Documentary Research in the Social Sciences

Malcolm Tight
Documentary Research in the Social Sciences
April 2019 | 232 pages | Sage UK
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ISBN: 9781526426659
Available from January 0001

Description

From diaries and letters to surveys and interview transcripts, documents are a cornerstone of social science research. This book guides you through the documentary research process, from choosing the best research design, through data collection and analysis, to publishing and sharing research findings.

Using extensive case studies and examples, it situates documentary research within a current context and empowers you to use this method to meet new challenges like digital research and big data head on.

In a jargon-free style perfect for beginner researchers, this book helps you to:

·         Interrogate documentary material in meaningful ways

·         Choose the best research design for your project, from literature reviews to policy research

·         Understand a range of approaches, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods.

Accessible, clear and focused, this book gives you the tools to conduct your own documentary research and celebrates the importance of documentary analysis across the social sciences.

   

Contents

Part I: Starting Documentary Research

  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • What this Book is For
  • What the Book Contains
  • How to Use this Book
  • Chapter 2: Documents and Documentary Research
  • What is a Document?
  • Varieties of Document
  • The Possibilities and Advantages of Documentary Research
  • Documents in, or as the Focus of, Research
  • The Purposes and Usages of Documents
  • Chapter 3: Finding and Reading Documents
  • Accessing Documents
  • Ethical Issues
  • Sampling and Selection
  • Issues to Consider when Researching Documents
  • How to Read Documents
  • Keeping Records
  • Chapter 4: Documentary Research in the Disciplines
  • Documentary Research in the Social Sciences
  • Documentary Research outside the Social Sciences

Part II: Genres of Documentary Research

  • Chapter 5: Designing Documentary Research
  • Documentary Research Designs
  • Documentary Research and Other Research Designs
  • Documentary Research in Combination with Other Research Designs
  • Chapter 6: Literature Reviews
  • The Nature of Literature Reviews
  • The Functions of Literature Reviews
  • Types of Literature Review
  • Chapter 7: Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
  • Systematic Reviews
  • Meta-Analyses
  • Chapter 8: Secondary Data Research
  • Secondary Data and Secondary Data Analysis
  • Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Data Research
  • Types of Secondary Data Analysis
  • Examples of Secondary Data Analysis
  • Where to Get Secondary Data
  • Chapter 9: Archival and Historical Research
  • The Nature of Archival and Historical Research
  • Types of Data and Sources
  • Examples of Archival and Historical Research
  • Chapter 10: Policy Research
  • The Nature of Policy and Policy Research
  • Types of Policy Research
  • Examples of Policy Research

Part III: Techniques for Documentary Analysis

  • Chapter 11: Analysing Documents
  • Analysis of Written Texts
  • Analysis of Audio-Visual Texts
  • Chapter 12: Quantitative Approaches
  • Simple Quantitative Analysis
  • Quantitative Content Analysis
  • Other Forms of Quantitative Documentary Analysis
  • Chapter 13: Qualitative Approaches
  • Thematic Analysis
  • Qualitative Content Analysis
  • Discourse Analysis
  • Conversation Analysis
  • Narrative Analysis
  • Chapter 14: Mixed Methods Approaches
  • Triangulation and Mixed Methods
  • Why and How to Combine Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in Documentary Research
  • Examples of Mixed Methods Documentary Research

Part IV: Where Next?

  • Chapter 15: Sharing and Disseminating your Research
  • Evaluating Your Research
  • Seminars and Conference Presentations
  • Writing Up for Publication
  • Planning Further Research
  • Chapter 16: Conclusions

Description

From diaries and letters to surveys and interview transcripts, documents are a cornerstone of social science research. This book guides you through the documentary research process, from choosing the best research design, through data collection and analysis, to publishing and sharing research findings.

Using extensive case studies and examples, it situates documentary research within a current context and empowers you to use this method to meet new challenges like digital research and big data head on.

