THE USE AND MISUSE OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL METHODS IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION-SCIENCE RESEARCH

Qualitative methodologies are growing in importance for library and information science researchers. In this article, we note an unfortunate antiscientific bias in contemporary writings that proclaim the value of qualitative approaches for studying information problems. We critique such claims in terms of five key methodological concerns: (1) scientific versus nonscientific traditions; (2) the distinction between emic and etic perspectives; (3) the artificial divide between qualitative and quantitative techniques; (4) inductive versus deductive research strategies; and (5) the challenges of portraying real people in scientific reports. After evaluating a selection of published research on reference service performance, we conclude that library and information science investigators should turn to scientific ethnography to escape methodological impasses.