Brainstorming Research Questions
From ERIAL Toolkit:
"The development of the research question begins with clarifying what you know and what you do not know. We suggest, as a first step, brainstorming research questions with your research team.
Activity: Brainstorming Research Questions
On a section of blackboard or piece of large tablet paper, draw a vertical line down the middle. On the left side, brainstorm research questions. What do you want to know about students? About faculty? About library facilities? Try not to censor ideas of what is interesting. On the right side, come up with provisional answers to those questions. These are your working hypotheses of what is happening. It is fine at this point to recognize that you do not necessarily know the answers, but it is helpful to begin to clarify what you think you know, and to write it down."
Activity: Deciding Which Ones to Tackle First
"After brainstorming your questions, you will decide which are the ones you want to answer. You might rank order questions by how pressing they are to your library, or by whether the answer to them will likely lead to service changes that you can actually implement. Developing research
questions is an iterative process, so allow yourself enough sessions for earlier discussions to inform the brainstorming process. An excellent guide for developing research questions is located at LibraryAssessment.Info, a blog of the Association of Research Libraries: http://libraryassessment.info/?p=438.
As you are considering your research questions, you might consider their wider social context. Libraries can be understood as a collection of groups, behaviors and ideas that interact with each other. You can study them at any of these levels, as well as across levels. Whenever possible, it is good practice to triangulate your research questions by approaching them from different directions within this web of interactions.
Try to match your data collection efforts to the groups or practices you are most interested in studying. Whenever possible, link your research questions to specific, tangible, activities that can be directly observed. Avoid too many abstract questions, or questions that require speculation. Ethnographic methods usually work best when they are linked to actual events, experiences and examples."
For future: Real time assessment (“heads up” dashboard with trends) and Visualization of data (Georgia Tech dashboard; e.g. # of people in library at that time)
Knowns: Here’s what we know and how we know it
Note: More info from previous years is available from User Studies in Assessment & Communication wiki: CUL Assessment Results (see What do we know about students? and What do we know about faculty?)
Knowns | Data Source [indicates probable source] |
Basic demography of patrons | [probably Institutional research and planning (CALS & CHE stats)] |
Small studies of individual libraries’ user preferences | (e.g. Geneva study) |
Patrons love our friendly service & we know what our donors want/like | Word of mouth comments; Alumni Affairs |
Adequacy of e- and print resources |
|
E-resource statistics/patron use of e-resources | Counter |
Patron ILL + BD requests |
|
Patron purchase requests |
|
# of e-reserve uses | Ares |
How many checkouts (books, equipment, rooms, course reserves, laptops) | Circ stats |
Book circulation is down; laptop circulation is in decline | Circ stats |
Software usage | LabStats? |
Software requests |
|
Frequency of library usage in person and online; how using space | Gate count??? (unreliable); SUMA headcount |
Faculty don’t come into physical building | anecdotal |
Study space preferences (quiet, rooms, grad) | Observational data |
Popularity of 2nd floor study spaces; students want collaborative study spaces | MaLT assessment |
24/5 isn’t popular-not being used | No. of card swipes |
Traffic to web pages-most visited pages; Virtual visits-web visits from outside library to library-hosted sites | Google Analytics |
Number of reference consultations and questions; Reference desk and chat transactions are down; length of transactions has increased | [Count It] |
# of RDMSG and GIS consultations | [Count It] |
Poster printing is heavily used service | # of posters printed and $ brought in |
Patron research behavior | Email and chat reference interactions |
How grads do research | Ethnographic study |
Workshops & instruction (half of all registered attendees show up; number of attendees based on topic) | [Evanced and Count It] |
Curriculum map of instruction | [A&C: Count It, registrar, Cornell websites] |
How much library impacts research and instruction |
|
Class assessment |
|
Self-reported impact of library-ability to do research; quality of resources | Senior Survey |
% of students measuring up to [faculty] expectations | Faculty survey |
# of faculty using instruction (why or why not?) | [Count It; Faculty survey] |
Faculty encourage use of library resources | [Faculty survey] |
Hard to engage with faculty & relationship building as effective mode of outreach | Professional experience & increased communication & contact |
Unknowns: Need to Know and Nice to Know
As we study users to understand how they collaborate on research/study and what needs they have:
