Using progress logs to research the information behaviour of higher education students in prison

Abstract

Introduction. This short paper introduces 'progress logs', an adaptation of the solicited diary method, and details their planned use in a forthcoming study on the information behaviour of students in transition from prison to higher education. Development of the method. Progress logs are designed to capture individual-level qualitative data over a period of time, using prompts which build on previous prompts to generate rich data, allow opportunities for participant reflection and provide a narrative of progress. The study context. The suitability of this method for studying the behaviour of individuals in transition is evaluated. Details of the proposed study are provided, including consideration of sampling, recruitment and ethics. Application of the method. The application of the progress logs method to the study context is described, covering the duration, frequency of prompts and choice of topics. Strengths and limitations. The strengths and weaknesses of this method are evaluated. Despite sharing some of the drawbacks of the solicited diary method, progress logs also build on their advantages to build a narrative of change over time. Conclusions. It is concluded that progress logs offer a suitable means to gather in-depth data about individuals’ information behaviour, especially during transitions.