School of Information and Library Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Introduction

Session 1, January 8: Frameworks, models, and theories; Scope of this course

• Jaccard, J., & Jacoby, J. (2010). Reading and writing about theories (Chapter 12). In Theory Construction and Model-Building Skills: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists. New York: Guilford Press, 331-346. (Read only pages 331-337.) [SILS Reserve - H62 .J29 2010; copy in Sakai resources]
  • This part of this chapter provides some guidance on how to read about theories in two distinct styles of research, one that emphasizes hypothesis/theory testing and one that emphasizes grounded/emergent theory. This should be a review, so you can skim it quickly.
• Jaccard, J., & Jacoby, J. (2010). The nature of understanding (Chapter 2). In Theory Construction and Model-Building Skills: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists. New York: Guilford Press, 6-21 [SILS Reserve - H62 .J29 2010; copy in Sakai resources]
  • This chapter is probably the most important reading for today's class session. It introduces the ideas of "concepts" and the relationships among them - the building blocks of any theory.
• Gregor, S. (2006). The nature of theory in information systems. MIS Quarterly, 30(3), 611-642. [UNC libraries]
  • This article follows up on the previous reading by categorizing theories based on the purposes that they can serve, with a focus on theories in the field of information systems (closely related to information science, with a number of overlapping theoretical underpinnings). It's a pretty long article, but read it through; you'll also want to return to it as we move through the semester.
• Poole, H.L. (1985). Introduction: A problem of long standing. In Theories of the Middle Range. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1-12. [SILS Reserve - Z669.7 .P66 1985; copy in Sakai resources]
  • Most of the theories that use in information and library science might be described as theories of the middle range. In the Poole book, skim through the first sections (about defining information science, p1-6) and focus more of your attention on the discussion of the role of theory in claims about information science being a science (p6-12).
• Additional readings of interest

Session 2, January 15: Scientific reasoning; The role of theory in science

• Jaccard, J., & Jacoby, J. (2010). Science as an approach to understanding (Chapter 3). In Theory Construction and Model-Building Skills: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists. New York: Guilford Press, 22-36 [Davis - H62 .J29 2010; copy in Sakai resources]
  • This textbook chapter provides an overview of many of the concepts you'll also read about in some of the original sources from Hempel, Popper, and Kuhn, as well as others.
• Popper, K. (1963). Science: Conjectures and refutations (Parts I-III). In Conjectures and Refutations. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 33-39.
  • Reprinted in Balashov, Y., & Rosenberg, A. (eds.) (2002). Philosophy of Science: Contemporary Readings. London: Routledge, 294-301. [Davis Library - Q175.3 .P49 2002; copy in Sakai resources]
  • The problem of induction, as discussed by Popper, is "whether inductive inferences are justified, or under what conditions". In the social sciences, where interpretive approaches often involve induction at some point in the process, this problem is particularly acute.
• Kuhn, T. (1962). Paradigms. In McErlean, J. (2000). Philosophies of Science: From Foundations to Contemporary Issues. Wadsworth, 159-165. [SILS Reserve - Q175 .M4167 2000; copy in Sakai resources]
  • An excerpt from Kuhn's book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1961). In "normal" science, new discoveries build very directly on previous discoveries and theories. Kuhn is most known for his work on scientific revolutions, or paradigm shifts (as discussed at length in his book). This brief excerpt will give you a flavor of his thinking on this topic, and we'll consider whether ILS has experienced any paradigm shifts during its relatively short history.
• Additional readings of interest

