This conceptual article considers data used in the humanities and the human sciences, which are fundamentally different from data in other disciplines, such as the sciences or medicine. Data in the humanities are, however, equally important to study and understand. Humanists and others studying human artifacts often face the dual challenge of both…

This study investigated how library and information science (LIS) scholars who used qualitative data explained and justified their methods. It analyzed research tasks mentioned in the methods sections of 151 peer-reviewed LIS studies published from 2011 to 2015 and in a survey of their authors. The study assumed that professors of LIS would…

Many academic librarians are interested in pursuing research studies that involve students, faculty, and other library patrons; these projects must be approved by an institutional review board (IRB). This article reviews federal requirements and regulations for human subjects research and explains the IRB application process. The author discusses…