Information Systems Research - Recently Updated Pages

What do I do now?

Alison-Ruth — Sat, 19 May 2007 20:29:37 CDT

First of all, create your account, using the buttons to the right.

Once you have an account, join this wiki.

You can add your name to the Members listing and to the Contributors listing. These are are basically the same kind of information on different pages. You may want to be just a member, but you may also want to contribute. That is for you to decide. We need more members and more contributors.

You can also update your profile. If you've added information to the above pages, there will be a link to your profile at the bottom of the page (Latest page update: made by [insert your name here]). Updating your profile establishes your presence here, so other people can get to know you.

Now would be a good time to create a page about your favourite theory, method, or software. Click on the link to Theory, Method or Software and see if there is a page already started and go there to add some information. If there isn't, click the EasyEdit button above, then add a link in an appropriate spot. The EasyEdit Toolbar will allow you to make changes. Once you've created the link, the software will make the page for you to edit. And away you go!

Check back to the Wiki frequently. We'll eventually have a good place to branch out to other resources.

Have fun!

ISR Main Page

Alison-Ruth — Sat, 19 May 2007 20:28:05 CDT

Welcome to Collaboration Central for Information Systems Research

Here you will find information about research into Information Systems. Please browse the navigation to the left and add to the areas of your interest:

Qualitative Methods
Theoretical approaches
Software tools
Intellectual Traditions

Why have a wiki for ISR?

Wikis generally allow collaboration and shared understandings of concepts to be developed. This is the simple form of our statement of purpose.

Who's here?

Notes:

This is a community of interaction for research into information systems.
There is a policy of real names attached to all pages.
Similar to Wikipedia, it has a policy of Neutral Points of View. ALL view points are equally valid.
Original Research should not be published here, although reference to upcoming journals and articles will be accepted and indeed is useful to the development of the site.
Please read the Notes for contributors.

Our Purpose

Alison-Ruth — Sat, 19 May 2007 20:27:27 CDT

Our purpose for using a wiki is many-fold. Please add things that we can do here. What would you like to get out of a site like this.

This wiki is to develop a shared understanding of Information Systems Research. Contributions are welcomed from any individual undertaking research in any area related to information systems.
Wikis allow collaboration and shared understandings of concepts to be developed. This means that each individual can contribute within their level of knowledge and, through interacting with other individuals within this site, develop their knowledge of research processes to a deeper level.
To provide information for new researchers.
...

Software

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:44:09 CDT

Many software applications have been developed during the last few decades.

Leximancer

Leximancer is a software tool that enables users to find meaning from text-based documents. It automatically identifies key themes, concepts and ideas from unstructured text with little or no guidance. There is a trail version on the Leximancer website.

Concept Mapping

Concept mapping is a tool deveoped by Jospen Novak. This is a dynamic tool that not only allows you to develop a concept map, but also to link word documents, other concept maps and electronic sources, making it an exceptionally powerful tool. This tool is available free from the Institute for Human and Machine Centre.

NUD*IST
NVivo
Atlas-Ti
etc,

Each software needs a small description on this page with a link to a more in depth discussion concerning the topic. All participants may contribute including those using particular software in current research.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

Leximancer

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:41:45 CDT

Leximancer is a cross-platform program that allows the analysis of key terms within texts. As such, it is a form of discourse analysis.

Below is an example of a concept map as provided by Leximancer

The innovative concept map allows users to interact with the analysis – navigating the true meaning of the text.
Source: www.leximancer.com

There is also a demonstration of Leximancer that was part of the workshop held at QualIT2006.

Methods

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:38:42 CDT

The main forms of research into information systems include the following:

Method	Key concept	Examples
Document Analysis	Analysis of documents	Email, policies, documentation
Discourse Analysis	Analysis of text	Policies, discussion
Focus Groups	Small groups	User groups, students
Surveys	Specific questions	Open ended and closed questions
Ethnography	On site within organisation	Organisational studies
Usability studies	System specific	Learning systems
etc

(and others - list as appropriate)

Each method needs a small description on this page with a link to a more in depth discussion concerning the topic. All participants may contribute including those using particular techniques in current research.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

Theory

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:38:03 CDT

There are many theoretical frameworks which can be applied. These include:

Actor Network Theory

Socio-Technical Systems

Socio-cultural theory

Dramatism
Dramatism is based on the work of Kenneth Burke, a literary theorist. It uses five elements to analyse a situation, such as a narrative, an online classroom or an organisation.

Garbage Can Theory (yes it really exists)
etc.

