Doing Excellent Social Research with Documents Practical Examples and Guidance for Qualitative Researchers 1st edition by Aimee Grant 9781351709897 1351709895

1 Introduction: documents, documents everywhere

Summary

Is this book for me?

Documents, documents everywhere!

Exercise: considering your interaction with documents

Why there is a need for this book

Structure of the book

Outline of chapters

Section I: Documents found in isolation from their authors

Section II: Documents as an addition to existing qualitative research methods

Conclusion

Feedback is always welcome

2 How to do excellent research with documents: general principles

Summary

Key learning points

Documents and everyday life

So, what is a document?

How documents are created and used

Theorising the everyday use of documents: Actor Network Theory

Quality and bias within found documents

Quality and bias within researcher-influenced documents

Practical tips for your research with documents

Identifying a research topic and writing research questions

Selecting a sample

Time and financial considerations

Ethical concerns

Good data management

Analysis techniques

Disseminating your findings

Maximising impact

Conclusion

SECTION I Documents found in isolation from their authors

3 Traditional media: investigating the construction of societal norms

Summary

Key learning points

Background: news media, society and research

The print media

News as a data source, quality and bias

The media creation of moral panics

News media, prejudice and misreporting

News media as a (potential) agent of change

The continuing importance of the media in the digital age

London Riots case study

Context

Research design

Analysis technique: interpretive thematic analysis

London Riots case study: data analysis

Findings

Discussion

Challenges of undertaking research with news articles

Exercise: using thematic analysis

Instructions

Data

4 Historical and official documents: moving beyond simple interpretations

Summary

Key learning points

Background 1: historical documents

The use of historical documents in research

Quality and bias in historical documents

Background 2: contemporary official documents

The use of official documents in research

Quality and bias in official documents

Welfare reform case study

Context

Research design

Analysis technique: CDA

Welfare reform case study: data analysis

Discussion

Challenges in undertaking research with historical and official documents

Exercise: using CDA

Instructions

Data

5 Documents created by individuals: collection and analysis of multi-modal content

Summary

Key learning points

Background: individually created documents, understanding meaning and research

Offline documents, research, quality and bias

Online documents, research, quality and bias

Shisha and social media case study

Context

Research design

Analysis techniques: semiotic, thematic and content analysis

Discussion

Challenges of undertaking research using individually created documents

Exercise: using semiotic analysis

Instructions

Data

SECTION II Documents as an addition to existing qualitative research methods

6 Triangulation of findings from primary research: things we might not have otherwise been able to establish

Summary

Key learning points

Background 1: triangulation

What is triangulation?

Triangulation, social constructionism and validity

Triangulation and self-reported behaviours

Background 2: advertising, behaviour and research

How advertisers create ‘need’

The use of advertising documents in research

Quality and bias in advertising materials

The marketing of infant formula case study

Context

Study 1: The finding that needed triangulating

Study 2: Research design

Analysis technique: content analysis

Marketing of infant formula: data analysis

Discussion

Challenges of undertaking research using advertising materials

Exercise: using content analysis

Instructions

Data

7 Documents in ethnographic research: things we might not have been able to observe

Summary

Key learning points

Background: using documents within ethnographic enquiry

Ethnographic forms of data collection

Quality and bias when using documents in ethnographic research

Strengthening findings from ethnographic research studies

Observation, triangulation and social constructionism

The underuse of documents in ethnographic research

Constructions of health and welfare case study

Context

Research design

Analysis technique: framework analysis

Constructions of health and welfare: data analysis

Challenges of using documents within ethnographic research

Exercise: using framework analysis

Instructions

Data

8 Participant-created documents as an elicitation tool: things we might not have otherwise been told

Summary

Key learning points

Background: using documents created by individuals during elicitation interviews

Use of existing documents in elicitation interviews

Creating new documents for research projects: a participatory approach?

Quality and bias in document elicitation interviews

Health and wellbeing in pregnancy: detailed case study

Context

Research design

Analysis technique: narrative analysis

Health and wellbeing in pregnancy: data analysis

Findings

Discussion

Challenges of undertaking document elicitation interviews

Exercise: using narrative analysis with document elicitation interview data

Instructions

Data

CONCLUSION

9 Reviewing and applying concepts to your research project

Summary

Key learning points

Are we nearly there yet?

Common challenges when undertaking documentary analysis

How to select a suitable sample

How to do ethical research with documents

Critical consideration of the authorship and intended use of your document

Using triangulation in your research with documents

Doing ‘documentary analysis’

Planning your data management approach

How to write up your documentary research

The specific challenges with different sources of documentary data

News articles

Historical documents

Official documents

Individually created documents (letters, diaries, social media)

Advertising and marketing materials

Organisational documents

Researcher-initiated documents

So you’ve decided to do documentary analysis – what next?

Checklist for designing studies which use documents as data

Concluding remarks