In a jargon-free style perfect for beginner researchers, this book helps you to:

·         Interrogate documentary material in meaningful ways

·         Choose the best research design for your project, from literature reviews to policy research

·         Understand a range of approaches, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods.

Accessible, clear and focused, this book gives you the tools to conduct your own documentary research and celebrates the importance of documentary analysis across the social sciences.

   

Contents

Part I: Starting Documentary Research

  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • What this Book is For
  • What the Book Contains
  • How to Use this Book
  • Chapter 2: Documents and Documentary Research
  • What is a Document?
  • Varieties of Document
  • The Possibilities and Advantages of Documentary Research
  • Documents in, or as the Focus of, Research
  • The Purposes and Usages of Documents
  • Chapter 3: Finding and Reading Documents
  • Accessing Documents
  • Ethical Issues
  • Sampling and Selection
  • Issues to Consider when Researching Documents
  • How to Read Documents
  • Keeping Records
  • Chapter 4: Documentary Research in the Disciplines
  • Documentary Research in the Social Sciences
  • Documentary Research outside the Social Sciences

Part II: Genres of Documentary Research

  • Chapter 5: Designing Documentary Research
  • Documentary Research Designs
  • Documentary Research and Other Research Designs
  • Documentary Research in Combination with Other Research Designs
  • Chapter 6: Literature Reviews
  • The Nature of Literature Reviews
  • The Functions of Literature Reviews
  • Types of Literature Review
  • Chapter 7: Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
  • Systematic Reviews
  • Meta-Analyses
  • Chapter 8: Secondary Data Research
  • Secondary Data and Secondary Data Analysis
  • Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Data Research
  • Types of Secondary Data Analysis
  • Examples of Secondary Data Analysis
  • Where to Get Secondary Data
  • Chapter 9: Archival and Historical Research
  • The Nature of Archival and Historical Research
  • Types of Data and Sources
  • Examples of Archival and Historical Research
  • Chapter 10: Policy Research
  • The Nature of Policy and Policy Research
  • Types of Policy Research
  • Examples of Policy Research

Part III: Techniques for Documentary Analysis

  • Chapter 11: Analysing Documents
  • Analysis of Written Texts
  • Analysis of Audio-Visual Texts
  • Chapter 12: Quantitative Approaches
  • Simple Quantitative Analysis
  • Quantitative Content Analysis
  • Other Forms of Quantitative Documentary Analysis
  • Chapter 13: Qualitative Approaches
  • Thematic Analysis
  • Qualitative Content Analysis
  • Discourse Analysis
  • Conversation Analysis
  • Narrative Analysis
  • Chapter 14: Mixed Methods Approaches
  • Triangulation and Mixed Methods
  • Why and How to Combine Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in Documentary Research
  • Examples of Mixed Methods Documentary Research

Part IV: Where Next?

  • Chapter 15: Sharing and Disseminating your Research
  • Evaluating Your Research
  • Seminars and Conference Presentations
  • Writing Up for Publication
  • Planning Further Research
  • Chapter 16: Conclusions
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Documentary Research in the Social Sciences

Malcolm Tight
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April 2019 | 232 pages | Sage UK

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 31/03/2026 9781526426659 $92.00
Hardcover 31/03/2026 9781526426642 $176.00

From diaries and letters to surveys and interview transcripts, documents are a cornerstone of social science research. This book guides you through the documentary research process, from choosing the best research design, through data collection and analysis, to publishing and sharing research findings.

Using extensive case studies and examples, it situates documentary research within a current context and empowers you to use this method to meet new challenges like digital research and big data head on.

In a jargon-free style perfect for beginner researchers, this book helps you to:

·         Interrogate documentary material in meaningful ways

·         Choose the best research design for your project, from literature reviews to policy research

·         Understand a range of approaches, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods.

Accessible, clear and focused, this book gives you the tools to conduct your own documentary research and celebrates the importance of documentary analysis across the social sciences.

