Action-Based Data Collection

Conceptual Overview and Discussion

Action-based data collection takes place in the natural context of the case and is usually a cyclical process occurring over time. Two collection systems are discussed here that work nicely together: James Spradley's descriptive question matrix helps illuminate what to focus on as action-based data; Herbert Altrichter, Peter Posch, and Bridget Somekh give several suggestions for ways to collect these data.

Spradley, along with others, suggests beginning with “grand tour” observations that give the researcher an initial sense of the parameters of the case that can provide pointers for what to focus on in the next cycle. Spradley suggests nine dimensions of any social situation that provide a comprehensive map for action-based data collection:

• 1.
  Space: the physical place or places
• 2.
  Actor: the people involved
• 3.
  Activity: a set of related acts people do
• 4.
  Object: the physical things that are present
• 5.
  Act: single actions that people do
• 6.
  Event: a set of related activities that people carry out
• 7.
  Time: the sequencing that takes place over time
• 8.
  Goal: the things people are trying to accomplish
• 9.
  Feeling: the emotions felt and expressed (p. 78, italics in original)

Spradley uses these dimensions to create a 9 × 9 Descriptive Question Matrix, which then leads to 81 specific questions, including the following:

Activity × Activity: Can you describe in detail all the activities?

Activity × Goal: What activities are goal seeking or linked to goals?

Act × Space: What are all the ways space is organized by acts?

Event × Time: How do events fall into time periods?

Time × Event: How do events occur over time? Is there any sequencing?

Objects × Acts: What are all the ways objects are used in activities?

There are several advantages to using a matrix like this. It helps broaden the researcher's attention to several social dimensions that might be ignored and helps focus attention on specific action-related details. The grand tour can also point the way to areas that may provide more fruitful detail for the case under study. As can be seen from the detail described, carrying out action-based data collection can be time intensive if the researcher hopes to capture the range of actions over time. The time frame may be bounded by the case study focus.

Altrichter, Posch, and Somekh suggest several ways to collect data for action research that work well in any action-based data collection process, pointing out that the research question will determine what may become data. Existing data provide evidence of past events and include such things as documents and physical traces such as wear and tear on furniture and objects, materials available to everyone or only certain people, signage, sales slips, and so on. These data have high credibility because they were created as part of the day-to-day business of case participants rather than only for research purposes. However, it is important to collect only what is relevant to the present research.

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