Qualitative questionnaires as a method for information studies research
Author
Summary, in English
Introduction. We present qualitative questionnaires, originally an ethnological method for documenting and collecting material about everyday life, as a fruitful method for information studies.
Method. Since the early 20th century qualitative questionnaires, on various themes, have been sent out to informants. The answers to qualitative questionnaires consist of memories, opinions and experiences. Most archives working with questionnaires have regular informants who have enrolled because they are interested in sharing their knowledge of and views on everyday life. The paper starts with a brief presentation of the development of the method followed by a discussion about how answers to qualitative questionnaires may be analysed to benefit the most from the specifics of this tool. Examples from two studies based on material from the Mass Observation Archive, University of Sussex, and the Folklife Archives, Lund University, are introduced. The examples are chosen to illustrate two possible ways to adopt this method: to re-use an existing questionnaire and to create a new one.
Conclusion. Qualitative questionnaires generate a rich material, useful for researchers from many disciplines. The material provided by the respondents is highly informative of various aspects of everyday life, past and present, and merits more attention from scholars
Method. Since the early 20th century qualitative questionnaires, on various themes, have been sent out to informants. The answers to qualitative questionnaires consist of memories, opinions and experiences. Most archives working with questionnaires have regular informants who have enrolled because they are interested in sharing their knowledge of and views on everyday life. The paper starts with a brief presentation of the development of the method followed by a discussion about how answers to qualitative questionnaires may be analysed to benefit the most from the specifics of this tool. Examples from two studies based on material from the Mass Observation Archive, University of Sussex, and the Folklife Archives, Lund University, are introduced. The examples are chosen to illustrate two possible ways to adopt this method: to re-use an existing questionnaire and to create a new one.
Conclusion. Qualitative questionnaires generate a rich material, useful for researchers from many disciplines. The material provided by the respondents is highly informative of various aspects of everyday life, past and present, and merits more attention from scholars
Department/s
- Division of ALM, Digital Cultures and Publishing Studies
- Information Practices: Communication, Culture and Society
- Division of Ethnology
Publishing year
2017-03-14
Language
English
Publication/Series
Information Research
Volume
22
Issue
1
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Thomas Daniel Wilson
Topic
- Information Studies
Conference name
The Nineth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS)
Conference date
2016-06-27 - 2016-06-29
Conference place
Uppsala, Sweden
Status
Published
Research group
- Information Practices: Communication, Culture and Society
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1368-1613