economy, as, for example, in Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic and Mary Anne
Kennan’s depiction of the “Methodological Landscape”, which takes as its starting point
the “meta-theoretical assumptions” first mentioned in Williamson’s introductory chapter,
and goes on to discuss methods and techniques. Where it all fits into the landscape of
information research is the subject of another chapter, by Johanson and Williamson. In
“Information Research” the editors scope information research, provide a good discussion
of topics that attract attention and place information research within the larger picture of
research in universities. Contextualisation is also provided by McKemmish and Gilliland’s
account of research methods and techniques in “Archival and Recordkeeping Research”.
This chapter will introduce many readers to the extent and breadth of archival research for
the first time; something in which Australia has punched above its weight.
Organisation is very good, with a logical division of foundation concepts, followed by
chapter contributions on research methods and techniques, and a concluding section that
deals with research practice and communication. The section on research methods covers
most methods commonly encountered including “Survey” (Kerry Tanner), “Case Study”
(Graeme Shanks and Nargiza Bekmamedova), “Action Research” (Kirsty Williamson),
“Constructivist Grounded Theory” (James Herring), “Ethnography” (Kirsty Williamson)
and “Experimentation” (Kerry Tanner). Two interesting inclusions are a chapter on
“Bibliometrics” (Gaby Haddow) and a chapter on “Design-Science Research” (Ron
Weber). The former provides foundations in the application of quantitative methods to a
body of literature in order to establish patterns and trends. With the development of a
national ranking system for research (ERA), this chapter is essential reading for current
and aspiring academics, obliged to factor into research plans considerations of research
productivity and publication impact. Ron Weber’s “Design-Science” addresses the
systems dimension of “information research”, specifically, the designing and building of
artefacts (systems) that are evaluated. Of course this is also a form of experimentation and
might also be considered a case study. The language of research is not hard and fast and
this can be frustrating to students and researchers alike. In this work the term “research
technique” is preferred for describing activities in the research cycle such as qualitative
and quantitative data analysis, and elements that might elsewhere be considered aspects of
research design (for example the choice of probability versus non-probability sampling)
are also considered within the discussion of research technique. Some may find this
irritating. Judy Sheard’s introduction to “Quantitative Data Analysis” is well written and
covers everything expected in an introduction to research using descriptive and inferential
statistics. Similarly, Kirsty Williamson, Lisa Given and Paul Scifleet’s “Qualitative data
analysis” performs the same role for qualitative data analysis and is similarly well written.
In summary, the volume is ambitious in terms of its scope and a landmark in terms of
information research methods and techniques. That said, it is not beyond reproach.
Occasionally, taxonomical description of research methods and techniques, with
examples, finds its way into the work, something that jars with the narrative. For a
work concerned with information related research the inclusion of a chapter on history and
historical method, while well written, seems anomalous. Also, in something so complex,
joining the dots is important. Opportunities for intra-textuality are not always taken up. A
good example of this is the methodological landscape mentioned above, which might have
provided an overarching reference framework for all of the metatheories, research
methods and techniques that are mentioned. Even with its apparently comprehensive
nature, there are some gaps. Social network analysis and data mining are two such
omissions. As a quantitative researcher, one chapter on quantitative data analysis isn’t
 Australian Academic & Research Libraries 261

enough for me, and I would have liked to have seen a chapter on common methodological
and reporting errors with data and statistics.
Research Methods: Information, Systems and Contexts may not be perfect, but for
many students it will provide a strong foundation. It will help many nascent researchers
come to grips with research methodology and design and to become better researchers. By
virtue of accessibility and the enthusiasm of its contributors, it may also work to promote
student interest in information research, sadly flagging as measured by higher degree
research completions in information research. A vibrant research culture requires a supply
of good quality PhD students and students committed to post-doctoral studies. Academics
routinely bemoan that both are in short supply in information research. Typically, students
complete a first degree or graduate diploma, but do not pursue higher degree studies in the
mistaken belief that lifelong learning requirements can be met by professional
development. Graeme Johanson and Kirsty Williamson, and the contributors to this
work offer tantalising insight into the nature of well constructed research and serve up
some excellent case studies demonstrating the value of evidence-based practice and how
research knowledge and skills can be applied creatively in the workplace by reflective
practitioners to build and strengthen programmes. Research Methods: Information,
Systems and Contexts is a timely work, that has been handsomely produced by Tilde
University Press. Given the gathering momentum for and preference for e-book formats,
hopefully the work will also be available in electronic format soon.

Mark Brogan
Edith Cowan University
m.brogan@ecu.edu.au
q 2013, Mark Brogan
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2013.860663