   

Table Of Contents:

  • Part I: Starting Documentary Research
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • What this Book is For
  • What the Book Contains
  • How to Use this Book
  • Chapter 2: Documents and Documentary Research
  • What is a Document?
  • Varieties of Document
  • The Possibilities and Advantages of Documentary Research
  • Documents in, or as the Focus of, Research
  • The Purposes and Usages of Documents
  • Chapter 3: Finding and Reading Documents
  • Accessing Documents
  • Ethical Issues
  • Sampling and Selection
  • Issues to Consider when Researching Documents
  • How to Read Documents
  • Keeping Records
  • Chapter 4: Documentary Research in the Disciplines
  • Documentary Research in the Social Sciences
  • Documentary Research outside the Social Sciences
  • Part II: Genres of Documentary Research
  • Chapter 5: Designing Documentary Research
  • Documentary Research Designs
  • Documentary Research and Other Research Designs
  • Documentary Research in Combination with Other Research Designs
  • Chapter 6: Literature Reviews
  • The Nature of Literature Reviews
  • The Functions of Literature Reviews
  • Types of Literature Review
  • Chapter 7: Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
  • Systematic Reviews
  • Meta-Analyses
  • Chapter 8: Secondary Data Research
  • Secondary Data and Secondary Data Analysis
  • Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Data Research
  • Types of Secondary Data Analysis
  • Examples of Secondary Data Analysis
  • Where to Get Secondary Data
  • Chapter 9: Archival and Historical Research
  • The Nature of Archival and Historical Research
  • Types of Data and Sources
  • Examples of Archival and Historical Research
  • Chapter 10: Policy Research
  • The Nature of Policy and Policy Research
  • Types of Policy Research
  • Examples of Policy Research
  • Part III: Techniques for Documentary Analysis
  • Chapter 11: Analysing Documents
  • Analysis of Written Texts
  • Analysis of Audio-Visual Texts
  • Chapter 12: Quantitative Approaches
  • Simple Quantitative Analysis
  • Quantitative Content Analysis
  • Other Forms of Quantitative Documentary Analysis
  • Chapter 13: Qualitative Approaches
  • Thematic Analysis
  • Qualitative Content Analysis
  • Discourse Analysis
  • Conversation Analysis
  • Narrative Analysis
  • Chapter 14: Mixed Methods Approaches
  • Triangulation and Mixed Methods
  • Why and How to Combine Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in Documentary Research
  • Examples of Mixed Methods Documentary Research
  • Part IV: Where Next?
  • Chapter 15: Sharing and Disseminating your Research
  • Evaluating Your Research
  • Seminars and Conference Presentations
  • Writing Up for Publication
  • Planning Further Research
  • Chapter 16: Conclusions

Recent Product Reviews:

I would highly recommend this book to researchers in all fields, and especially policy and qualitative researchers. The author’s enthusiasm, expertise and understanding of DR really helps to draw the reader in, as does his clear, coherent writing style and pragmatic approach.
Ruthi Margulis
Most social scientists engage in documentary research, but too few approach it with Tight’s rigour. With lessons drawn from a dozen disciplines, this accessibly-written book is an essential resource for students and scholars dedicated to the empirical study of written texts and recorded material.
Jared Wesley, University of Alberta
Malcolm Tight has written an excellent textbook on that taken-for-granted method - documentary research. He provides comprehensive and clear coverage of the whys, whats and hows of using documents for research purposes. This book is an essential read for research method students of all disciplines and an invaluable resource for their teachers.
Rosalind Edwards, Professor of Sociology, University of Southampton
This is an excellent introduction to documentary research methods in the social sciences. Both comprehensive and accessible, it will prove an invaluable resource for students across a range of disciplines.
Kevin Myers, University of Birmingham
A much-needed overview allowing the reader to sharpen their perspective in the realm of documentary research and to find paths to further information on different research methodologies.
Alexander Geimer, University of Hamburg/University of Klagenfurt

Recommendations