Don't Diss Research Methods!!!!

It took me a while to understand the purpose of taking Research Methods, however the more assignments I have to do for my other Information classes the more grateful I become for enrolling in INF1240. In my undergrad, I would always conduct my research using the same methods; mostly critically analyzing what other scholars had to say about my research topic. Luker's readings this week talked a lot of interviews and why they are helpful and how to properly conduct them. This was useful as for INF1300 I was required to interview someone who has never worked in a library. This was one of the toughest challenges as everyone I know has at some point in their lives worked in a library. The few people in my life that have not worked in libraries did not want to be interviewed as they think libraries to be "boring". This reminded me of why it is important to answer the "so what?" question. Luker mentions that interviewers need a "hook" and asking people to let me interview them because they are my friend and should therefore have a obligation to my library cause was not good enough. Finally, once someone agreed to be interviewed it was a difficult process as the person providing me with the information that I desperately needed seemed to have the 'upper hand'. I always believed that the interviewer would hold the power and this experience allowed me to see the interview power struggle in a different light, one that I would have never thought.