Quality in Qualitative Data Archiving: Lessons Learned from Collaboration Between Data Producers, Project Managers, and Curators

As the prevalence of qualitative data and mixed-method studies increases at the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), so does the need to establish best practices for archiving these data while safeguarding privacy and usability for future research. Effective qualitative data archiving requires a forward-thinking perspective at all points in the data lifecycle, which relies upon collaboration among data producers, project managers, and curators. Participants will leave with actionable lessons about how these partnerships improve the quality and accessibility of text-based qualitative data. Drawing on ICPSR staff’s collective experience, this presentation will discuss common challenges and practical solutions unique to the qualitative data lifecycle from collection to dissemination, including: (1) creating rich metadata and documentation to improve the usability of qualitative data; (2) addressing privacy concerns through confidentiality safeguards, such as disclosure risk remediation, restricted data access, and output vetting guidelines; and (3) building collaborative workflows that align data producers, project managers, and curators during the archiving process.