Records analysis method is an indirect data collection technique used in library surveys, particularly for user studies and information use studies. Unlike direct methods such as questionnaires or interviews that question users, this method involves examining existing records to derive inferences about user behavior and information needs.
Categorization and Definition
The records analysis method is categorized as an "Indirect Method" for conducting user studies. It involves obtaining and analyzing written records or transcripts of communications, such as papers, statistics, or correspondence, to understand users. The sources identify two specific types of indirect methods that fall under this approach:
- Analysis of library records
- Citation analysis
Applications and Examples
The sources provide details on how these forms of records analysis are applied in library and information center surveys:
1. Analysis of Library Records
This involves examining the internal records generated by the library's own operations to understand how its resources are being used. A primary example is the analysis of circulation records to determine which books are borrowed and how frequently. By checking these records, librarians can identify patterns of use, such as which subjects are in high demand and which are not, which can inform procurement policies and weeding decisions. This method provides concrete data on the actual use of the collection without directly surveying the users.
2. Citation Analysis
This is a specific technique for conducting information use studies by analyzing the citations found in documents produced by a user group, such as research scholars or faculty members. The process involves:
- Exhaustively searching documents like theses, research papers, and monographs written by the target user group.
- Preparing entries for all the citations found in those publications.
- Arranging the citations by the type of document cited (e.g., periodical, book).
- Creating a ranked list of periodicals by counting how many times each title is cited. This list reveals which journals are used heavily, moderately, or sparingly by the user community.
This analysis of citation records provides valuable insights into the information-seeking behavior of researchers and helps libraries make informed decisions about journal subscriptions and collection development.
Institutionalized Records Analysis: Information Analysis Centres (IACs)
A more formal and sophisticated application of the records analysis method is embodied by Information Analysis Centres (IACs). An IAC is a specialized organizational unit established to acquire, select, store, retrieve, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize a body of information in a well-defined field.
- Purpose: The goal of an IAC is to compile, digest, and repackage information into forms that are most authoritative, timely, and useful for a specific community of users, such as scientists, engineers, and managers.
- Staffing: A key feature of an IAC is that it is operated by highly competent subject specialists—working scientists and engineers—who are not just librarians but also contribute to the science themselves.
- Activities and Products: The activities of an IAC are a clear demonstration of the records analysis method in action. These activities, and the products that result from them, include:
- Selection and collection of documents and information, leading to products like bibliographies and current awareness services.
- Abstracting and indexing, which produces indexed bibliographies and enables custom searches.
- Extraction of information to create descriptive reviews and unevaluated compilations.
- Evaluation, analysis, interpretation, and synthesis, which result in high-value products like critical reviews, state-of-the-art reports, critical data compilations, and solutions to immediate problems.
In essence, an IAC institutionalizes the process of records analysis, moving beyond simple data collection to create new, evaluated information products for a specialized audience.