Research process

Below is a model of the research process based on Fox (1969). It is only one among many possible models and as such has to be compared with other models and to analyzed concerning its specific view of the process. It is seldom that literature use is explicitly included as an integrated part of the research process the way Fox's model does. Fox' model is first of all a model of quantitative research processes and should be supplemented with models of qualitative research processes, such as Designing Qualitative Research (Marshall & Rossman, 1989) which (p. 23) has a circular model that better demonstrates the mutual dependency of the stages.

The stage	Underlying dynamics	Outcomes
1. Initiating idea or need or problem area	Researcher's motivation Researcher's goals Researcher's interest and experience	Areas in literature to be reviewed. Suggestion of relevant universe to study
2. Initial review of literature	Researcher's need to become familiar with the literature	Frame of reference for research Assumptions which seem sensible
3. Defining the specific research problem	Researcher's competencies	Conceptual and functional definitions
4. Estimating the success potential of the contemplated research	Researcher's motivation Researcher's goals	Decision to abandon idea Decision to revise (go to stage 1) Decision to continue on (go to stage 5)
5. The second review of literature	Achieving through knowledge of problem area	Summary of results of previous research Ideas for data-gathering approach, method and instruments
6. Selecting the research approach	Researcher's orientation in time to past, present or future Researcher's intent to describe, compare or evaluate	Selection of research approach
7. Stating the hypotheses of the research	Researcher's experience Literature	Hypotheses and structure for data needed
8. Selecting the data-gathering methods and techniques	Type of data needed Criteria of research needs, cost, demand of respondents and needed skills	Selection of data-gathering method and techniques Specification of instruments needed
9. Selecting and developing data-gathering instruments	Needs of research problem Commitment to the adequacy of instruments	Instruments to be used
10 Developing the data-analysis plan	Demands on researcher's skills Needs of research problem Hypotheses	Descriptive statistics to be used Inferential statistics to be used Level of significance Layout of tables
11. Designing the data-gathering plan	Needs of research Needs of respondents Criteria of cost, personnel, and time Research approach	Data-gathering plan
12. Identifying the population and invited sample.	Needs of research Acceptance of research Realities of research setting Practical needs of researcher	Delineation of population Selection of method of sample selection Decision on sample size Identification of those to be invited to participate
13. Pilot studies of the data-gathering approach, method, instruments, and data analysis plan	Degree of standardization of data-gathering procedures Researcher's skills	Knowledge that everything works
14. Implementation of data-gathering plan
15. Implementation of data-analysis plan
16. Preparing search reports
17. Dissemination of findings and agitation for action

One of the researchers, who have investigated information seeking in research processes is Carol C. Kuhlthau (e.g., 1991).

I forskningsprocessen indgår dels "kreative" elementer, dels mere "færdighedsorienterede" elementer. Til de kreative elementer hører at "få en god idé", d.v.s. opstille frugtbare hypoteser. Til de færdighedsorienterede elementer hører f.eks. procedurer for indsamling af empiriske data, procedurer for statistisk afprøvning af hypoteser. Der kan naturligvis ikke opstilles et skarpt skel mellem kreativitet og færdighed. Der indgår også kreativitet i dataindsamlingen og i statistikken, og færdigheder er nødvendige for kreativiteten.

Det er en almindelig opfattelse (jfr, også Balvig, 1988) at den videnskabelige metodelitteratur og videnskabsteoretiske litteratur næsten udelukkende har beskæftiget sig med, hvordan man videnskabeligt kan bekræfte eller afkræfte at en hypotese er rigtig (d.v.s. den videnskabelige metodelitteratur vedr. især demonstrationslogikken), hvorimod den ikke i videre udstrækning har beskæftiget sig med opstillingen og formuleringen af hypoteser, d.v.s. med de overvejende kreative elementer. Dette forhold har medført en tilbøjelighed til at opfatte forskningsprocessen som en algoritme", procedure eller endog "fidus", og har bevirket en ophobning af trivielle data i faglitteraturen. Dette har igen bevirket, at nogle har vendt sig imod metodelæren som uhensigsmæssig for forskningsprocessen (jfr. *epistemologisk anarkisme).

Det er derfor vigtigt, at man i højere grad begynder at arbejde med forskningsprocessen i alle dens aspekter. Brugen af litteratur- og informationssøgning er naturligvis mere eller mindre relevant i alle faser af processen, men hænger især sammen med hvad vi her har kaldt processens kreative faser. En nærmere teoretisk belysning af informations- og litteratursøgningens rolle i forskningsprocessen hænger derfor snævert sammen med mulighederne for supplere forskningens "demonstrationslogik" med en "opdagelseslogik".

Forskningsprocessen tager almindeligvis udgangspunkt i et videnskabeligt problem (Jfr. *Problem/problematisk situation), hvilket hænger sammen med at videnskab og forskning er en samfundsmæssig institution, hvis funktion det er at løse fælles problemer.

According to Ingwersen (1992, p. 1-2) emerged information scientists by specializing in the provision of information for their fellow researchers in R&D institutes and industry. That demonstrates the centrality of the idea of information specialists as supporters of researchers and research-teams. The documented experiences in this field is very limited

Allwood, C. M. & Bärmark, J. (1999). The role of research problems in the process of research. Social Epistemology, 13(1), 59-83.

Balvig, F. (1988). Introduktion til den videnskabelige metode. København: Københavns Universitet, Kriminalistisk Institut. (mimeo.).

Finch, H. & North, C. (1991). The Research Process: The Library's Contribution in Times of Constraint. (British Library Research, Paper 95)

Fox, David J. (1969). The Research Process in Education. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Hjørland, B. (1992). Litteratursøgning som en kvantitativ og kvalitativ forskningsmetode IN: Klinisk psykologisk forskning. En indføring i metoder og problemstillinger. Redigeret af Nicole K. Rosenberg; Karen V. Mortensen; Esben Hougaard; Susanne Lunn & Alice Theilgaard. København: Dansk Psykologisk Forlag, 57-69).

Kuhlthau, C. C. (1991). The Process Approach to Bibliographic Instruction: An Examination of the Search Process in Preparation for Writing the Research Paper. IN: Judging the Validity of Information Sources: Teaching Critical Analysis in Bibliographic Instruction. Ed. by Linda Shirato. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Pierian Press, 7-14.

Marchall, C. & Rossman, G. B. (1989). Designing qualitative research. London: Sage.

Neway, J. M. (1985). Information Specialist as Team Player in the Research Process. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. (New Directions in Librarianship, Number 9).