7 Methods and Techniques of Use Studies Part -1

Dr Kishor John

Introduction

In the field of medical science, pure sciences and even in applied sciences experiments have to be performed to see the result or it is done on regular basis to change the result or to face certain new upcoming challenges. Same manner User Studies is being performed in the libraries and information centers in regular basis for examining, planning and forecasting; because by using empirical evidences, library administration can solve maximum problems regarding managing and administering a library. The activities of the libraries are totally depending on the user’s needs and requirements and it is better to understand their problems and expectations so that the services of the libraries could be improved according to the user’s expectations.

Success of every library depends on “Use” and “User”, “use” is a reason and “user” is the main element of the system. Use is the key point and `User’ is the key and dynamic component of every library and information system. Use Studies is the most important aspect while designing/examining a library system or library services, and also necessary to perform periodically. The user studies help to discover characteristics, behaviour, information needs, attitude and opinion about the system and services. The main factors viz., psychological factors, effectiveness of services, and characteristics of the users, and the environment are necessary to include in any type of user studies. Even some time demographic characteristics like age, education level, specialization, research interest also undertaken for this type of studies. Moreover some more characteristics may appear before the investigator at the time of user studies, because it varies from place to place, time to time and also depends on the problem on which the user study is being undertaken.1, 2, 3

The topic “Methods and Techniques of Use Studies” is hereby presented in two modules , Module 7 and Module 8, Module 7 covers the conventional methods of use studies and Module 8 covers the latest methods of use studies and which are new but useful as conventional methods. The module 8 also covers the steps involved in conducting use studies.

Methods and Techniques of Use Studies

There are many reasons to conduct use studies. Studies can be used to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various services of the library. There are several methods and techniques for conducting use/user studies, and many authors have expressed that the methods being used for social science research can be applied for user studies. Use studies may be descriptive or prescriptive depending upon situation. According to Guha4, user studies methods are General or Conventional methods, indirect methods and special and unconventional methods; these methods can be further classified as under:-

General or Conventional Methods include questionnaire, interview, diary and observations.
Indirect methods include Library Records Analysis and citation analysis.
Special and Unconventional Methods includes computer feedback and, it can be further extended by studying internet browsing pattern of the users and internet behaviour of the users.

PSG Kumar 5 has explained that the users studies can be classified according to the types of the library such as Public Library, Academic Library and the Special Library, because the clientele and the reading material and other aspects of the each type of library is different and in such condition no particular criteria can be adopted for each and every type of library.

The other types of the users study are Users Oriented, System-Use Oriented and Utility Oriented.

Techniques of User studies:

3.1 Questionnaires

Questionnaires or social survey is a very important tool to collect empirical data and standardized data from large numbers of people, it can collect same type of information from the population or sample in same way. In questionnaire method data collected from the population or sample can be converted into numbers and then calculations can also be made with the help of statistical methods to get the results.

Ackroyd and Hughes 6 have identified three types of surveys:

Factual survey: used to collect descriptive information, i.e. the government census
Attitude survey – i.e. an opinion poll
Explanatory survey – test theories/hypotheses and/or to produce new theory.

Researchers usually use questionnaires or surveys in order to make generalizations; therefore, the surveys are usually based on carefully selected samples.

Questionnaires should be:

Filled in by the participants
Asked in a structured and formal way by an interviewer
Postal questionnaire can be used,
Telephone questionnaire
Email questionnaire. 7

The main advantages of the questionnaire methods are economy, Uniformity of questions and Standardization. Further the questionnaires can be used in different forms such as Closed or restricted, Open or unrestricted and Structured or unstructured. 8

3.2 Interviews

Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind participant’s experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depth information around the topic. The interview is more flexible form than the other methods of user studies. It is more useful if intelligently used. Interview method can generally be used to gather information of greater depth. The interview may be formal and informal, a personal meeting and conversation with the interviewee just to obtain personal information or insight about the library service or services. There are two main types of interview namely Face-to-face interviews and Telephone interviews, and both the methods can be undertaken in structured and unstructured way. 9

3.3 Diary Studies

This method involves a diary which is distributed to the users or library can request the users to keep a record of their activities, experience and while actively using library. This type of method can be used to have User experience and initiation of new service to collect the insight of the users in context to their daily routine. The users’ entries in the diary may have a verity of details such as facts, opinions, and problems related to experiences with library services. A diary can also be used in collection development process. The same method can also be applied in online mode. The diary method may help in explore the following:

Existing usage behaviours and mindsets
Current engagement paths
Reading Interest.
Discover regular habits of the users
Surface frustrations,
inherent obstacles and barriers
unmet needs and desires

3.4 Observation and Field Study

Observation means to examine just by “seeing” and “listening” any activity, observation extends facility to examine activities, behaviour and physical aspect without the permission of participants of the study and can all be documented. Observation is appropriate in the following conditions:

Need of direct information.
Need to understand behaviour, process, situation or event.
Need to examine physical evidence, products or outcomes.
Other research methods seem inappropriate.

The observation method can be used in two ways, direct observations and the indirect observation. A direct observation involves active participation of the participants’ means participants know that they are being observed. In Indirect observation method participants do not know that they are being observed and both the methods have its own limitation, merits and demerits.

