The Importance of Counting for Qualitative Research

Abstract

Counting can be used to produce new forms of information and provide checks against previously gathered evidence. It also blends easily with other more traditional qualitative or ethnographic research agendas, allowing for the easily seen and the virtually invisible to come under examination. From more formal counting schedules to simply counting the number of times a behavior has been observed, these techniques can help alleviate concerns about the reliability of results. When use in conjunction with participant-observation, interviews, and self-reporting evidence, counting can greatly enhance both research itself and the presentation of evidence. Simultaneously, it allows investigators to more imaginatively explore everything from archival documents to contemporary published fiction. As such, it enriches attempts to better understand little known social worlds and allows researchers to offer more accurate portrayals of those worlds. Having great utility for all forms of qualitative research, simple counting is a technique available to everyone, from professional researchers to community-based activists.