What Do We Want To Know? | What Might The Answers Be? | Unknowns | Information Need (We need to know. . .) | Priority | Audience | Methodology | Formal Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to reach undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty/instructors in the best way? What is the most effective marketing tool for each audience (social media, website, relationship building)? | Any surveys or information from University Communications? | 1 | |||||
| What social media are the best routes for talking to students? What draws people to our social media? | General Pew Internet & American Life surveys: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/social-media-update-2014/ | 1 | |||||
| How can we better help students navigate (and critically discern) the increasingly complex info ecosystem (e.g. metaliteracy)? | 1 | ||||||
| How many go through CALS & CHE without having literacy training? | Is this part of Senior Survey or can we get it added? | 1 | |||||
| What do undergraduates know about libraries entering their first year | 1 | ||||||
| Effectiveness of instruction sessions | 1 | ||||||
| [How to] reach students at the right time with information literacy training (scaffolding) | 1 | ||||||
| What do faculty see as the role of the library as developing research skills? | 1 | ||||||
| % of students who get discouraged and turned off by website | 1 | ||||||
| What e-resources are being used most, by what user groups (faculty/staff/etc) and from where (campus, Geneva, off campus Ithaca) | 1 | ||||||
| How our virtual exhibits are being used | 1 | ||||||
| What draws students to the library besides study spaces? | 1 | ||||||
| For those not coming into the physical spaces, why are they not coming in? | 1 | ||||||
| Which departments are receptive to liaison efforts and why? Effectiveness of library liaison model? | 1 | ||||||
| What are the top 5 value propositions of institutional repositories for faculty? | 1 | ||||||
| % of students we are reaching with instruction w/CALS & CHE (undergrads and grads) | 2 | ||||||
| Are faculty concerned about what appears to be a decline in use of printed monographs vs. electronic resources? | 2 | ||||||
| Do students understand why not Google? | 2 | ||||||
| Where else are students finding information? Where do they start? Google only? | 2 | ||||||
| What types of engagement activities would undergrads like to have in the library? | 2 | ||||||
| What software applications are students using to work together and communicate? | 2 | ||||||
| How are students using multimedia software in their class projects? | 2 | ||||||
| Unmet needs? What are key needs of incoming undergraduate and graduate students? | 2 | ||||||
| Who is using our digital collections? Demographics of e-resource use? E-resource use over wifi? | 2 | ||||||
| Who is using the library? (spot check? card swipe as in urban libraries though not sure we need this?) Gender breakdown in the use of the library (possible effects on spaces, services, marketing)? | 2 | ||||||
| How do we best reach local community with news of our events and exhibits and other land grant services? | 2 | ||||||
| What are faculty opinions/beliefs about open access? | 2 | ||||||
| How important are alternative metrics/altmetrics of scholarly impact? | 2 | ||||||
| Why are our desktops so popular (community [NY state] use vs. student use])? Desktop use compared with open use of our study spaces? | 2 | ||||||
| Why are students using our 24/5 study spaces? And those that are using it, why? | 2 | ||||||
| Can you share any insights for improving Mann Library furniture and layouts? | 1 | ||||||
| What improvements do you recommend to support learning-centered, collaborative, and social learning environments? What is missing? | 1 | ||||||
| Do you like to use workstations with movable walls? | 2 | ||||||
| How do you rate the lighting in the library? | 1 | ||||||
| How can we optimize our spaces to support engaged learning? | 1 | ||||||
| Ergonomic and comfortable furniture is critical for student focus and attention. Do you have any recommendations? | 1 | ||||||
| What is the primary reason you use Mann Library spaces? (a quiet place the study, work, read, write? A convenient location for group study, team projects? Is it a place to recharge or relax between classes?) | 1 | ||||||
| How often do you use Library spaces? (less than 3 hours per week, 3-5 hours per week, 5-8 hours per week, 8-10 hours per week, 10-15, 15-20, etc.) | 1 | ||||||
| What do you recommend for technology driven spaces? | 1 | ||||||
| What can we do to improve our workstations and study rooms? Please include any furniture ideas that might help. | 1 | ||||||
| Are there any recurring problems that you have experienced with your study area or with the services we provide? | 1 | ||||||
| Do users want to know spaces available (know ahead whether there will be a space) | 2 | ||||||
| 2nd floor renovation: satisfaction survey but also assessment of effect on student learning outcomes (as per ELI workshop); length of time in space, conduciveness to focus and quiet study, & other student success measures (self report); do first run before Feb 6 floor clearing | 1 | ||||||
| Which names do students use to identify places to check out, ask questions, print or get tech help etc? (Signage survey) | 1 | ||||||
