Building Research Datasets for Big Qual Analysis (bookings closed)
Date:
10/11/2026
Organised by:
BigQualDataLabs Ltd
Presenter(s):
Dr Sam Martin
Level:
Entry (no or almost no prior knowledge)
Contact:
Dr Sam Martin
Email: drsam@bigqualdatalabs.com
Please contact us by email for course enquiries.
Venue: Online
Tuesday 10 November 2026, 10:30–12:00 GMT (UK time, Europe/London). Live online via Zoom with automatic English captions.
Registration will open soon. Please visit the course website for booking updates and enquiries.
A useful research dataset begins with a clear question and a reason for including each source. This introductory session explores how collected and imported material can support a focused qualitative study, using a prepared example concerning access to public services.
Through tutor-led demonstrations and discussion, participants will examine how search terms, dates, source purposes and inclusion criteria shape a collection. Selected documents and posts will illustrate decisions about relevance, provenance, missing perspectives and the limits of coverage. A collection worksheet supports the explanation of those choices.
The session then connects dataset design to an appropriate analytical plan. Participants will consider the information needed for close reading, coding, comparison or exploratory network analysis. Researcher judgement remains central to defining the study, selecting its evidence and deciding whether particular forms of analytical assistance fit the task. The emphasis is on a small, purposeful collection whose scope can be explained.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
1. Frame a research question with explicit source and inclusion criteria.
2. Distinguish the contributions of collected records and imported research material.
3. Assess selected records for relevance, provenance and gaps in coverage.
4. Propose an analytical next step justified by the question and available evidence.
Audience and prerequisites
For social science researchers, postgraduate students and practitioners planning a dataset. Bring a possible research question; previous SAM experience is unnecessary.
Practical output
A worked collection rationale and inclusion-decision worksheet that can inform a future research project.
Duration
90 minutes, including a five-minute screen break.
Trainer: Dr Sam Martin, digital sociologist and developer of Social Analysis of Meaning (SAM).
Course enquiries and accessibility requests: drsam@bigqualdatalabs.com.
Cost:
£60 standard / £40 student-access. Booking fees are included. No VAT is charged because BigQualDataLabs Ltd is not VAT registered.
Region:
Greater London
Keywords:
Data Collection, Data Quality and Data Management , ICT and Software, Research design, data collection, data management, digital research, qualitative methods
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