Text-Based Sources

American Political Science Association Organized Section for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research, Qualitative Transparency Deliberations, Working Group Final Reports, Report II.1 (December 2018)

20 Pages Posted: 15 Feb 2019

See all articles by Nikhar Gaikwad

Nikhar Gaikwad

Columbia University - Department of Political Science

Veronica Herrera

University of Connecticut

Robert W. Mickey

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Political Science

Date Written: February 12, 2019

Abstract

Recent discussions about transparency in political science have become fraught with concerns over replicability or even scholarly misconduct. The report of the QTD Working Group on Text-Based Sources emphasizes instead that the ultimate goal of augmenting transparency is to increase our ability to evaluate evidentiary claims, build on prior research, and produce better knowledge. Accordingly, this report reviews the complex issues raised by pursuing these goals through rendering more transparent qualitative research that employs text-based sources. We interpret "text-based sources" broadly to include a range of documents, from those found in state archives or the collections of parties and social movements to diaries, news media, and secondary sources. Text-based sources may be other media as well, such as photographs, transcriptions of radio or television broadcasts, videos, or websites. Moreover, our report applies to text-based portions of all social-scientific research, no matter what (combination of) methods they might employ in their empirical work. Drawing on QTD deliberations, existing scholarly work, and our own reflections, we discuss a range of transparency-enhancing practices and technologies, the costs and risks attendant with each, and their potential benefits. We close with a set of recommendations, ranked from least to most controversial.

Keywords: qualitative methods, research transparency, textual sources, archival research, Qualitative Transparency Deliberations

Suggested Citation

Gaikwad, Nikhar and Herrera, Veronica and Mickey, Robert, Text-Based Sources (February 12, 2019). American Political Science Association Organized Section for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research, Qualitative Transparency Deliberations, Working Group Final Reports, Report II.1 (December 2018), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3332891 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3332891

Nikhar Gaikwad (Contact Author)

Columbia University - Department of Political Science ( email )

7th Floor, International Affairs Bldg.
420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
United States

Veronica Herrera

University of Connecticut ( email )

No Address Available

Robert Mickey

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Political Science ( email )

Ann Arbor, MI 48109
United States
7346453305 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rmickey

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
244
Abstract Views
1,531
Rank
227,861
PlumX Metrics