Practical Tips for Making Qualitative Data Resuable

Slides of the presentation "Practical Tips for Making Qualitative Data Reusable" held at the Netherlands Open Science Festival on August 31st 2023 in Rotterdam.

Abstract:

Qualitative data, like interviews or case studies, have unique challenges when it comes to Open Science. Often datasets contain personal information and anonymisation is impossible or unwanted as it removes too much essential information from the data. Therefore making qualitative data (openly) available for reuse is often challenging. On the other hand, qualitative data is extremely rich which creates a lot of opportunities to answer new research questions if the data can be reused. In addition, collecting qualitative data is typically quite time-consuming and reusing existing data can save time and reduce the costs of research. We developed a guide for researchers and data stewards working with qualitative data that outlines different options for making data reusable. Importantly, we outline reuse possibilities that go beyond publishing data fully open access giving suggestions how qualitative data containing personal information or sensitive aspects can made reusable. The guide was developed in the context of the NWO-funded project CaRe & DaRe (Case Study Research & Data Reuse) which piloted a novel approach of data reuse through decentralised reanalysis of data. The concept of decentralised reanalysis will be further developed through the NWO-funded project OPEN-QUAL (Innovating Methods for Open Science in Qualitative Management Research) which started in March 2023. In our session, we will present the guide we developed and elaborate on the different options available for making qualitative data reusable. We then invite participants to use the decision tree that accompanies the guide which helps them to evaluate the most suitable option for sharing the qualitative data collected in their own project. We particularly encourage participants to provide feedback on our guide and decision tree so we can further evaluate its usefulness for the qualitative research community. Relevance to the Open Science Festival community: Often qualitative data is neglected in guidance around Open Science and FAIR data as it is difficult to anonymise and can in many cases not be openly shared. There are, however, many researchers and institutes that hold qualitative data which they would like to make available for reuse. We find it important to dedicate a session to qualitative data in the Open Science community to raise awareness, as well as facilitate discussion how the experienced challenges with making these types of data reusable can be tackled.