Getting started with a content analysis: How to explore your discipline through evaluating Libguides

Abstract

A content analysis is a research tool that allows for the evaluation of texts in a way that presents themes, meanings, and relationships throughout the items. LibGuides, a content management system, serves as a platform for organizing library resources. Although LibGuides are widely adopted by academic libraries, the design, structure, and instructional strategies can differ. LibGuides are widely seen as a valuable teaching resource though their effectiveness in this role is often up for debate. One key consideration is whether these guides are user-centered, focusing on presenting lists of content or resources, or learner centered, emphasizing a more tutorial centered approach. One pervasive criticism of LibGuides is that they ultimately best serve the needs of librarians rather than the users they are supposedly intended to serve. By examining the pedagogical approach behind these guides we can identify areas where they can be better aligned to meet the needs of our students. We are performing a content analysis to identify current trends in engineering LibGuides at R1 institutions. This poster will focus on the aspects of setting up a content analysis. While we will focus on LibGuides, the content analysis methodology is applicable to a wide variety of texts.