Library Research Service

The Colorado State Library (CSL)’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Team (EDIT) is dedicated to raising awareness about EDI issues and spotlighting those values in Colorado’s cultural heritage profession. This guest post is the first in CSL’s new blog series that will regularly be posted on Colorado Virtual Library here. Twice a month, members of the LRS team will be looking at EDI research and how it applies to the library profession. We encourage you to visit the CVL website to learn more!  Using appropriate terminology is a vital part of being an effective communicator. Using inclusive language is a way of...

Bad Survey Questions – pt. 2 Don’t let those bad survey questions go unpunished. Last time we talked about leading and loaded questions, which can inadvertently manipulate survey respondents. This week we’ll cover three question types that can just be downright confusing to someone taking your survey! Let’s dig in.  Do you know what double-barreled questions are and how to avoid them? When we design surveys it’s because we’re really curious about something and want a lot of information! Sometimes that eagerness causes us to jam too much into a single question and we end up with a double-barreled question. Let’s look at...

In our last post, we talked about when you should use a survey and what kind of data you can get from different question types. This week, we’re going to cover two of the big survey question mistakes evaluators make and how to avoid them so you don’t end up with biased and incomplete data. In other words—all your hard work straight into the trash! Do you think a leading question is manipulative?  Including leading questions in a survey is a common mistake evaluators make. A leading question pushes a survey respondent to answer in a particular way by framing the question...

1. What is a survey? If you’ve ever responded to the U.S. Census, then you’ve taken a survey, which is simply a questionnaire that asks respondents to answer a set of questions. Surveys are a common way of collecting data because they efficiently reach a large number of people, are anonymous, and tend to be less expensive and time-intensive than other data collection methods. The purpose of surveys is to collect primarily quantitative data. Surveys can be administered online, by phone, by text, or in print.  2. Should I use a survey to collect data?  In our last post we talked about how...

You wouldn’t go hiking in a pair of dress shoes, right? Like the variety of shoes in your closet, there are a variety of data collection methods in all different shapes and sizes. The trick is finding which data collection method fits! Today’s post will help you determine which method is best for your evaluation. What are Data Collection Methods? Data collection is the process of gathering information from different sources with the goal of answering a specific question (your evaluation question). The method, or procedure, that you use to collect your data is your data collection method. Four common ones are:...

In our last post we introduced you to the dynamic data duo—quantitative (number) and qualitative (story) data. Like any good superhero squad, each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Quantitative data can usually be collected and analyzed quickly, but can’t really yield nuanced answers. Qualitative data is great at that! However, it often takes a lot of time and resources to collect qualitative data. So just like Batman and Robin, who balance out each other’s strengths and weaknesses when they’re together, both can also have successful solo careers. This post will walk you through a simple process to determine which...