| Crestron Air media testing 1st full week of classes (Usability and surveys-staff and students Jan 28 or 29); | 1 | ||||||
| PC docking station (comment cards in 2nd flr back half) | 1 | ||||||
Apple TV on mobile stand on 2nd floor (surveys) | 2 | ||||||
Interview room comment card by mid-spring semester | 1 | ||||||
| How many students are using our reserveable rooms? For how long in general? Which spaces are most popular and when? | 2 | ||||||
What collaborative tools and processes are they already using (generally and in the Bissett Space in particular)? Which apps are they using for project management, tools used in club activities? For faculty: assessment of faculty on collaborative projects | CIT collaborative tools survey-see if they published a report or if we can see the aggregated data. Anecdotally we see them using laptops (ours and their own), sometimes (less often?) whiteboards and LCD screens. We also know they have Google Docs suite but don't know how much they are using it. | What are students doing to collaborate currently? How can the library support students' use of existing tools and process? What are their favorite tools? How much are students using tools like the Google suite, Confluence wiki, etc? | what tools and processes they currently use and how much they are using things like Google Docs, wiki, Dropbox, 3rd party things like Doodle, Evernote, etc | 2 | Students (UG & GR); faculty | Survey and focus groups for students; Faculty: Focus groups with committees and flash interviews | When you need to do group study or a project, how do you go about it generally and what tools do you use (Word, PowerPoint, Confluence wiki, Google docs, etc)? |
What do they need that they don't have or what problems do they encounter (generally and in the Bissett Space in particular)? What do you want to do in this space that you can't do (legally and academically)? What kinds of spaces do they feel are missing? | Any circ or Count it data on FAQs? | What problems are students encountering in collaborative research and study? | What problems are students encountering in collaborative research study? | 2 | Students (UG & GR); circulation and Stone Ops workers | Survey and focus groups; space design exercise | What problems or challenges have you encountered when you're doing group study or research generally? In the Bissett Space? What kinds of tools, spaces, or help have you needed that haven't been available in this space? Generally? |
How much use does the space get and when? Who are the people using the library spaces (particularly the Bissett Space) and what are their demographics? What kind of work are they doing in the space? Are you working individually? On the same project? What kinds of group projects are they doing and for which classes? How large is your typical group? When are they working/studying together and why? In what configurations (mostly group? individual? how many?)? | Any circ data? Look at old DEA class survey and observational studies (though may have changed). | Are there hours that need more staffing and supervision or that we can use space for class or consultation activities? | During which hours is the space used most? By whom? For what kinds of activities-individual or collaborative? | 2 | Students (UG & GR); circulation and Stone Ops workers | Survey and focus groups; observations | What's your major, college, year in school? What places have you used to work or study in groups? How often have you used the Bissett Space? When have you usually used it? What kinds of work are you usually doing in the Bissett Space-individual or group-and how often? If you have used it for group work or study, what kinds of projects have you worked on? |
How do they like to collaborate or how would they like to collaborate in an ideal world? | N/A | What tools and services do we need to implement that we don't have already? | what would an ideal collaborative space do for students? | 3 | Students (UG & GR) | Survey and focus groups; space design exercise | If you could design your ideal environment (physical and virtual) for working or studying with others, what would it contain? |
What kind of space or environment do they prefer (furniture, tools, noise level, light, color, etc)? What kinds of spaces do they gravitate toward and why? | DEA class study indicates preference for natural light/brighter spaces, more color, nature. Noise level and sound reflection can be problematic. Earlier issue on how to indicate talking aloud--still a problem? | Should we get different furniture for collaborative purposes? If so what kinds? Do they need additional whiteboards? What kind--static or interactive? Do they need software like Teamspot? | what kind of furniture students prefer for collaborative activities (booths, mobile chairs, LCD screens where they can seamlessly switch control between users or save digital annotations). | 1 | Students (UG & GR) | Survey and focus groups with model furniture/software | What kind of environment do you prefer for group study? What do like about the current Bissett Space? What don't you like about it? For survey in particular: Rate the Bissett Space on the following (Likert scale for comfort, lighting, noise level, furniture, eating and food policies, technology, etc.) |
