The Possibilities of Narrative Analysis for Paradata: An Historically Situated

Exploration

NOVELLA:

Ann PhoenixJanet BoddyHeather Elliott

HUB:

Ros Edwards

Peter Townsend

Poverty in the UK: A Survey of Household Resources and Standards of

Living 1967-69

• 3566 households, 9584 people

• 630 parliamentary constituencies with 4 ‘special areas’

• Over 50 field interviewers

Aimed to define and measure poverty

Comprehensive range of resources in people’s lives

Over-arching aim:To investigate the possibilities of narrative analysis for paradata, and attendant ethical issues, through working with historically situated archived data

Specifics:* Possibilities of narrative analysis for marginalia in Townsend’s Poverty in the UK survey material.

* Secondary narrative analysis with data not collected for this purpose.

* Historically situated narrative analysis.

* Ethical tensions for survey interviewers and implications for contemporary fieldwork.

* Framework for the collection and understanding of contemporary paradata.

Poverty in the UK survey booklets – ESDS Qualidata

Archive

Working in the Archive

Paradata as multi-layered

Paradata as amplification of codes (1)

‘They lived for 26 weeks with mother and sister – does this count as ‘staying’ or living in a household? They effectively had nowhere else to go.’

Paradata as amplification of codes (2)

‘Inf: “I always feel guilty when I eat. I always feel it’s Mary’s next dinner I’m eating”.’

Paradata as social

commentary

‘Presumably based on the cost of living index 1899!’

Paradata as evaluative comment (1)

‘A very saddening interview …’

Paradata as evaluative comment (2)

‘She ‘wants’ to get a job but is not really seriously trying I think.’

Paradata as evaluative comment (3)

‘Says no difficulty re 7h but it must be 20 years since anyone did any housework in this house.’

‘Join the dots to make a picture of the survey so far’

Next Steps• Continue sampling• Community of interest meeting

• Cross-investment project:Poverty in the UK: advancing paradata analysis and open access