Research

Update: Thank you for your interest in my study exploring LIS professionals’ experience of social media. The data for initial sampling phase has saturated. Therefore, I am no longer need to recruit more participants for initial sampling. 

 

Library and Information Science professionals’ experience of social media: A Grounded Theory study

QUT Ethics Approval Number: 1500000517

Research team contacts

Principal researcher

Bekti Mulatiningsih
Information Systems School, Science and Engineering Faculty, QUT
b.mulatiningsih@qut.edu.au

Associate researchers

Adjunct Professor Helen Partridge
Information Systems School, Science and Engineering Faculty, QUT
h.partridge@qut.edu.au

Dr Kate Davis
Information Systems School, Science and Engineering Faculty, QUT
kate.davis@qut.edu.au

 

What is the purpose of the research?
The purpose of this research is to investigate how Library and Information Science professionals use social media.

Are you looking for people like me?
The research team is looking for Library and Information Science professionals who reside in Australia and use social media regularly.

What will you ask me to do?
Your participation will involve two audio-recorded interviews, and online observation of your activities in social media.

First interview:
The first interview will take approximately 30 to 60 minutes of your time and will be audio recorded. This interview will focus on your experience of social media. This will be a semi-structured interview with one main question: Can you tell me how do you use social media? The interviewer may ask you probing and follow-up questions to allow you to elaborate on your responses. For example, Could you explain that further? Can you tell me more about that? and What do you mean by that?

Social media observation:
After the first interview you will be asked to take part in an online observation. With your permission, the principal researcher will ‘follow’ you or observe ‘updates’ from your preferred social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and any other channels you use regularly. The observation will take place for a period of two weeks.

Follow-up interview:
After the two-week observation period, you will be asked to participate in a second semi-structured interview to explore the findings from the observation. This will be an opportunity for you to further discuss your experience of social media. The interview will be audio recorded and will take approximately 30 minutes of your time.

Are there any risks for me in taking part?
The research team does not believe there are any risks beyond normal day-to-day living associated with your participation in this research.

Are there any benefits for me in taking part?
It is expected that this project will not benefit you directly. However, it may benefit Library and Information Studies education to inform the curriculum of Library and Information Studies education in Australia to support the education of future Library and Information Science professionals. The findings can also inform Library and Information Studies educators in refining the way they deliver the study to their students. For Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and other Library and Information Science professional associations, the findings of this research can inform them in refining their professional development training scheme. For Library and Information Science employers, the findings can help them in refining the policy of social media use at work. The findings will also provide insight into the different ways of Library and Information Science professionals using social media and may therefore help other Library and Information Science professionals to improve their social media practice.

Will I be compensated for my time?
No, but we would very much appreciate your participation in this research.

I am interested – what should I do next?
Read the participant information sheet for more information about the project. If you would like to participate, contact the principal researcher, Bekti Mulatiningsih at b.mulatiningsih@qut.edu.au to schedule your interview.