Where would you go for help? What do you need help with? What services would help them? Are the instructions clear for technology? Is the signage clear? | Any Count It data or circ ?s | Should we have a service desk on the second floor? | What the help or supervision needs are on the second floor and during which hours is the demand highest | 2 | Students (UG & GR); circulation and Stone Ops workers | Survey and focus groups; observations | Have you ever needed help in the Bissett Space? If so, with what and where have you found help? (free answer) |
Are they using mobile devices for their research? If so, which ones and how and why? Do you want mobile technologies (use of your own or library's)? | N/A for Cornell (some national studies like ECAR and Project Info Lit can help inform) | Do we need to provide support for or actual technology for iPads and other tablets and mobile devices in Bissett? | if they have mobile devices, what kinds, and whether they use them for academic research or collaborative activities. If so, what kinds of help and support are student s needing. | 3 | Students (UG & GR); | Survey and focus groups; observations | Do you own a mobile device and if so what kind? If you have a mobile device, what do you use it for? Have you needed help with academic or collaborative work on your mobile device and if so, what kind? |
Would you use a public computer in this space? Use your own laptop or other devices? What technology would you like to see in here? Do you want a printer in the space? | Check laptop check out data (though no way to tell where in library laptop was used) | Do we need printers? Other peripherals or software? More laptop checkout? Mobile devices available? | if students have printing or other technology needs that space isn't providing. | 2 | Students (UG & GR); circulation and Stone Ops worker | Survey and focus groups; observations | What technologies have you used in the Bissett Space (your own or library-provided)? Have there been technologies you've wanted that have not been available and if so, what? |
Asking students who are studying individually (or together) why are you studying here? | N/A | Is the space being used more for individual or collaborative work and why? What attracts people to space? | numbers of people using space for individual v. collaborative work. why they choose the space v. other areas. | 2 | Students (UG & GR) | Survey and focus groups; observations | Why did you choose the Bissett Space to study in? |
Do you meet friends here? I'm going to be here in this space come meet me. How do you coordinate? | N/A (possible to examine sites like ScuttleHub?) | Is the space a meeting place for groups for study (or more social activity) and how do they coordinate (Facebook, email, Scuttlehub?). How can and should we make it easier for groups studying the same thing to meet and share? | how students coordinate. | 3 | Students (UG & GR) | Survey and focus groups | Do you meet friends here? If so, for academic or social purposes or both? How do you coordinate? |
What do you think this space is for? What would you like it to be for? What would best way to define space--understand boundaries of room and what it does? Do you move the furniture? Would you like to move it other places? What signals whether or not you can reconfigure? Did you know about. . . . mobile furniture, etc.? | Anecdotally, furniture was moved more last semester | How much do people move furniture now? What affordances make it clear that space is reconfigurable and encourage that use (signage, type of furniture)? Should we increase signage and other info about what the space is for? | amount of movement in room (and travel to other areas). how students know they can move things, talk and collaborate. | 2 | Students (UG & GR) | Survey and focus groups; observations; space design exercise; space mapping or photo diary of space | What do you think this space is for? What would you like it to be for? |
How did you hear about this space? How would be best to reach you? | N/A | Should we advertise the space and where? In the space itself what advertising should we have? | how they know about space and what channels they get info from. | 2 | Students (UG & GR) | Survey and focus groups | How did you hear about this space? How would be best to reach you? |
Would you like to see other people's projects? (exhibit of student projects) | N/A | Should we expand student exhibits into the space from gallery? Should we have a digital hub? | how much students want to see what others are working on. | 3 | Students (UG & GR) | Survey and focus groups | Would you like to be able to see what projects or topics other people are studying? Be able to connect with them online about their projects? |
Does supervision make a difference? | N/A | Should we have a service desk on the second floor? | What the help or supervision needs are on the second floor and during which hours is the demand highest | 3 | Students (UG & GR); circulation and Stone Ops workers | Survey and focus groups | Have you ever needed a staff member in the Bissett Space for help, troubleshooting, or assistance with other patrons? |