Skip to main content

Document Analysis

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Varieties of Qualitative Research Methods

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Education ((SPTE))

Abstract

This chapter describes the document analysis approach. As a qualitative method, document analysis entails a systematic procedure for reviewing and evaluating documents through finding, selecting, appraising (making sense of), and synthesizing data contained within them. This chapter outlines the brief history, method and use of document analysis, provides an outline of its process, strengths and limitations, and application, and offers further readings, resources, and suggestions for student engagement activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Altheide, D. L. (1987). Ethnographic content analysis. Qualitative Sociology, 10(1), 65–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Altheide, D. L. (1996). Qualitative media analysis. SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altheide, D. L. (2000). Tracking discourse and qualitative document analysis. Poetics, 27, 287–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson, P. A., & Coffey, A. (1997). Analysing documentary realities. In D. Silverman (Ed.), Qualitative research: Theory, method and practice (pp. 45–62). SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg, B. L. (2001). Qualitative research methods for social sciences. Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/qrj0902027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryman, A. (2003). Research methods and organization studies. Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cardno, C. (2018). Policy document analysis: A practical educational leadership tool and a qualitative research method. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 24(4), 623–640. https://doi.org/10.14527/kuey.2018.016

  • Caulley, D. N. (1983). Document analysis in program evaluation. Evaluation and Program Planning, 6, 19–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derrida, J. (1978). Writing and difference. Routledge & Kegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Aldine De Gruyter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glesne, C., & Peshkin, A. (1992). Becoming qualitative researchers (2nd ed.). Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goode, W. J., & Hatt, P. K. (1952). Methods in social research. McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodder, I. (2000). The interpretation of documents and material culture. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 703–715). SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krippendorff, K. (1980). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lombard, M., Snyder-Duch, J., & Bracken, C. C. (2002). Content analysis in mass communication: Assessment and reporting of intercoder reliability. Human Communication Research, 28, 587–604.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lombard, M., Snyder-Duch, J., & Bracken, C. C. (2010). Practical resources for assessing and reporting intercoder reliability in content analysis research projects. Retrieved March 20, 2011, from http://matthewlombard.com/reliability/index_print.html

  • Mayring, P. (2000). Qualitative content analysis. Forum: Qualitative social research (Vol. 1(2)). Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/viewArticle/1089/2385

  • McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (7th ed.). Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merriam, S. B. (1988a). Case study research in education: A qualitative approach. Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merriam, S. B. (1998b). Case study research in education. Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, F. A., & Alvarado, K. (2005). Incorporating documents into qualitative nursing research. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 37(4), 348–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neuendorf, K. A. (2002). The content analysis guidebook. SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary, Z. (2014). The essential guide to doing your research project (2nd ed.). SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd ed.). SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prior, L. (2003). Using documents in social research. SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prior, L. (2008a). Document analysis. In L. Given (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopaedia of qualitative research methods (pp. 231–232). SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909

  • Prior, L. (2008b). Repositioning documents in social research. Sociology, 42(5), 821–836. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038508094564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prior, L. (2012). The role of documents in social research. In S. Delamont (Ed.), Handbook of qualitative research in education (pp. 426–438). Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salminen, A., Kauppinen, K., & Lehtovaara, M. (1997). Towards a methodology for document analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 48(7), 644–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wharton, C. (2006). Document analysis. In V. Jupp (Ed.), The SAGE dictionary of social research methods (pp. 80–81). SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857020116

  • Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research, design and methods (4th ed.). SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

Additional Reading

  • Kutsyuruba, B. (2017). Examining education reforms through document analysis methodology. In I. Silova, A. Korzh, S. Kovalchuk, & N. Sobe (Eds.), Reimagining Utopias: Theory and method for educational research in post-socialist contexts (pp. 199–214). Sense.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutsyuruba, B., Christou, T., Heggie, L., Murray, J., & Deluca, C. (2015). Teacher collaborative inquiry in Ontario: An analysis of provincial and school board policies and support documents. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 172, 1–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutsyuruba, B., Godden, L., & Tregunna, L. (2014). Curbing the early-career attrition: A pan-Canadian document analysis of teacher induction and mentorship programs. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 161, 1–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Segeren, A., & Kutsyuruba, B. (2012). Twenty years and counting: An examination of the development of equity and inclusive education policy in Ontario (1990–2010). Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 136, 1–38.

    Google Scholar 

Online Resources

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin Kutsyuruba .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kutsyuruba, B. (2023). Document Analysis. In: Okoko, J.M., Tunison, S., Walker, K.D. (eds) Varieties of Qualitative Research Methods. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04394-9_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04394-9_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-04396-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-04394-9

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics