A 2022 AESA Critics' Choice Book Award Winner
A 2022 SPE Outstanding Book Award Winner This book offers qualitative researchers an entr e into the world of working with archival repositories and special collections. It serves as a primer for students and researchers who might not be familiar with these sorts of collections, but with an interest in what has become known asthe "archival turn," in which the use of archival materials and artifacts in contemporary research has increased dramatically since the 1990s. Suited to novice researchers seeking a general introduction into how special collections are created and how they can be used, the book offers useful, clear guidance on using different types of archives, developing topics for research within the archives, assessing materials available, how to work with archivists and curators, documenting the research process, and writing up an archival study. Archival records and material culture (including manuscripts, documents, audio- and video-recordings, and visual and material culture) housed in special collections provide a wealth of resources for qualitative researchers seeking to conduct research in the social sciences.
Perfect for courses in: Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods Research Methods in Higher Education Exploring Archival Collections Family Studies Community Research Introduction to Special Collections Research
Industry Reviews
"In Exploring the Archives: A Beginner's Guide for Qualitative Researchers, Roulston and deMarrais bring together foundational as well as newer, cutting edge ideas related to archival research. From a discussion of what it means to be an archivist to an examination of the different kinds of archival research, this book offers a thoughtful, thorough, and accessible overview of archival research practices. The book includes both core chapters that introduce key concepts of archival research, as well as reflection chapters that offer rich and illustrative examples of archival research. Indeed, this book serves as the leading resource for scholars interested in completing archival research."--Jessica Nina Lester, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Inquiry Methodology, Indiana University
"Roulston and deMarrais' Exploring the Archives: A Beginner's Guide for Qualitative Researchers is a most welcome and needed addition to the qualitative data collection literature. Like a rare find in the archive, this text overflows with rich details and thoughtful considerations of the nuances of archival work. The authors expertly guide readers through all aspects of qualitative archival work. Insightful examples punctuate the procedural work done in the main chapters of the text. This is a rich resource for anyone interested in qualitative archival research."--Susan Nordstrom, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Educational Research, The University of Memphis