At 04:12 AM 2/2/2005, you wrote:
>a) know your methodology well
>b) learn a software tool
>c) apply the software tool so that it suits your methodolgy (not vice versa)
Susanne,
Truer words have not been spoken. In many ways the software tools create
more confusion than clarification; at least in cases where the user is
still feeling his or her way through the process. [No, that's not a
criticism of any of the wonderful software available to us. To the
developers on the list, I salute you. You have made my work easier. But I
had struggle on my own with the conceptual issues of qualitative analysis
before I really was able to use the software productively].
Of course this problem is rampant across methodologies. Too often we
conform our thinking and analysis to the technical tools at our
disposal. In quantitative social science this has led to things like an
epidemic of blind regression analysis. [e.g., linear modeling regardless
of the substantive question guiding the analysis, or the quality of the
data]. Right now Mixed Regression models [imposing some fixed constraints]
are all the rage; partly because you can run Proc Mixed in SAS. The
problem is that SAS doesn't care what the data look like, or how measures
were constructed. It simply takes the input, runs an algorithm, and
displays an output.
In qualitative social science this phenomenon has led to many equating
their methodology with software. I've read too many papers where the
methods were: "We performed qualitative analysis using NUD*IST" followed
by some citations to radically different approaches to qualitative
analysis. [One actually cited Miles & Huberman, with Glasser & Straus in
the same reference context; I'm still trying to figure out what this meant].
In anycase, I apologize for the discursion and I appreciate your clarity &
wisdom. These three clauses are now tacked on my bulletin board to keep
reminding me of not allowing the technology to recapitulate discovery [hat
tip to Edward Tufte].
Best,
Corey
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Corey J. Colyer, PhD
Research Associate
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive
ICPSR
University of Michigan
Toll Free Helpline: 1-888-741-7242
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