Reports on the results of the comparison made between a set of 430 articles published 1969-1971 and another set of 152 articles published in 1974. Overall findings indicate that while the amount of research reported is remaining stable, the methods have improved somewhat in 1974, as compared to earlier years. (Author)

This paper examines representative research in information science and compares its designs to an abstract ideal of the experimental research design. Threats to validity of conclusions are highlighted, including history, maturation, testing, instrumentation, statistical regression, selection biases, experimental mortality, and selection-maturation…

The approach of J. D. Sneed is used to argue for a distinction between theoretical and nontheoretical (or empirical) entities. Attention is directed toward this approach as an important facility for looking at statistics and for constructing a framework for the correct use of statistical theory in information retrieval experiments. (MBR)

This content analysis of library and information science (LIS) research from 1965 to 1985 was conducted to determine the distribution of topics in research articles and the research methodologies that have been used. Results indicated that information storage and retrieval was the most popular topic and that empirical strategies predominated. (20…