Source: http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1742/3241
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 05:06:50+00:00

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Abstract: The German feasibility study on archiving and reusing qualitative interview data has surveyed experts, namely qualitative researchers. Their views, ideas and problems have to be considered as central conditions if the aim is to open up the horizon for the theory and practice of secondary analysis. Although the overall results of the feasibility study can be regarded as quite positive, this contribution takes a closer look at the issues of secondary analysis of qualitative data. The analysis shows that there are some concerns and open issues associated with this new and unfamiliar research strategy. On the methodological side specificity and context sensitivity of qualitative research are raised as objections. On the ethical side concerns relate to an assumed breach of the confidential relationship to the research subject constituted within an interview. Furthermore, considerations concerning competition also play a role when researchers are asked to provide their data for reuse by others. This article provides a further step for a discussion about qualitative secondary analysis (in Germany), by pointing out the critical aspects of secondary analysis. But the experience of the expert researchers who were interviewed suggests that the problems associated with secondary analysis do not necessarily constitute unsolvable obstacles.
Despite existing uncertainty, lack of knowledge and scepticism concerning the opportunities and advantages of reusing qualitative data material (see the following sections), 80% of the respondents were in favour of the idea of building up an infrastructure for archiving their research as a source of qualitative data in Germany. Part of the feasibility study was to take stock of qualitative material in Germany. Analysis showed a large number of projects based on qualitative interviews, with around 60% of the project leaders willing in principle to pass on the data to others for re- or secondary analysis. Moreover, 65% of the respondents could imagine conducting secondary analysis in the future.
But let us turn to the other group of respondents, i.e. the "inexperienced" qualitative researchers. About 60% (n=270) of the 430 respondents of the quantitative survey stated that they had never conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative data, whether of their own or other researcher's data. Figure 1 lists the reasons given by these respondents.
Scepticism about secondary analysis of qualitative data also produces consequences for the researchers' willingness to provide their own data for reuse. Having no data for reuse would withdraw the base for possible secondary analyses. Therefore objections have to be viewed from this perspective as well. About 20% (n=80) of the respondents refuse to provide their data in principle. Figure 2 shows the objections given by these respondents.
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Irena MEDJEDOVIC, Dipl.-Psych., is head of the research unit "Qualification and Competence Research" of the Institute Labour and Economy (IAW) at the University of Bremen. Until December 2010, she worked at the Archive for Life Course Research where she was involved in establishing a national service infrastructure for archiving qualitative data. Her current major research interests include vocational education and training research, qualification research, occupational life course research, and methods, especially qualitative methods and methodological issues of secondary qualitative data analysis.

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