Making square fit into a circle: Reusing qualitative data

Abstract

Although researchers have shown their skepticism of qualitative data reuse due to the epistemological issues, interest in qualitative data reuse has continuously grown. Discussions regarding qualitative data sharing and reuse have also been very active, especially in Europe and Australia. Compared with efforts in other countries, the discussions do not seem to be as prominent in the United States, in spite of a long history of data-depositing and -curating practices and researchers’ reusing qualitative data in some disciplines. This research aims to explore qualitative researchers’ experiences reusing data in the field of social science in US, which have not been empirically addressed yet. The preliminary results from the in-depth interviews with qualitative researchers who have used secondary data are presented, along with the barriers or hindrances to reusing qualitative data and the keys to successful data reuse.