Mining Data from Documents

Mining Data from Documents

1. Types of documents

   • Public records
     • Actuarial records of births, deaths, and marriage, the census, police records, court transcripts and so on.
   • Personal documents
     • First narratives that describes an individual's actions, experiences and beliefs. Diaries, letters, home videos
   • Physical material
     • Physical objects found within the study setting. Artifacts, tools, implements, utensiles, and instruments of everyday living
   • Researcher-generated docuements
     • Documents prepared by the researcher or for the researcher by participants after the study has begun

2. Using documents in qualitative research

   • Determining the authenticity of documents
     • Primary sources
       • The originator of the document is recounting firsthand experience with the phenomenon of interest
     • Secondary sources
       • Reports of the phenomenon by those who have not directly experienced the phenomenon

3. Limitations and strengths of documents

   • Limitations
     • The materials may be incomplete
     • Documents are not produced for research purposes
     • Determining the authenticity and accuracy
   • Strengths
     • Easily accesible, free, informative
     • The only way to study certain problems
       • Historical studies
       • Cross-cultural studies
       • studies on technical expertise
       • Studies of intimate personal relationships
     • The presence of the investigator does not alter what is being studied
     • Ground investigation in context

4. On-line data sources

   • On-line vs. Off-line data
     • It lacks inflection, body language and other communicative nuances
     • Writting skills and computer literacy strongly influence how individuals are perceived
     • Real and on-line personalities discrepancy
     • Web page cited may be gone tomorrow
     • Ethical issues