Open AccessOn the gaining of understanding; syntheses, themes and information analysis
Author(s) -
David Bawden
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
library and information research/library and information research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2752-7336
pISSN - 1756-1086
DOI - 10.29173/lirg483
Subject(s) - grounded theory , context (archaeology) , ethnography , style (visual arts) , qualitative analysis , content analysis , epistemology , computer science , qualitative research , sociology , data science , social science , philosophy , history , archaeology , anthropology , paleontology , biology
Methods for gaining qualitative understanding, in the specific sense defined by Jonathan Kvanvig, of sets of information instantiated in documents, in the context of library/information research, are reviewed and compared. A number of methods are relevant to this kind of study, including critical and systematic reviewing, meta-ethnography, historical analysis, philosophical analysis, content and discourse analysis, and grounded theory. It is concluded that, while such studies are carried out in library/information research, there is no agreement on the most appropriate methods. It is suggested that the most appropriate methodology is based on critical interpretive synthesis, carried out in the style of ethnographic, chronological or conceptual analysis.