Using Documents as Data

I'm happy with my choice to do use archival documents as my primary data. Makes me feel a bit different :) Everyone else seems to be opting for using surveys. But it is not an easy choice. Reading into some literature, I have a lot of work to do... and so many decisions to make for my methodology!

Here are some concerns that I need to look at when using documents as data.

1. Level of Analysis - Few or ,many (or both)?
• Few - information from a single or few organisations (concentrate on a few country offices)
• Many - information from many organisations (a sample of country offices in a region)
2. Input Method - Read or measure (or both)?
• Read - using large amounts of archival information, make discoveries through managed pattern of reading
• Measure - Use social scientific 'coding'; insight comes from attention to patterns
3. Causality Theory - Descending or ascending (or both)?
• Descending - Macro patterns are expected to explain micro processes
• Ascending - Micro processes develop on their own, but are incorporated at a higher level of social organisation
4. Measurement Theory - Objects or relations (or both)?
• Objects - analysis focuses on connecting attributes to outcomes
• Relations - relations (rather than characteristics) of objects are expected to yield explanatory value.

Also reading about archival analysis raised a lot more questions. Just clear that there is a lot that I don't know. I read a lot of analytic methodology terms that I do not quite understand, but I may use it in the future:

Content analysis

Semantic grammars

Semiotics

Multidimensional scaling

Sequence analysis

Boolean algebra

Galois lattice

Correspondence analysis

Hierarchical classification model

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Source:
VENTRESCA, M. J. & MOHR, J. W. 2002. Archival research methods. Blackwell companion to organizations, 805-828.