Each Theory needs a small description on this page with a link to a more in depth discussion concerning the topic. All participants may contribute including those using particular theories in current research.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

UsabilityStudies

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:35:20 CDT

Usability studies attempt to determine the facility with which an individual may work with a system. The key issue how the user interacts with the system.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

Ethnography

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:33:29 CDT

Ethnography is essentially getting involved with the people doing the work. Ethnography attempts to understand processes from the inside.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

Surveys

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:32:12 CDT

Surveys are generally used to test the validity of preconceived ideas about how systems work. The survey may arise from concepts generated by Focus Groups or may test other aspects of the system. Surveys generally have both open and closed questions. Open questions allow participants to answer in their own words, while closed questions generally have specific answers. Closed questions consist of yes/no answers, Likert Scales, and frequencies and other pre-specified answers.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

FocusGroups

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:49:27 CDT

Focus Groups allow for investigation of particular stakeholders for IS. Focus groups are generally used in exploratory studies to determine the key concepts which need to be addressed either in the development of systems or the analysis of systems.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

DocumentAnalysis

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:46:21 CDT

Document Analysis in IS research relates to analysing documents including specifications of systems, user guides, discussion forums etc. The analysis of these documents provides insights into the ways in which the IS is framed and enacted.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

DiscourseAnalysis

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:42:04 CDT

Discourse analysis in IS research focuses on how the IS research is framed and what individuals mean when they state the purpose, use etc of the system.

Note: This page is a stub. Please correct any misconceptions or errors.

Links

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:01:33 CDT

Useful websites
Theories used in IS Research - http://www.istheory.yorku.ca/
Ethics Research Network - http://www.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/ern/wiki/

Bookmarking Sites
CiteULike (Academic Bookmarking Site) - http://www.citeulike.org

Useful journal articles
Palvia P, Pinjani P, Sibley EH, A profile of information systems research published in Information & Management, Information & Management, Vol. 44, No. 1. (January 2007), pp. 1-11 (View article online - may need subscription).

Contributors

Alison-Ruth — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 20:41:27 CST

Name	Affiliation	Contact Details	Interests
Alison Ruth	Griffith University Personal Website	a.ruth at griffith.edu.au	Wikis, IS, internet banking, e-learning, mediation, socio-cultural perspectives
Jenine Beekhuyzen
Heather Gray
A Imran
Antonio
Jyoti Bhattacharjya
M Reza

members

A_Imran — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:53:07 CST

This community arose from QualIT2006 conference.

List of members

Alison Ruth - Griffith University
Heather Gray - Griffith University
Jenine Beekhuyzen - Griffith University
Ahmed Imran - Australian National Universirty

Dramatism

Alison-Ruth — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 23:35:20 CST

The theoretical framework of dramatistism is derived from Burke’s (1969) Pentad. This framework allows attention on the act being undertaken, the scene where the act occurs, the agent responsible for the act, the agency through which the agent engages in the act, and the purpose for which the agent engages in the act.
As Burke notes, “both act and agent require scenes that ‘contain’ them” (p15). In this way, both act and agent can be partially defined by their presence in the scene. ... The distinction between forms of act that put the agent in the scene is necessary for a full analysis of the scene. Burke (1969 p16) notes the indeterminate nature of using an interaction (ratio) between the agent and the act in the following way

The scene-act and scene-agent ratios are in the fullest sense positive (or ‘positional’). But the relation between act and agent is not quite the same. The agent does not “contain” the act, though its results might be said to ‘pre-exist virtually’ within him. And the act does not ‘synecdochically share’ in the agent, though certain ways of acting may be said to induce corresponding moods or traits of character.

Excerpt from Ruth 2004, p58

NotesForContributors

Alison-Ruth — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:36:18 CST

Page creation

Pages can be created by inserting a link using the EasyEdit link at the top of each page (visible when logged in). Select the text for the link anchor and click on the Link button in the EasyEdit Toolbar. It is also possible to place the cursor in the desired place and, using the Link button, enter both the text for the link anchor and the name of a page. The third option is to use the Add a new page button on the left hand side of the page. This last option is less preferred as it may create a page with no anchoring link.

Editing pages

You can commence editing by clicking the EasyEdit Link at the top of each page. Page editing is via a WYSIWIG toolbar.

Personal Pages

Each contributor may create a page which lists their affiliation and research interests. As we develop as a community, we may develop processes which allow for more information to be added.

Editing Rules
#1 No pages will be written in first person, with the exception of personal pages (that is, the words 'I', 'me' and 'my' should not be used).
#2 Editing for grammatical correctness is acceptable, as is for correction of fact.
#3 Edit Notes allow for contributors to understand why pages were changed. Please use them. To see examples of editing notes see the complete history at the bottom of each page.