QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN INFORMATION STUDIES - A MALAWIAN STUDY

Quantitative methodology dominates the thinking of students planning d issertations and theses to such an extent that there is a comparative neglect of alternative approaches. The potential of qualitative approa ches to provide either an informed critique of quantitative data, or s tudies offering a much richer understanding of motivation and attitude s towards information, was tested during 1994 in a small qualitative s tudy in two Malawian rural communities. Flexible, open interview sched ules were devised for use with individuals and groups of information u sers and providers, and were tested in the field. The results of the f ieldwork both confirmed and questioned earlier quantitative studies, a nd made possible a firm recommendation to the Malawi National Library Service (the local sponsor of the research). It is argued that the pro ject is an effective model for practical, low-budget field research in information studies, showing that well-prepared investigators can mak e a worthwhile contribution to knowledge without automatically having to collect and process statistical data.