Date
Qualitative data has long been used in primary socio-environmental research to explore additional and complementary dimensions of problems, questions and systems dynamics that cannot be adequately or fully measured by quantitative metrics alone. However, as open science and synthesis research has become increasingly common, and with it data sharing and data re-use, qualitative data remains under-accessed, under-utilized, and often simply unavailable.
A SESYNC-supported workshop last year brought together interested actors from across the research data lifecycle to discuss ways to improve and encourage qualitative data sharing and re-use. Outputs from the workshop, including a white paper and five two-page resource guides for specific types of actors, are now available as resources associated with the SESYNC Qualitative Data Initiative.
The white paper presents a synthesis of the benefits and challenges of qualitative data sharing and re-use, and offers a new framework for characterizing types of qualitative data and how they can be appropriately managed to maximize accessibility and re-use. The two-page resource guides provide specific recommendations for researchers, research institutions, funders, journals, and data repositories on actions they can take to increase qualitative data sharing and re-use.
For more information about the Qualitative Data Initiative and the outputs, visit the project page.
Share