Applying a Theory in a Particular Study

Session 3, January 22: Dangers and pitfalls when applying an existing theory

• Sutton, R.I., & Staw, B.M. (1995). What theory is not. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40, 371-384. [UNC libraries]
• Weick, K.E. (1995). What theory is not, theorizing is. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40, 385-390. [UNC libraries]
• DiMaggio, P.J. (1995). Comments on "What theory is not". Administrative Science Quarterly, 40, 391-397. [UNC libraries]
  • These three articles are a conversation among the authors, about what theory is and what theory is not. Sutton and Staw provide examples of abstractions that some might consider to be theory, but they do not. Weick sees these as "approximations" of theory, and urges us to focus on the process of theorizing. Dimaggio goes on to identify three things to consider when theorizing. While from the field of information systems (in business), these authors' ideas apply equally well to information science theory.
• Truex, D., Holmstrom, J., & Keil, M. (2006). Theorizing in information systems research: A reflexive analysis of the adaptation of theory in information systems research. Journal of the AIS, 7(12), 797-821. [UNC libraries]
  • This article moves us directly into this first section of the course, where we'll focus on applying existing theories in new empirical studies. They propose some best practices for this type of endeavor.
• Rogers, E.M. (1983). Diffusion of Innovations. 3rd edition. Free Press. [Davis Library - HM101 .R57 1983]
  • Chapter 5, The innovation-decision process [copy in Sakai resources]
  • Chapter 10, Innovation in organizations [copy in Sakai resources]
  • We'll spend the second half of this session on an example of a theory that has often been applied in information and library science studies: diffusion theory, originally developed by Everett Rogers. To get a general sense of the theory itself, skim these two chapters of his book, paying special attention to Figure 5-1 and Table 10-1.
• Chatman, E.A. (1986). Diffusion theory: A review and test of a conceptual model in information diffusion. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 37(6), 377-386. (Skim.) [UNC libraries]
• Marshall, J.G. (1990). Diffusion of innovation theory and end-user searching. Library & Information Science Research, 12(1), 55-69. (Skim.) [SILS Library; copy in Sakai resources]
• Wildemuth, B.M. (1992). An empirically grounded model of the adoption of intellectual technologies. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 43(3), 210-224. (Skim.) [UNC libraries]
  • These three studies all drew/built on diffusion theory in some way. Look at each study's findings. Consider what the study contributed to the development of diffusion theory.
• Additional readings of interest

• Examples of information science theories
• Examples of theories from other disciplines
• Brief description of theory of interest due

Session 4, January 29: Applying existing theories

• Medium theory (Sarah Beth)
  • Carr, N. (2011). The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1-4. [Undergrad, Science Library Annex, Park Library - QP360 .C3667 2010; copy in Sakai resources]
  • McLuhan, M., & Fiore, Q. (2001). The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects. Madera, CA: Ginko Press, 26-27, 156-157. [SILS - P90 .M258 2001; copy in Sakai resources]
  • Medium theory. (2014). In Chandler, D., & Munday, R., (eds.), A Dictionary of Media and Communication. Oxford University Press. [Available from UNC libraries: http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199568758.001.0001/acref-9780199568758 - navigate to entry on Medium theory.]
  • Meyrowitz, J. (1985). No Sense of Place: The Impact of Electronic Media on Social Behavior. New York: Oxford University Press, 16-23. [SILS, Davis, Undergrad, Park Library - HM258 .M49 1985; copy in Sakai resources]
  • Ong, W. (2002). Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. New York: Routledge, 172-174. [Davis, Undergrad - P35 .O5 2012; copy in Sakai resources]
• Social Cognitive Theory (Heather)
  • Omrod, J.E. (2012). Social cognitive theory. In Human Learning. Boston: Pearson, 111-140. [copy in Sakai resources]
    • Read section on Modeling, p119-127
  • Pritchard, A. (2009). Cognitive, constructivist learning. In Ways of Learning: Learning Theories and Learning Styles in the Classroom. 3rd ed. London: Routledge, 18-37. [copy in Sakai resources]
    • Read sections on Schema theory (p22-25), Social constructivism/Scaffolding (p25-27), and Metacognition (p29-32)
  • Zimmerman, D. (2004). Metasearching's teaching moments. Library Journal, 129(14), 54. [UNC libraries]
  • Baer, W., & Baer, W. (2004). Federated searching: Friend or foe? College & Research Libraries News, 65(9), 518. [UNC libraries]
  • Georgas, H. (2014). Google vs. the library (part II): Student search patterns and behaviors when using Gogle and a federated search tool. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 14(4), 503-532. [UNC libraries]
    • Focus on the Abstract, Introduction, and Conclusion
• Framework for the user-centric evaluation of recommender systems (Sandeep)
  • Knijnenburg, B.P., Willemsen, M. C., Gantner, Z., Soncu, H., & Newell, C. (2012). Explaining the user experience of recommender systems. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 22(4-5), 441-504. [UNC libraries]
    • Read pages 441-456
  • Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425-478. [UNC libraries]
    • Read pages 425-436

