Documentation of qualitative data collection

The document details the qualitative data collection for the MIGNEX project (2018–2023), which involved 104 focus group discussions, 516 key informant interviews, and extensive field observations and photography across 10 countries. It outlines the research ethics, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on fieldwork, the process of creating an anonymized open data set for focus group transcripts, and the use of NVivo for coding and analysis. The text reflects on the co-production of knowledge, the role of local research assistants, and the challenges of maintaining transparency and equity in large-scale international collaborative research.

• The MIGNEX qualitative data collection was conducted in 26 research areas across 10 countries between February 2020 and December 2021, involving 104 transcribed focus group discussions and 516 key informant interviews.
• The project utilized a specific focus group methodology involving four groups per research area, divided by gender (male/female) and the strength of their migration ties (strong/weak), with participants aged 18-39.
• The Covid-19 pandemic significantly extended the data collection period from a planned 11 months to 23 months and necessitated adaptations such as remote participation in six research areas.
• To ensure research transparency and quality, the project implemented a rigorous documentation system including Research Area Interim Reports (RAIRs), a standardized consent record signed by researchers, and a multiple-choice methodology test for all staff.
• The project developed a comprehensive NVivo codebook consisting of 70 nodes (10 heading codes and 60 sub-codes) to systematize the focus group data for analysis.
• The MIGNEX focus group data set, consisting of 104 anonymized transcripts and associated metadata, is intended to be made available as an 'open data set' for researchers and students starting January 1, 2025.
• Researchers identified significant ethical dilemmas regarding 'benefit sharing' in low- and middle-income countries, noting that participants often expected short-term tangible benefits while the project's primary benefits were cumulative and policy-oriented.
• The project emphasized 'positionality' and 'self-awareness,' utilizing mixed research teams (combining foreign and national researchers) to navigate power dynamics and improve access to participants.
• Fieldwork implementation relied heavily on local research assistants and facilitators to build trust, manage recruitment, and navigate local 'universes of meaning' where researchers were sometimes mistaken for NGO workers or government officials.
• The project used 'coding scales' (21 in total) within the RAIRs to convert qualitative fieldwork insights into quantitative scores on a four-point scale for use in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA).

APA

Erdal, M. B., Fitzmaurice, M., Ivanova, M., Hemat, L. E., & Karl, E. (2022). Documentation of qualitative data collection. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bd5a9f21-807d-438a-97b2-73ab6a9057aa/Documentation of qualitative data collection.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Erdal, Marta Bivand, Maisie Fitzmaurice, Mira Ivanova, Lise Endregard Hemat, and Elinor Karl. Documentation of qualitative data collection. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2022. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bd5a9f21-807d-438a-97b2-73ab6a9057aa/Documentation of qualitative data collection.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Erdal |first1=Marta Bivand |last2=Fitzmaurice |first2=Maisie |last3=Ivanova |first3=Mira |last4=Hemat |first4=Lise Endregard |last5=Karl |first5=Elinor |title=Documentation of qualitative data collection |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=31 October 2022 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bd5a9f21-807d-438a-97b2-73ab6a9057aa/Documentation of qualitative data collection.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{erdal2022documentation, author = {Erdal, Marta Bivand and Fitzmaurice, Maisie and Ivanova, Mira and Hemat, Lise Endregard and Karl, Elinor}, title = {{Documentation of qualitative data collection}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bd5a9f21-807d-438a-97b2-73ab6a9057aa/Documentation of qualitative data collection.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }