A Methodological Exploration of Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method

The purpose of this study is to explore the methodological characteristics of document analysis as qualitative research method. It aims to reassess the importance of document analysis in terms of methodological theorization and exploration of qualitative research in Korea, and to attempt a theoretical exploration of document analysis methods to enable more effective implementation. To this end, the study analyzes the methodological features and procedures of representative studies utilizing document analysis, examining the types of documents used by researchers, the procedures and analytical criteria employed, and how research results were derived. The analysis revealed the following: First, various types of documents are used in qualitative research. Personal documents include diaries, letters, autobiographies, and memoirs, while public documents such as newspapers, court rulings, textbooks, curriculum documents, national education policy documents, patient records, and archives are widely used across various fields of research. Second, in qualitative research, a quantitative approaches are also used in the process of identifying frequencies or patterns. Third, methodologically, document analysis is systematically conducted through various approaches including qualitative content analysis, thematic analysis, grounded theory, and discourse analysis methods. This study will contribute to increasing the utilization of document analysis as a qualitative research method and expanding its scope by providing qualitative researchers with a systematic methodology for document analysis.