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Social Research Methods

Documents

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Classic works

Classic works in sociology based on documents (e.g. Marx, Weber, Durkheim)

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References Prior, Lindsay. 2003. Using Documents in Social

Research. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Rapley, Tim. 2008. Doing Conversation, Discourse

and Document Analysis. Los Angeles ; London: SAGE Publications.

Scott, John C. 1990. A Matter of Record: Documentary Sources in Social Research. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Mcculloch, Gary. 2004. Documentary Research: In Education, History and the Social Sciences. New edition. London: Routledge.

Hodson, Randy Dale (Ed.) (1999) Analyzing Documentary Accounts, London: Sage Publications Ltd.

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Proximate and Mediate access to data

SCOTT distinguishes: Proximate

Research has direct access to data provider, can influence process of data collection or data generation.

Mediate no direct access, relies on data providers

having left “traces” for other reasons. Researcher cannot influence data collection process

Cf. obtrusive vs. unobtrusive measures

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Material vs. Texts

Scott also distinguishes Material traces (e.g. archaeology)

vs. texts left. Latter is main focus of documentary

research (But N.B. film and video)

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Examples of documentary sources Manuscripts Letters and diaries Autobiographies Acts of Parliament Government reports and

Inquiries Hansard Public records Newspapers, magazines

(N.B. now on CD-ROM) Pamphlets Web pages

Online discussion groups Accounts (financial) Minutes, memos Returns Surveys/censuses Adverts Handbills Invoices Photographs ?Maps, paintings, films,

architecture

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Classification of documents

(following Scott)

Access Closed Restricted Open-archival Open-published

Authorship Personal Official-private (e.g. hospitals, schools, business) Official-State (e.g. government, inter-

governmental)

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Four Research issues

Key point: documents are socially produced.

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1. Authenticity

Who is the ‘true’ author? Is it a forgery?

e.g. 6 Haydn piano sonatas authenticated by H C Robbins-Langdon but found this year to be forgeries

e.g. the Vinland Map (discovered as forgery in 1974)

e.g. Carlos Casteneda - Amerindian magician. Clever compilation from known ethnographies

Satires False attribution Particularly an issue on the Internet

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2. Credibility

Sincerity, accuracy. Material interests of Author -> their

motives E.g. interests, bribery, sympathies,

eye witness or secondary. Atkinson and Coffey - Documentary

Realities An ontological status, the ‘official view’

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3. Representativeness

Survival and Availability (selective deposit)

Not everything recorded – history from the victor’s perspective, only what people at the time consider important.

Not all docs survive, – weeding, accident, secrecy, scattered.

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4. Meaning

Problem of literal meaning e.g. what is a ‘whitster’ (= either textile bleacher or metal

finisher) Genre of document (conventions

governing different document types) Stylisation (e.g. use of allegory,

allusion & irony) Point of view & Conditions of

production (= Hermeneutic circle)

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Recent focus Semiotics - Internal meanings of document: Barthes

Meaning lies in system of rules which structure text. Find these rules and decode hidden meanings of

text. Multiple meanings

Scott follows Giddens, suggests meaning arises from 2 contexts

1. Intended context2. Received context.

Thus interpretation of document’s internal meaning depends on:

Intention and reception.

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Analysis of documents

Quantitative Content Analysis Count terms, phrases, length of texts

etc. Qualitative

Grounded theory Qualitative Content Analysis Hermeneutic/interpretative

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Diaries - References

Alaszewski, Andrew M. 2006. Using Diaries for Social Research. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Louise Corti (1993) Using diaries in social research. Social Research Update 2. University of Surrey. [http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU2.html]

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Diaries

Personal diaries vs. self-completion diaries (structured or free text)

Advantages Good for recall of events or easily

forgotten experiences (the mundane) Can deal with sensitive data Supplement interviews on day-to-day

basis (diary - interview - diary method)

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Typical suitable subject matter How people spend time (e.g.

Multinational Time Budget Use Project) Consumer expenditure (e.g. Family

Expenditure Survey -> RPI weightings) Transport (e.g. National Travel Survey) + social networks, health, illness, diet,

nutrition, family therapy, crime, alcohol and drug use, accidents.

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Diary Design A4 booklet 5-20 pages - most respondents do not

carry diary around with them Inside cover instructions - "to complete soon after event"

(Pilot these) Model of correctly completed diary 1 page for 1 time period (24 hrs/day/week) - clear layout Checklists of items or Guidance on what events need recording

Add set of questions asking: Was time period typical? Comments Explanation of any peculiarities

Long diary - start short then wean to long Reminders to enter data (bleepers, family, sms)

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Data Quality

Incomplete recording, inadequate recall Diary keeping period

Not too short to miss significant events Not too long to burden respondents 7 - 14 days typical Ensure seasonal variations covered

Reporting errors 1st day shows more reporting visits to preserve diary keeping habits

Literacy Participation

Face to face recruitment best Personal collection to sort out problems