Overview

This book offers a practical guide to analysing a wide range of documents, from identity papers to social media. Featuring case studies from international experts, it explores key methodologies, real-world applications, and strategies for integrating document analysis into research. A must-read for students and researchers.

Full Product Details

Author:   Aimee Grant (Swansea University) ,  Helen Kara (We Research It Ltd.)
Publisher:   Bristol University Press
Imprint:   Policy Press
ISBN:  

9781447374930

ISBN 10:   1447374932
Pages:   232
Publication Date:   27 January 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  General/trade ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

1. Introduction Part 1: Boring Documents for Interesting Research 2. Identity Papers - Jose Ragas 3. Raising Voices: Documentary Research to Help Foreground Suppressed Stories - Victoria Pagan 4. Reflections on Using Charity Annual Accounts Data for Critical Research - Helen Abnett Part 2: Documents from Popular Culture 5. How Documentary Analysis Promotes Ethical Approaches to Cultural Disability Studies Research - Ella Houston 6. Warrior Nuns, Wandering Sages and the Folklore of Asian Martial Arts Founders: Testing the Theory of Martial Creation - George Jennings 7. (Queering) Spiritualities on Social Media: Somatosensory and Discourse-Analytical Approaches to Digital Content - Marita Gunther and Lea Spahn Part 3: Multi-modal Research with Documents 8. Using Documents in Research during Wartime and Disruptive Political Scenarios 9. Unequal Bureaucracies in Practice: Analysing Documents using Institutional Ethnography - Orla Meadhbh Murray 10. Music and Sound in Documentary Archives: A Case Study of Music and Asylum History - Rosemary Golding Part 4: Novel Approaches to Disseminating Research with Documents 11. From Public Documents to Engaging Experiences: Creating a Transformative Learning Experience in a Liminal Space - Abigail Winter, Sarah Johnstone, Evonne Miller, TJ Thomson and Jen Seevinck 12. Documentary Theatre as Participatory Social Research - Katarzyna Niziołek 13. Becoming a Researcher/Archivist: The Case of the ‘Dear Diary’ Archive - Kate Carruthers Thomas 14. Conclusion

Reviews

“Using Documents in Research is a fine book containing insights on how valuable documents can be for conducting various kinds of studies.” Hani Morgan, University of Southern Mississippi “A fascinating resource for researchers seeking to use documents for original research. The case studies illustrate a range of disciplines and topics, providing valuable insight into the rationale, methodology and methods of this rich and often overlooked data.” Helen Lomax, Sheffield Hallam University “This collection doesn't just teach document analysis – it revolutionizes it. From conflict zones to digital archives, these scholars push methodological boundaries, equipping researchers with cutting-edge skills for today's complex documentary landscape.” Narelle Lemon, Edith Cowan University and Explore & Create Co.

Author Information

Aimee Grant is Senior Lecturer in Public Health and a Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow, researching gender, disability and health, at Swansea University. Helen Kara is a researcher, author, teacher, and speaker specialising in creative research methods, radical research ethics and creative academic writing.

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