Session 5, February 5: Applying existing theories, continued

• Shift to postmodern perspective in archival sciences (Zekun)
  • Cook, T. (2001). Archival science and postmodernism: new formulations for old concepts. Archival Science, 1(1), 3-24. [UNC libraries]
    • Read p5-21, Postmodernism and archival science
  • Cook, T. (2013). Evidence, memory, identity, and community: four shifting archival paradigms. Archival Science, 13(2-3), 95-120. [UNC libraries]
    • Read p109-113, Identity: postmodern archiving—the mediator-archivist shapes the societal archive
• Cognitive apprenticeship; Project-based learning (Debbie)
  • Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18(1), 32-42. [copy in Sakai resources]
    • An intro to situated cognition and the inception of cognitive apprenticeship by the founders. Read entire article
  • Collins A. (2006). Cognitive Apprenticeship. In Sawyer, R. K. (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences. New York: Cambridge University Press, Chapter 4 (p47-60). [UNC libraries; copy in Sakai resources]
    • Skim first page and glance at Table 4.1 for overview of CA constructs, methods and premises
  • Five keys to rigorous project-based learning. (2014, June 25). Edutopia. Video (6:30 minutes). http://www.edutopia.org/video/five-keys-rigorous-project-based-learning
  • Additional optional readings
• Cognitive authority and second-hand knowledge (Heejun)
  • Wilson, P. (1983). Cognitive authority. In Second-Hand Knowledge: An Inquiry into Cognitive Authority. London, England: Greenwood Press, 13-37. [copy in Sakai resources]
    • Read p13-18 (the first two sections) and p26-30 (Expertise and Authority)
  • Rieh, S. Y. (2002). Judgment of information quality and cognitive authority in the Web. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53(2), 145-161. [UNC libraries]
    • Read the Introduction and Conceptual Framework sections, plus Table 1
  • Rieh, S. Y. (2005). Cognitive authority. In Fisher, K. E., Erdelez, S., & McKechnie, L. (Eds.). (2005). Theories of Information Behavior (83-87). Information Today, Inc. [Online; copy in Sakai resources]
    • Read the entirety of this short chapter

Session 6, February 12: Applying existing theories, continued; Discussion of plans for paper

• Information use environments (Thu-Mai)
  • Taylor, R. S. (1986). Value-added processes in information systems. Norwood, NJ: Greenwood Publishing Group. [SILS - Z699 .T33 1986; copy of relevant section in Sakai resources]
    • Read section on information use environments, p35-47
  • Rosenbaum, H. (1993). Information use environments and structuration: Towards an integration of Taylor and Giddens. Proceedings of the 56th ASIS Annual Meeting, 30, 235-245. [SILS - Z1008 .Z4616; copy in Sakai resources]
• Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Sami)
  • Ajzen, I. (2012). Martin Fishbein's legacy: The reasoned action approach. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 640(1), 11-27. [UNC libraries]
  • Fisher, W.A., Kohut, T., Salisbury, C.M.A., & Salvadori, M.I. (2013). Understanding human papillomavirus vaccination intentions: Comparative utility of the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Theory of Planned Behavior in vaccine target age women and men. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10, 2455-2464. [UNC libraries]
• Information-based ideation (Leslie)
  • Information-based ideation. Interface Ecology Lab, Texas A&M University. http://ecologylab.net/research/informationBasedIdeation.html.
  • Kerne, A., Webb, A.M., Smith, S.M., Linder, R., Lupfer, N., Qu, Y., Moeller, J., & Damaraju, S. (2014). Using metrics of curation to evaluate information-based ideation. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 21(3), Article 14. [UNC libraries]
    • Read p1-10 and the Conclusion on p41-42.
  • Choose one of these two empirical articles to read; read the abstract and skim the body of the other
    • Linder, R., Snodgrass, C., & Kerne, A. (2014). Everyday ideation: All of my ideas are on Pinterest. CHI '14: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2411-2420. [UNC libraries]
    • Laing, S., & Masoodian, M. (Early view, 2014). A study of the role of visual information in supporting ideation in graphic design. Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology. [UNC libraries]
  • Additional optional reading
• Jaccard, J., & Jacoby, J. (2010). Reading and writing about theories (Chapter 12). In Theory Construction and Model-Building Skills: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists. New York: Guilford Press, 331-346. (Read only pages 337-345.) [Davis - H62 .J29 2010; copy in Sakai resources].

