Presents a case study of a pilot test of usability testing with farm instructions for applying pesticides. Discusses adapting usability testing to the field setting; selecting a topic, usability testing sight, and participants; developing the usability scenario and securing institutional review board approval; conducting usability testing in the…

Outlines research basics for technical communicators collecting qualitative information in a workplace environment. Discusses: developing researchable questions from workplace experiences; searching existing literature for credible research reports; using observation, artifacts, and interviews as sources of information for answering workplace…

The process described in this manual is designed to help small academic libraries systematically study the use of their circulating book collections. Originally developed in 1980, the manual has been used successfully in several small college libraries, both with and without assistance from outside consultants. In most cases, the study can be…

This is a step-by-step guide to designing and conducting an assessment of the in-house use of periodicals in a library. It focuses on in-house use because libraries that allow their periodicals to circulate probably already have mechanisms to track circulation. The guide consists of an explanatory text followed by a checklist. The checklist…

Information on why readership surveys are valuable and on how to conduct them is presented, along with sample surveys used at a number of different institutions, and a questionnaire used by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education to measure the opinion of "CASE CURRENTS," readers. Guidelines for doing a mail survey outline…

This study demonstrated the use of self-recorded audiotape to collect data on students' perceptions, attitudes, and use of learning activities in written teaching texts. The process of asking students to respond to questions within the teaching text was straightforward and presented few problems in subsequent analysis. On several indicators…

A thorough understanding of the uses and applications of statistical techniques is integral in gaining support for library funding or new initiatives. This resource is designed to help practitioners develop and manipulate descriptive statistical information in evaluating library services, tracking and controlling limited resources, and analyzing…