A survey of attitudes of Canadian graduates in archival studies toward the roles of social science research in their profession
Creators: name: McCarthy, Jane Bowe
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2009

description: Social science research is a form of inquiry which is useful in expanding the knowledge-base of a profession, but one which is not normally associated with the archival profession. The purpose of this study is to examine social science research as it applies to the Canadian archival profession in general, and to archivists who have graduated from the Master of Archival Studies (MAS) degree program, at the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia. This study examines the attitudes of the first cadre of graduates of a degree program in archival studies in Canada towards the various roles that social science research plays in the development of their discipline and practice. A reading of the literature in the archival field reveals that social science research methods are infrequently employed by the profession in Canada, although there have been frequent calls for their adoption. Archivists are more familiar with and employ more often theoretical (deductive) and historical methods than empirical (inductive) methods. The study employs the methodology of a survey questionnaire to discover the training and application of social science research methodology that these graduates have experienced during their formal education and during their careers. All the respondents had either completed the MAS program or the course work towards the degree in the period, 1981-1994, and were working in the field at the time of the study. The study revealed that respondents support a research dimension for the field, although their support was inclusive of other types of research more common to the archival studies (theoretical, historical, scholarly, and archival), and not specifically directed to scientific research. 33% of respondents expressed an interest in learning about research methods, while 39% said that they were somewhat interested. There was also a correlation between those respondents who had taken a course in research methods and their knowledge of and support for this type of research in the archival profession. Likewise, there was also evidence to support that respondents without the knowledge of research methods were as confident in their ability to conduct a research project or assist on a research team led by someone else, as were their colleagues who had taken the course. The qualitative data yields evidence of at least a few scientific research projects being conducted in the archival workplace, particularly user or reference surveys and conservation surveys. The study concludes that there is a role for both pre-appointment and continuing education programs to foster greater understanding and use of social science methods in all facets of the profession's research endeavours. Social science research methods are not only applicable to archival studies, they are beneficial and necessary to the development of the Canadian archival profession. The thesis recommends that archivists should have, at the very least, an appreciation of research methods and a discerning eye for what constitutes good research.