• Annotated bibliography due

February 19, NO CLASS

• Paper outline due

February 26: Class cancelled due to snow

Session 7, March 5: Testing/validating a theory

• Vakkari, P., & Kuokkanen, M. (1997). Theory growth in information science: Applications of the theory of science to a theory of information seeking. Journal of Documentation, 53(5), 497-519. [UNC libraries]
  • Using an example theory of information seeking, Vakkari and Kuokkanen show how the theory can be refuted, expanded, or enriched: three different ways to contribute to its development.
• Lakatos, I. (1970). Falsification and the methodology of scientific research programmes. In Lakatos, I., & Musgrave, A. (eds.), Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge. Cambridge University Press, 173-177. Reprinted in Delanty, G., & Strydom, P. (eds.), Philosophies of Social Science: The Classic and Contemporary Readings. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press, 78-80. [SILS Library - H61.15 .P48 2003; copy in Sakai resources]
• Two examples of theory validation (Read ONE; we'll briefly discuss both)
  • Fisher, K. E., Durrance, J. C., & Hinton, M. B. (2004). Information grounds and the use of need-based services by immigrants in Queens, New York: A context based, outcome evaluation approach. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 55(8), 754-766. [UNC libraries]
  • Hyldegard, J. (2006). Collaborative information behaviour -- Exploring Kuhlthau's Information Search Process model in a group-based educational setting. Information Processing & Management, 42(1), 276-298. [UNC libraries]
• Two examples of experimental theory testing (Read ONE; we'll briefly discuss both)
  • Harrison, A.W., Rainer, R.K., Jr., Hochwarter, W.A., & Thompson, K.R. (1997). Testing the self-efficacy - performance linkage of social-cognitive theory. Journal of Social Psychology, 137(1), 79-87. [UNC libraries]
  • Sundar, S.S., Knobloch-Westerwick, S., & Hastall, M.R. (2007). News cues: Information scent and cognitive heuristics. Journal of the American Society for Information Science & Technology, 58(3), 366-378. [UNC libraries]

March 12, Spring Break: No class meeting

Development of Grounded Theory

Session 8, March 19: Inducing theory from observation

• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications. [Textbook]
  • Chapter 1, An invitation to grounded theory, p1-21
    • Charmaz provides a general overview of grounded theory methods, and also tells you what will be covered in the book.
• Creswell, J.W. (2007). Five qualitative approaches to inquiry. In Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 53-84. [copy in Sakai resources]
  • All five of these approaches have been used in ILS research. This chapter provides a useful comparison between them, to help you distinguish grounded theory approaches from the others.
• Additional readings of interest
• Examples of grounded theory studies in LIS

Session 9, March 26: Data collection

• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications. [Textbook]
  • Chapter 2, Gathering rich data, p22-54
  • Chapter 3, Crafting and conducting intensive interviews, p55-82
  • Chapter 4, Interviewing in grounded theory studies, p83-108
    • Charmaz covers several different data gathering methods (e.g., ethnographic methods, textual analysis) in Chapter 2, then goes on to discuss interviewing in more detail in Chapters 3 and 4 since interviews are so commonly used in grounded theory studies. The data set we'll be working with in class relies primarily on interviews, with a few observation notes sprinkled in.
• Pezalla, A.E., Pettigrew, J., & Miller-Day, M. (2012). Researching the researcher-as-instrument: An exercise in interviewer self-reflexivity. Qualitative Research, 12(2), 165-185. [UNC libraries]
  • These three researchers collaborated on a project in which they each conducted interviews. They analyzed a subset of the interview transcripts reflexively, i.e., in terms of their interviewing styles. Their results allow us to see the many ways in which interviews can be effective.
• Coyne, I.T. (1997). Sampling in qualitative research; Purposeful and theoretical sampling; merging or clear boundaries? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 26(3), 623-630. [UNC libraries]
  • In this article, Coyne untangles purposeful sampling and theoretical sampling.
• Additional readings of interest

• Final paper due for analysis of existing theory (if secondary work)
• Description of phenomenon of interest and setting due

