Big Qual

Book excerpt: This upper-level textbook presents a new approach to large scale qualitative analysis – the pioneering breadth-and-depth method. It covers the strengths and deployment of “big qual” as a distinct research methodology. The book will appeal to students and researchers across disciplines and methodological backgrounds. The growing availability of large qualitative data sets presents exciting opportunities. Pooling multiple qualitative data sets enhances the possibility of theoretical generalisability and strengthens claims from qualitative research about understanding how social processes work. Given the evolving possibilities that big data offers the humanities and social sciences, this book will be a must-have resource, building capacity and provoking new ways of thinking about qualitative research and its analysis.