“A field study is a collection of data that occurs outside of an experimental or lab setting. This type of data collection is most often done in natural settings or environments and can be done in a variety of ways for various disciplines.”Field Study research method is a qualitative method, carried out in a usual environment not in controlled environment, evidences collected and analyzed on field only.

“Field reports require the researcher to combine theory and analysis learned in the classroom with methods of observation and practice applied outside of the classroom. The purpose of field reports is to describe an observed person, place, or event and to analyze that observation data in order to identify and categorize common themes in relation to the research problem(s) underpinning the study. The data is often in the form of notes taken during the observation but it can also include any form of data gathering, such as, photography, illustrations, or audio recordings.” 11

3.5 Analysis of Library Records

This method is an internal method and can be performed without interfering and interrupting the users activities in the library, this study can be done through checking of records of issue and return of books/reading material, analysis of visitors registers, analysis of visitors registers of reference section or of any section of the library where the visitors register is maintained, computer records of the users, register of interlibrary loan, checking of library website hits. The best advantages of this system are it is most economical, no extra person is required to perform the analysis, and can be done on regular basis etc.

3.6 Computer Feedback

The latest tool in the field of users study, computer feedback is the process or specific instance of providing information through computer about products and service. B. Jean Mandernach12 has indentified the five types Computer Feedback of computer feedbacks, which can be utilized to collect users’ responses such as:-

No-feedback through this method users response can be obtained without addressing any individual questions;
Knowledge-of-response feedback through this users responses can be obtained about correct/incorrect status of each question, but it not inform students about the correct answer;
Knowledge-of-correct-response through this users responses can be obtained about correct/incorrect status of each question, but provide the correct answer.
Topic-contingent feedback through this users responses can be obtained about correct/incorrect status of each question along with paragraph of information from where the correct answer can be found;
Response-contingent feedback addressed the correct/incorrect status of each question along with an explanation of the selected response and the correct response.

The above methods can be adopted to have users’ responses about their experience of the library, problems faced, any new requirement, and any new service.

3.7 Citation Analysis

Citation Analysis is an indirect method of users study, the citation pattern reveals that which document is more important in a particular field. It shows that the author of the particular book, article and publication has referred earlier studies while writing this, and the document has been appended with references and bibliographies, this pattern reveals some different important facts. An analysis of these patterns of communication disclose about:-

Types of document is used
Preferred Document
Age of Document
Frequency of Use of document
Ranking Journals
Ranking Author
Ranking Articles
Ranking of Books
Ranking Of Organizations
Ranking Of Organizations

The analysis of the citations can be also be used for collection development, impact factor of author and the impact factor of the library in research and its reading material.

3.8 Analysis of Computer Records

The present scenario of libraries and information centers are better in comparison to the earlier state of functioning and servicing, because every service and function of the library is totally depend on the computers, in this sense every library has to keep a detailed records of the users and its behaviour such as Personal Details of the Users, Academic Status of the Users, Subject Interest, Circulation Records, Reference Queries, Searching Behaviour of Users, Interlibrary Loan Records, Use of Reading Material, Use of Services/Equipments, Acquisition Behaviour etc.

The analysis of computer records is an indirect method and can be done on regular basis without interfering the daily routine of the library and users, the analysis can be conducted to get the results about users preferences in terms of age, qualification, interests, information seeking behaviour and collection policy of the library and on any criteria which demands to be studied.

3.9 Internet Browsing Pattern

The all type of information are available in digital form and most of the information is also available online, and the libraries and information centres are harvesting all types of services for its users, and in this age the libraries are having its own website and providing access to its users through this. Moreover some libraries are providing information through other databases. In this era it is necessary to study their users about their internet browsing pattern. This study examines that the users are fully satisfied with the internet facilities of the library, the objectives of the internet facility is being fulfilled or not, are users have awareness about the information in the internet environment, and other characteristics pertaining to the internet . This type of study can be conducted through online or offline, or can be conducted through logging pattern of users; using pattern and time spend on internet just checking the server logging reports.

Conclusion

The library is unable to satisfy the needs of users completely without user feedback, and this purpose cannot be fulfilled only by the library administration and this cannot be initiated users itself, in this problematic situation users study is very useful and beneficial for library as well as for users too. The users studies are very important aspect of every library, the development plans, further extension and initiation of new services are totally depend on it, the above mentioned methods and techniques are very useful tools to assess the status and satisfaction in reference to library service.

Summary

This module covers the understanding about the use studies and its methods and techniques, while describing the methods and techniques of use studies General or Conventional Methods, Indirect Methods and Special or Unconventional Methods have been discussed in short. This module only covers a brief introduction, classification of methods such as General or Conventional Methods, Direct and Indirect Methods, and Spcial and Unconventional Methods. All methods of Use Studies have been described in detail viz, Questionnaires, Interviews, Diary Studies, Observation and Field Study, Analysis of Library Records, Computer Feedback, Citation Analysis, Analysis of Computer Records, and Internet Browsing Pattern.

References

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Kumar, P. S. G. Library and users: theory & practice; (paper VIII of UGC model curriculum). Delhi: B. R. Publ. Corp., 2004.
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