Search

Conducting research that has social impact is more than simply disseminating research when it is completed. It is more than looking at the influence research has on a research field or discipline. Conducting research that has social impact is a process of engaging communities in the research process and ensuring that the communities that take part in the research experience benefits. Socially impactful research is messy and challenging. It takes commitment from researchers to consider social impact and integrate practices into the entire research process from planning to collecting data, to communicating and implementing findings with communities. While this research is taking place within the field of information behavior/information practices, many of the ways this research is carried out are hidden. In this panel, four information behavior/information practice researchers will discuss research projects that have social impact and "pull back the curtain" on their approach to this research, what this means practically for carrying out this research, as well as how research findings are communicated and applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Information Science (IS), as well as other disciplines, discourse analysis has been used to extend the range of contextual data gathered using other research approaches. This form of textual analysis can enrich our understanding of complex information practices and contexts, particularly in relation to the ways that society and individuals construct understandings of various phenomena. However, not all discourse analysis approaches are the same; linguistic, Foucouldian, and psycho-social discourse analysis practices vary in their intent and their application. This panel will provide an overview of the discourse analysis methodology, including how the approach is conducted in various disciplines. By focusing on three projects by IS scholars that use discourse analysis, the range of data collection and analysis possibilities - including benefits and limitations of the approach - will be explored. The panel will also discuss how discourse analysis can be used in mixed methods studies, or with research participants engaged in other methods, to extend the research knowledge in the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]