UK Data Archive Study Number 6964
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UK Data Archive Study Number 6964 Consumption, Lifestyle and Identity: Reading the New Men's Lifestyle Magazines, 1985-1997: Teaching Data USER GUIDE 1 Contents Introduction to the Teaching Datasets ........................................................................ 3 1 Main features of the teaching datasets ............................................................. 3 2 Recommended uses of the teaching datasets .................................................. 5 Appendix I ............................................................................................................. 24 2 Introduction to the Teaching Datasets This user guide gives details of how the Consumption, Lifestyle and Identity: Reading the New Men's Lifestyle Magazines, 1985-1997: Teaching Data (SN 6964), the Qualitative Study of Democracy and Participation in Britain, 1925-2003: Teaching Data (SN 6965) and the British Migrants in Spain: the Extent and Nature of Social Integration, 2003-2005: Teaching Data (SN 6963) were created. Note that while this section is similar across all three datasets, the original study User Guide attached as Appendix I at the end of each is different and includes information specific to each study, such as information about the original project, its objectives and findings, as well as contextual information for the learner/teacher. The teaching datasets are designed to be used for teaching and learning purposes only. For all other purposes, the full corresponding data collections should be used. 1 Main features of the teaching datasets The teaching data collections (SN 6963, SN 6964, SN 6965) are subsets of the three following studies: British Migrants in Spain: the Extent and Nature of Social Integration, 2003- 2005 (SN 5271) Consumption, Lifestyle and Identity: Reading the New Men's Lifestyle Magazines, 1985-1997 (SN 4543) Qualitative Study of Democracy and Participation in Britain, 1925-2003 (SN 5017) These three data collections have been designed for the use of teachers of qualitative and research methods courses. The present document is a companion to SN 6964: Consumption, lifestyle and identity: reading the new men's lifestyle magazines, 1985-1997: Teaching Data (Original Producer: P. Jackson). A key motivation for the creation of this teaching data collection was the desire to provide students with data, enabling more teaching time to focus on developing skills in data analysis. It contains the following 5 semi- structured and 5 focus group interviews of readers and editors of men's magazines in 1997: int01; int02; int03; int04; int05; fg01; fg15; fg16; fg18 and fg19 These interviews and focus groups were selected as a subset of the original dataset, to represent different types of data collection (interviews and focus groups) and different types of consumers (lecturers, unemployed, men’s clothes shop assistants, 3 professionals and musicians/artists) of men’s magazines and individual editors (4 males and 1 female). Selection criteria also included data quality and the ability to divide the dataset into subsamples of a manageable size (e.g. by participant characteristics, geography or other features) for student projects. The SN 6964 teaching data collection can be used on its own or in conjunction with the following teaching data collections: a. SN 6963: British Migrants to Spain, 2003-2005: Teaching Data (Original Producer: K. O’Reilly) This teaching data collection contains the following 15 interviews of both European (mostly British) migrants, who report living in Spain, and Spanish residents/officials, interviewed between 2003 and 2005: Int 03; Int 04; Int 05; Int 08; Int 09; Int 10; Int 16; Int 17; Int 22; Int 38; Int 39; Int 46; Int 53; Int 54 and Int 55 The above interviews were selected as a subset of the original dataset, to represent different characteristics such as gender and employment status (retired, self- employed and employee). Selection criteria also included data quality and the ability to divide the dataset into subsamples of a manageable size (e.g. by participant characteristics, geography or other features) suitable for student projects. Users should note that the relevant data and documentation of this study are not included in the current collection, as they form part of a separate teaching data collection. SN 6963 – British Migrants in Spain: the Extent and Nature of Social Integration, 2003-2005: Teaching Data is available for download from the Catalogue: http://www.esds.ac.uk/findingData/snDescription.asp?sn=6963. b. SN 6965: A Qualitative Study of Democracy and Participation in Britain (Original Producer: F. Devine) This teaching data collection contains the following 15 interviews of a subsample of the Citizens Audit who had reportedly devoted more than 20 hours per month to voluntary activity: int005; int008; int022; int030; int034; int038; int041; int042; int043; int047; int048; int077; int089; int090 and int091 The above interviews and focus groups were selected as a subset of the original dataset to represent a variety of characteristics