Introduction ESDS Qualidata

John SouthallESDS

Creating and delivering re-usable qualitative data24 June 2004

ESDS Qualidata

Qualitative data collections

• data from National Research Council (ESRC) individual and programme research grant awards

• data from ‘classic’ social science studies

• other funders/sources

• focus on DIGITAL Collections, but also facilitate paper-based archiving

Types of qualitative data

• diverse data types: in-depth interviews ; semi-structured interviews; focus groups; oral histories; mixed methods data; open-ended survey questions; case notes/records of meetings; diaries/ research diaries

• multimedia: audio, video, photos and text (most common is interview transcriptions)

• formats: digital, paper, analogue audio-visual

Classic datasets

• Peter Townsend – Poverty, old ageand Katherine Buildings

• Paul Thompson – oral history and Edwardians

• Ray Pahl – Hertfordshire Villages studies

• National Social Policy and Social Change Archive

Diverse uses for existing data

• enrich context description

• how was it really done documentation of methods– team ‘discussions’ about coding– what, exactly, is ‘semi-structured’?

• augment data you collect– historical comparative case– expand sample size

• datasets for teaching

Is it always re-usable?

• restrictions on secondary analysis

• accessible

• coherent

• format– medium– layout

• processing before delivery

Good archiving = good research

• thorough documentation

• well organised and labelled files

• major stages of research recorded

• consent, copyright and related issues clarified

Characteristics of a good archived research collection

• intellectual content

• extensive raw data created

• supporting documentation

• consent

• transcription

• identifiers removed

• listing

Intellectual content

• builds on previous research

• addresses new issues

• innovative approach to discipline

• innovative approach to qualitative methodology

Extensive raw data

• types of research data assembled

– in-depth interviews– focus groups– field notes/participant observation– case study notes

• images and sound recordings

• range of material – broad focus

Supporting documentation

• examples– funding application– description of methodology– communication with informants on confidentiality– coding schemes/themes– technical details of equipment – interview schedules– end of award report– documentation from CAQDAS software packages, e.g.

analytical memos– bibliographies, resulting publications

• anything that adds insight or aids understanding and re-use

Transcribing research 1

• integrated into the ongoing research

• full transcriptions or summaries

• avoid stockpiling

• costs and benefits– self transcription– internal team transcription– external transcription

Transcribing research 2

• budget

– estimated number of interviews x 4 hours x 60 minute tape x hourly salary

• examples of good and bad

• full transcriptions– consistent layout– speaker tags– line breaks– header with identifier other details – checked for errors

Identifiers removed

• confidentiality respected

• anonymisation?

• problems of anonymisation– applied too weakly– applied to strongly– timing – potential for distortion– examples

• user undertakings

• appropriate and sympathetic

Listing research

• contents

• key elements– general– specific to project

• template approach

• point of entry

Conclusion: Re-usable research

• widely disseminated and accessible

• suitable formats for use and preservation

• coherent data and methodology

• appropriate for CAQDAS packages