Survey research: We can do better

摘要

Survey research is a commonly employed methodology in library and information science and the most frequently used research technique in papers published in the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) [1]. Unfortunately, very few of the survey reports that the JMLA receives provide sufficiently sound evidence to qualify as full-length JMLA research papers. A great deal of effort often goes into such studies, and our profession really needs the kind of evidence that the authors of these studies hoped to provide. Fortunately, the problems in these studies are not all that difficult to resolve. However, the problems do have to be addressed at the outset, before the survey is sent to potential respondents. Once the survey has been administered, it is too late.