Design and process of a contextual study of information literacy: An Eisenhardt approach

Abstract This study demonstrates how case study research can be used to do a contextual and inductive study of information literacy (IL) and develop robust models of IL. First, it identifies several key characteristics of case study research as a qualified research methodology for studies that aim to build theories. Second, it rationalizes a need for case study research in the field of IL research. Drawing on that, it demonstrates how Eisenhardt's case study process was adopted to conduct a contextual study of IL and discusses the researcher's activities and tasks in each phase of the process. It uses the researcher's experience of the research journey to justify the validity and robustness of the research. This article contributes to current IL research methodologies and can be of value for LIS researchers and practitioners who wish to holistically gain deep insight into phenomena through case study research.

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