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sarah_mc
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I try to make data-driven decisions in my practice, and I appreciate EBLIP attempts to take librarianship research and publication beyond "this is how we did it at my library".
That said, I found David Berwick's commentary in the March 12 issue of JAMA, "The Science of Improvement," to be a very useful critique of the limitations of standard EBM methods, especially when they are used to study (essentially) social-science phenomena.
Berwick proposes four changes to standard EBM research approaches:
1) embracing a wider range of scientific methodologies;
2) reconsider thresholds for action on evidence (do p values always need to be below .05 to be "significant" when we aren't talking about life-or-death interventions?);
3) rethink views about trust and bias, because interventions proceed within the context of local culture;
4) and finally, academicians must remain respectful of clinical expertise and the drive toward innovation.
Complete citation:
JAMA. 2008 Mar 12;299(10):1182-4. The science of improvement. Berwick DM. PMID: 18334694
It's worth a read.
Thoughts on Evidence Based Librarianship: A Screed
Although I once belonged to the editorial board of the journal Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, I am beginning to doubt my allegiance. These days I find that "evidence based librarianship" is a concept that seems beyond reproach in theory, but--on closer inspection--is problemat...
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