Survey Methodology
- A checklist survey was developed containing
20 items divided into Four Categories.
Since items were subject to personal interpretation, a listing of
special criteria was developed to identify
why credit was or was not given for each of the items.
- The
instrument was a Web Form filled out
online for each site visited. The output from the form was e-mailed to a postbox account.
- The sites surveyed were selected from the Web document
Medical / Health Sciences Libraries on the Web maintained at the University of Iowa by Eric Rumsey.
- Each United States site on the alphabetical lists was attempted
between April 28th and May 12th 1996.
Methodology Notes:
- The Web client connection time out was set at 60 seconds. If a connection
failed, two additional attempts were made at different times before being
discarded.
- An attempt was made to use HospitalWeb for additional sites. This method was abandoned after 17 hospitals were searched only two libraries were identified.
- The absence of a checklist item may mean the library doesn't
even provide such a service (i.e. online catalog).
- A checklist item could also be inaccessable because there is restricted
access or it may be located behind a firewall.
- Since the design and structure of every Web site is different,
credit for a checklist item was given in most cases.
Return to: The Survey |
Agenda
Page URL: http://bones.med.ohio-state.edu/eric/mla96/methodology.html
Updated 6/3/96