A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF QUESTIONNAIRE AND MIXED-METHOD RESEARCH IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the quality assessment of the questionnaire survey and the mixed methodology of the primary studies' in library and information science. Internet search strategies and meta-analyses were used to search the relevant literature in December 2023 based on the required word in the four databases. This study covered papers published during the years 2010–2023 on “use of electronic resource in medical libraries”. The PRISMA guidelines by Moher et al. (2009), a quality checklist for the questionnaire survey by Boynton and Greenhalgh (2004), and a quality checklist for mixed methodology by Mays et al. (2001) were applied. Results reveal that majority of the studies fulfill the quality assessment criteria about questionnaire survey; demonstrated clear research questions, questionnaires are understandable and used appropriate research design. The instrument covered all relevant aspects of the problem and used open-ended and closed-ended questions appropriately. Response rates have been given, coding and analysis were appropriate, and the presentation of results was good.  In contrast, some studies did not frame the sample size in terms of population, did not mention the justification of reliability and validity for their instrument, pilot testing, and no evidence of ‘data dredging respectively. The studies of Devi and Keshava (2020), and Habib et al., (2022) fulfill most of the quality assessment criteria designed for questionnaire surveys. In addition, a study by Brennan et al. (2014) covered the maximum parameters of the quality checklist for mixed methodology and got 19 out of 21. In Addition, majority of the studies were written by two authors and covered medical students, faculty, and doctors as a population. India was reported to have conducted the most studies, followed by Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, and the year 2014, followed by 2017, 2019, and 2016, was the year of the most study publications. This study helps the researcher (s) to structure research papers on the basis of standardized criteria for questionnaire surveys and mixed methodology. This study also benefits the journal editor(s) in developing assessment criteria for the article.