Session 10, March 30, 1:59-4:50, Room 14 (make-up session): Coding

• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications. [Textbook]
  • Chapter 5, The logic of grounded theory coding practices and initial coding, p109-137
  • Chapter 6, Focused coding and beyond, p138-161
    • Chapters 5-6 are a really nice overview of coding practices. She first discusses and gives advice on how to do initial coding, focused coding, axial coding, and theoretical coding. Then she goes on to discuss some of the problems you may encounter with coding. She provides a few paragraphs on the logic of transforming data into codes, but read the Kelle chapter, cited on the additional readings page, for a fuller discussion of how to move from your data to your theoretical concepts.
• Seidel, S., & Urquhart, C. (2013). On emergence and forcing in information systems grounded theory studies: The case of Strauss and Corbin. Journal of Information Technology, 28, 237-260. [UNC libraries]
  • By examing the way that axial coding is applied in information systems research, the authors developed some guidelines about how such coding can be applied while still allowing the findings to emerge from the data.
• Additional readings of interest

Session 11, April 2: Memo Writing

• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications. [Textbook]
  • Chapter 7, Memo-writing, p162-191
    • Chapter 7 provides a number of examples of memos that Charmaz and others have written in their work, as well as tips on the memo-writing process. Very practical.
• Additional readings of interest

• Final paper due for analysis of existing theory (if primary work)

Session 12, April 9: Guest speaker; Theoretical sampling; Ensuring the trustworthiness of your findings

• Guest speaker at 2:00: Kaitlin Costello, Investigating information seeking and disclosure in online support groups for chronic kidney disease

• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications. [Textbook]
  • Chapter 8, Theoretical sampling, saturation, and sorting, p192-224
  • This chapter covers three topics, as its title indicates. Theoretical sampling is concerned with the augmentation of your initial sample, and is motivated by your data analysis. At some point, you need to stop collecting data; theoretical saturation is the guiding principle for that stopping decision. Throughout your analysis, you will need to sort and integrate your memos and data.
• Glaser, B.G., & Strauss, A. (1967). Insight and theory development (Chapter 11). In The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for qualitative Research. New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 251-257. [copy in Sakai resources]
• Additional readings of interest

• Draft introduction and literature review due

Session 13, April 16: Constructing grounded theory; Presentations

• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications. [Textbook]
  • Chapter 9, Reconstructing theorizing in grounded theory studies, p225-260
  • Chapter 11, Writing the draft, p285-318
  • Chapter 12, Reflecting on the research process, p319-340
    • Charmaz sees the writing of your draft as an extension of your data analysis activities. In this chapter (on writing), she includes discussions of the construction of your argument, re-examining your conceptual categories, incorporation of the "disputed" literature review, and actually writing the theoretical framework.
• Quinlan, K.M. (2013). Writing the first person singular. Qualitative Inquiry, 19(5), 405. [UNC libraries]
  • This short poem explores the boundaries of the ways in which we can express important concepts, if we "start with 'I'".
• Crang, M. (2003). Telling materials. In Pryke, M., Rose, G., & Shatmore, S. (eds.), Using Social Theory. London: Sage, 127-144. [copy in Sakai resources]
  • Crang takes a very down-to-earth approach to analyzing qualitative data, seeing it as building theory (of most interest for us), disciplining the material, assemblage (ideas as montage), or as making narratives and coherent stories.
• Additional readings of interest

• Brief oral presentations for seminar participants' study proposal: Leslie, Thu-Mai, Heather, Sarah Beth, Chetna

Session 14, April 23: Guest speaker; Presentations

• Guest speaker at 2:00: Lynn Westbrook, University of Texas, Austin
  • Private crises/public responses: A model of actors, relationships, and information engagement. Paper presented at the ASIST 2013 Annual Meeting. [copy in Sakai resources]

• Brief oral presentations for seminar participants' study proposals: Sandeep, Heejun, Debbie, Sami, Hekun

• Preliminary plan for data collection and analysis due

Monday, May 4, Noon (Final exam period)

• Proposal due

Syllabus / Schedule / Assignments / Sakai class site

The INLS 887 website, UNC-CH, 2011, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Address all comments and questions to Barbara M. Wildemuth at wildemuth@unc.edu. This page was last modified on April 15, 2015, by Barbara M. Wildemuth.