Non-Technical Summary:
Verbatim Quotations in Applied Social Research: Theory, Practice
and Impact
Background, aims and objectives
The research was about the inclusion of respondents’ verbatim quotations within
reports and publications about qualitative applied social research. This is a common
technique, and known to be popular with some research funders. However, different
researchers deal with respondents’ spoken words in different ways, and until very
recently it was hard to find rigorous theoretical explanations of different approaches.
We know little about what impact the quotations make on people who read the
reports. Views are rarely sought from people who take part in qualitative research
about the ways in which the researchers use their spoken words.
The researchers looked for the theoretical underpinning of the use of verbatim
quotations. They investigated views and experiences of the use of quotations among
the authors of research reports; research users and research participants and tested
the impact of different ways of representing verbatim speech within research reports.
Design and methods
There were four stages to the research:
•
•
•
•
The researchers reviewed what the theoretical and methodological texts say
about the scientific basis for using verbatim quotations, and what is held to be
good practice.
The researchers looked at selected social research texts published in the last
ten years which reported findings from qualitative work, in major areas of
applied social policy (including health and social care, education, housing,
criminal justice, family policy, living standards). The texts were written for a
range of funders and audiences, by different authors from various
backgrounds. This provided an overview of different approaches to using
quotations within recent publications.
Drawing on the previous stage, the researchers selected ten books or articles
across major policy areas that apparently used different approaches to
verbatim quotations. They explored with the authors the basis for their
personal approach, in a series of depth interviews. The researchers
conducted a parallel series of depth interviews with people who use research
findings (policy makers, research funders, academics, and representative
organisations). They explored assumptions and preferences about the
verbatim quotations presented in reports they read, and what impact these
might have.
The final component of the research was a small empirical study to explore
the views of people who took part in a service evaluation about the ways their
spoken words had been used in the evaluative report. The same report was
then discussed with a small group of professionals who would use this report,
including the commissioner of the evaluation. This enabled comparison of
views between those who spoke the words and those who read them.
Findings
The various stages in the research, as set out above, have been completed. Each
component of the research will be separately reported in a working paper. To date,
the fourth component has been fully reported in two working papers. Working papers
from the two series of depth interviews (with researchers and research users) will
shortly be available. We aim to publish the theoretical review (stage 1) and the
review of selected applied social policy texts (stage 2) in early 2006.
Key findings from the empirical study to explore research participants’ and research
users’ views on the use of quotations were:
•
•
•
•
•
Research participants and research users were both very positive about using
verbatim quotations in the research report. No-one preferred a report with no
quotations.
The researchers’ selection and presentation of quotations was intended to
show the kinds of terms and concepts used by people, and to indicate
strength of feeling. However, participants and users reported different
impacts, referring for example to the quotations as illustration, as giving voice
to people, and enhancing the readability and credibility of the report.
Mixed views were expressed on the desirability of editing the spoken words of
research participants. Unedited speech was thought by some to avoid
misunderstanding and to value the diversity of the way people spoke.
However, others wanted ungrammatical speech to be corrected and for
interjections such as ‘er’ ‘um’ and ‘you know’ to be edited out.
Anonymity was very important to the research participants. They did not want
to be identified by the staff of the service being evaluated in the research
report.
The way in which quotations were attributed was also important to research
participants. There was a strong dislike for descriptive categories that might
have negative connotations for some readers. The form of attribution used in
the research report (e.g. ‘woman, in her 30s’) was generally acceptable.
Research users wanted the attribution to contain information about speakers
appropriate to the subject being researched to help their understanding of the
analysis presented.
It was not the intention from this component of the overall project to draw definitive
conclusions about the use of quotations by researchers. It is becoming clear
however, that researchers need to balance their obligations to the research
participants who are the source of quotations with the objectives of whatever
research they are conducting. Quotations can affect perceptions, understanding and
interpretation by research participants and readers alike about the quality of the
research and importantly about the validity and usefulness of the participants’
contributions.
Dissemination
There are two reports from the completed final component:
Corden, A. and Sainsbury, R. (2005) Research participants’ views on use of verbatim
quotations, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, York.
Corden, A. and Sainsbury, R. (2005) The impact of verbatim quotations on research
users, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, York.
Forthcoming publications:
Corden, A. and Sainsbury, R. ‘Exploring ‘quality’: research participants’ perspectives
on verbatim quotations’, International Journal of Social Research Methodology.
Corden, A. and Sainsbury, R. ‘Verbatim quotations: whose views count?’, Qualitative
Researcher, Qualiti (NCRM-node), March 2006.
Findings have been presented at a number of conferences and seminars, including:
•
•
•
•
the ESRC Research Methods Festival, Oxford, July 2004.
Social Research Association Annual Conference, London, December 2004.
Alcuin Research Resource Centre Conference, University of York, May 2005.
Two ESRC Research Methods dissemination events in London (May, 2005)
and York (July 2005).
A further presentation is arranged for March 2006 in the Government Social
Research Seminar Series, London.