ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces key principles of using documents as data in social research. It is divided into the way that documents are used in developed societies and practical tips for undertaking research with documents. First, drawing on a range of existing literature, the chapter opens with a discussion of what documents are, including online sources. The chapter also describes the way that documents are used in society, through discussion of authors, readers and the way that they interact. The second part of the chapter reviews existing literature to understand how to carry out high-quality social research with documents. This includes ensuring fit with research questions, accessing documents and sampling to ensure that the data available answer the research question. Alongside this, ways in which to consider quality and bias in documentary sources are noted. Epistemological, ethical and practical concerns are also described. Whilst the literature to date on documentary analysis tends to focus on ‘found’ documents, the chapter also considers these elements from the point of view of ‘researcher influenced’ documents, which have been generated as part of a study using visual or creative research methods. Finally, the chapter includes signposting to potential analysis strategies. The topics in this chapter are returned to in the final chapter of the book (Chapter 9), in order to build on the lessons learned through the six empirical chapters and to provide more practical guidance on how to design your research study in a methodologically robust way.
