Login

Publications  •  Project Statistics

Glossary  •  Schools  •  Disciplines
People Search: 
   
Title/Abstract Search: 

Dissertation Information for Kathleen M. Heim

NAME:
- Kathleen M. Heim

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA) (1980)

ADVISORS:
- James Krikelas

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Jack A. Clarke
- Richard D. Walker
- Halliman H. Winsborough
- Victor Lowell Hilts

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: SOCIAL SCIENCE DATA ARCHIVES: A USER STUDY

Abstract: The primary purposes of the study were to demonstrate that the changing methodological orientation of the social sciences has created a demand for a new information service, the data archive, to meet the research needs of social scientists, and to develop a descriptive investigation of data archive use in order to provide the emerging data archive profession with a basis for the development, refinement, and enhancement of quantitative services to the social sciences. The data archive is examined as it has developed over the last twenty-five years in response to needs articulated by quantitative social scientists. International efforts to build a data archive infrastructure are studied in order to understand the role of the international information community in the creation of a policy making body for data archive development. National level efforts in the United States are also investigated in order to demonstrate the problems that archive professionals have had in structuring a systematic response to the social sciences' need for statistical information. The review of the literature examines the small number of studies which have looked at isolated segments of the archive user community. The investigation conducted for this study was specifically designed to determine the user profile of a model archive of the general purpose, local-service type--the Data and Program Library Service (DPLS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. User records at DPLS for a ten year period (1967-1976) were analyzed to determine use of the collection, categories of use, sources and foci of the data used, longitudinal use of studies, and characteristics of users of studies of different types.

From this analysis the heaviest user groups were identified as graduate students in political science, sociology, economics, history, and rural sociology. Past users were identified and sent a questionnaire inquiring into their use of DPLS while students. User characteristics were identified in order to provide a picture of the model data archive user. Questions about current occupation found that seventy-five percent had continued to use quantitative data in their chosen area of work. Working use of archives was determined and strategies for identifying information about needed data determined. While formal sources of information were important, informal channels accounted for the most important method of gathering information about available data sets. General opinions about archives were solicited, and the sample indicated that there was a definite need for better linkages between traditional sources of information (libraries) and data archive facilities. Information about the actual use of data archives at DPLS was also generated and it was found that faculty was a crucial link in providing information about archives to new social scientists. Since this was the first study conducted into habits of users of data archives no hypotheses were offered at the outset of the study. The study generated hypotheses for further study which should enable future researchers to test variables important to data archive development.

MPACT Scores for Kathleen M. Heim

A = 0
C = 3
A+C = 3
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:16:54

Advisors and Advisees Graph