1. Research!

2. Introduction
Research is just a strategy for figuring out answers to problems:
Get an idea
Work it into a hypothesis
Figure out how to figure it out
Do that
See what happened
Make some changes

3. Get an idea This is where it all starts!
And sometimes, this is the hardest part
That is usually only if you are assigned to “do a research project”
At work – it’s easy to find things!

4. Work it into a hypothesis
This is where it becomes more research-y, and develop an actual point
Transform “hey, we should be greener in this LIS organization” into a research question or statement
What strategies will help us to reduce the amount of paper used?
I want to know how other libraries measure their carbon emission levels.
What green strategies are archives using in preservation?

5. Figure out how to figure it out
Better known as Methodology
There are two basic ways to approach research problems
Quantitative: using numbers, and statistics, to answer your question
Qualitative: uses more concepts than numbers – observations, asking why people do things, etc.; more common in social science

6. Quantitative methodology
“Quantitative research deals in numbers, logic and the objective, focusing on logic, numbers, and unchanging static data and detailed, convergent reasoning rather than divergent reasoning.”
(interesting resource – look through this!)

7. Some Quantitative resources
I love this site – it asks you questions about your work and guides you to the best statistical test
I officially love Vassar because of this site! You type in your raw data, and it does the stats work for you.
some useful stats info here
an archived site, but I like the basic info it gives – not too complex, but useful
feeling the statistics joy? Dive in here for more! 

8. Qualitative research
This is more commonly used in LIS than those “scary” stats and numbers
Numbers and stats are not REALLY scary of course!
But I have found a lot of fear leading to avoidance, and people just leaping to qualitative methods
Either can be appropriate – just think about what is best for your research work

9. There are a many different methods here!
/socialresearchmethods I haven’t been through this entire thing, but it looks interesting – try it!
A handy guide: 00sp12/resources/qualmethods.pdf
A few types of methodologies:
Engaged theory
Ethnography
Grounded theory
Living educational theory
Hermeneutics
Life history
Participatory action research
Phenomenology
Ethnographic Research
Philosophical
Critical Social Research
Ethical Inquiry
Foundational Research
Historical Research

10. Next step: Do that
This is not hard to figure out, but people start falling apart at this stage
DO RESEARCH!
IT’S FUN!
IT’S HELPFUL!
YOU CAN LEARN COOL STUFF!
(was that too subtle??)

11. See what happened
This is the fun part: Take all your data and see what you found!
If this does not sound so fun – just wait until you try it! 
It is surprisingly fun to see all the cool things people said, or piles of papers, or vast quantities of numbers!
This is analysis – and this is how you figure out what you found

12. Make some changes Yay! Now you know things!
Look at the situation you were in before the research, apply what you have learned, and make some changes for the better
Those might involve continuing to be exactly as you were – but now you have an evidence-based reasoning for doing that

13. Conclusion
Research can provide you and your organization will all sorts of useful information
Use it to:
Solve problems
Make decisions
See what is going on
Get better
Look at research articles to see what other ideas might be helpful!