of the participants, including age, marital status, education and gender. Selection criteria also included data quality and the ability to divide the dataset into subsamples of a manageable size (e.g. by 4 participant characteristics, geography or other features) for student projects. Note that this dataset was more difficult to select materials for as a complete list of all interviews and their characteristics was not deposited along with the data. Users should note that the relevant data and documentation of this study are not included in the current collection, as they form part of a separate teaching data collection. SN 6965 – A Qualitative Study of Democracy and Participation in Britain, 1925-2003 : Teaching Data is available for download from the Catalogue: http://www.esds.ac.uk/findingData/snDescription.asp?sn=6965. 2 Recommended uses of the teaching datasets The depositor of this dataset, Dr Jo Haynes developed these datasets as part of her teaching material for a postgraduate unit for M.Sc. Sociology students in Advanced Qualitative Research at the University of Bristol. As part of the assessment of this unit, Dr Haynes allowed students to pick from a selected number of ESDS qualitative data collections, explore previous research questions, and then do their own original analysis. In her article Teaching with ESDS data: Getting students to do data analysis in a 12-week unit1, Dr Haynes explains that by doing this, students have the opportunity to "come up with an original research question or [find] a new way to work with the data". A key motivation for adopting this approach was her desire to provide students with data, thus enabling more teaching time to focus on developing skills in data analysis. She explained that for her, the question was: "How do I get the students to do data analysis within a 12-week unit?" According to Dr Haynes, the short period of time did not allow her students to collect their own data and then analyse it. To solve this problem, she integrated secondary data analysis into her course. "It's also a really good way to engage with research that has already been done and to reach a critical dialogue with British research." Dr Haynes has taught this particular course since 2006 and has used several different qualitative data collections through the years. "Because of the amount of data held in one dataset I thought that it would be overwhelming to students so I decided to create subsets of particular [data collections]." Dr Haynes usually chooses data collections from the ESDS catalogue which match the University’s courses including topics on ethnicity, gender, globalisation, racism, transformation of ideas and development of knowledge. Students are asked to write 4,000-word reports based on their analyses of these subsamples. There are challenges with having students re-use existing data. Sometimes students have difficulty coming up with research questions different from those of the original researchers. Also, the 1 http://www.esds.ac.uk/resources/datainuse/casestudyteaching.asp?id=22 accessed on 27/02/2012 5 quality and amount of supporting material describing the original research varies across the collections. Dr Haynes' students come from a variety of backgrounds, from social sciences, business and humanities, though she has a large number of sociology students. To make her class engaging for such a varied audience, she often combines ESDS collections with other material she finds herself, such as politicians' speeches or visual material. Steering students away from the assumption that they have to collect the data themselves and making them aware that there is an incredible amount of information already sitting in an archive were also among her objectives. Haynes explains that getting students familiar with analysing data before collecting data by themselves also prevents them from making beginner's mistakes. In her words: "They produce this wonderful data that gets wasted. [Therefore] being in this process before they get to their own data in their dissertation is a good thing. They might realise how challenging it could be and that it's not a walk in the park. You need to think very carefully about what you are going to do with the data". Haynes mentions that some of the most rewarding experiences in teaching this unit include offering students the chance to engage with real data and experience the challenges involved, offering a wide range of real data to analyse via ESDS, and being able to read work "that's actually really quite good". While some students initially find the amount of data contained within the collection overwhelming with a little guidance these barriers are easily overcome. Here is a list of qualitative data collections that Dr Haynes has used in her unit, in addition to the 3 teaching datasets mentioned above (SN 6963, SN 6964, SN 6965): Context and Motive in the Perpetuation of Racial Harassment and Violence in North Staffordshire (SN 5274). Quality of Home Experience for Homeworkers, 2002 (SN 5028). Socio-technical Systems and Call Centres: a Case Study Investigation, 1999- 2000 (SN 4606). A presentation on Dr.