Subjects
information literacy research, problem-setting, reflective practices, community of practice
Document Type
Perspective
Abstract
In this inaugural “Research Matters” column, Merinda Kaye Hensley introduces problem-setting as an intentional research reflection process inspired by instructional design. This three-pronged approach invites librarians to examine their research agendas by surfacing prior knowledge, identifying bottlenecks, and creating an assumptions inventory. By interrogating what we think we know and where we struggle in doing research related to information literacy, problem-setting reframes our research processes as a generative, inquiry-driven practice. Drawing on an example from her own research agenda, investigating undergraduate researchers’ understandings of the publication process, Hensley demonstrates how reflective problem-setting can unstick thinking, sharpen questions and energize scholarly work within the academic librarian community.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/45006
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Hensley, M. K. (2026). Research Matters: Problem-Setting: A Research Reflection Process. Communications in Information Literacy, 20 (1), 169 – 183. Retrieved from https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/comminfolit/vol20/iss1/9