Document analysis

What is document analysis?

Document analysis is the systematic exploration of written documents or other artefacts such as films, videos and photographs. In pedagogic research, it is usually the contents of the artefacts, rather than say, the style or design, that are of interest.

Why analyse documents?

Documents are an essential element of day-to-day work in education. They include:

• student essays
• exam papers
• minutes of meetings
• module outlines
• policy documents

In some pedagogic research, analysis of relevant documents will inform the investigation. If used to triangulate, or give another perspective on a research question, results of document analysis may complement or refute other data. For example, policy documents in an institution may be analysed and interviews with staff or students and observation of classes may suggest whether or not new policies are being implemented. A set of data from documents, interviews and observations could contribute to a case study of a particular aspect of pedagogy.