The re-use and secondary analysis of qualitative data are one of QDR's important goals. Our catalog holds a wealth of data projects for scholars looking to re-analyze qualitative data. Of these, we highlight below some examples that we believe lend themselves particularly well for secondary analysis. We highlight projects from a wide range of disciplines, all of which contain rich data and excellent documentation, facilitating responsible re-use.
Publishing Secondary Analysis of Qualitative Data
The publication of secondary analysis of qualitative data is still in its infancy, which entails both risks and opportunities for authors. Published examples of secondary analysis include:
In addition to disciplinary journals, the journal Replication Research publishes re-analysis of research across the social sciences and adjacent disciplines and is encouraging the submission of replications (in the broadest sense of the term) of qualitative work.
Health Sciences
McIntosh, Tristan; Leuthardt, Eric. 2026. “Perceived Risks and Benefits of Using a Survival and Functional Outcome Machine Learning Model for Glioblastoma”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F60VEORO. QDR Main Collection. V1
- This data deposit comprises 42 de-identified transcripts of all the interviews with the three groups of stakeholders. Transcripts are organized by participant IDs, beginning with the group identifier (i.e., CRG for caregivers, PAT for patients, NSG for neurosurgeons) and followed by a two-digit randomly assigned number. (Zeros were added prior to the numbers that do not have any particular meaning.) PATs and CRGs with the same randomly assigned numbers were dyads, however not all PATs and CRGs in this data package belong to a dyad.
- The documentation files shared include copies of the interview guides used for each stakeholder group, informed consent documents, background information provided during interviews, qualitative codebooks used for original thematic analysis, as well as this Data Narrative and an administrative README file.
Gazaway, Shena; Wells, Rachel; Haley, John; Gutierrez, Orlando M.; Nix-Parker, Tamara; Martinez, Isaac; Lyas, Clare; Lang-Lindsey, Katina; Knight, Richard; Odom, J. Nicholas. 2024. “Exploring the Acceptability of a Community-Enhanced Intervention to Improve Decision Support Partnership between Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Their Family Caregivers”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6UXQABW. Palliative Care Research Cooperative QDR. V1
- The data files consist of 25 of the 28 de-identified individual interview transcripts conducted (most of which represent patient-caregiver dyads). Each file is numbered in order, with a file name suffix designating whether the interview was with a caregiver (“CG”) or patient (“patient”). Three transcripts do not appear: Dyads 05 and 09 were administratively withdrawn after consenting because the patient participants did not start the intervention. Caregiver 11 never did the interview.
- The documentation files consist of separate patient and caregiver acceptability interview questionnaires, the separate patient and caregiver consent form, this Data Narrative, and an administrative README file. The codebook developed for thematic analysis is still being finalized and will be added at a later point.
Ibitoye, Mobolaji; OlaOlorun, Funmilola; Casterline, John. 2025. “Demand for Modern Contraception in Sub-Saharan Africa: New Methods, New Evidence”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F600CMLO. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The data shared here are the de-identified transcripts of both data collection phases. There are 166 individual interviews and 27 joint couple interviews from Phase I and 40 cognitive interviews from Phase II.
- The data from Phase I are organized by the type of interview (individual vs. joint). Each interview is named based on the type of interview (IDI, JI), followed by a two-letter code indicating the state where the interview was conducted (AK, AN, GO, LA, NA, SO), followed by a one-letter code indicating whether the interview was conducting in a rural or urban community (R, U) and a one-letter code indicating the sex of participant (M,F,B [for both]) followed by the interview number. For example, IDI-AK-R-M-5.
- The data from Phase II, the cognitive interviews, are organized by the version (V1-V4) of the question regarding “wanted status of recent births”. Each interview is named based on the type of interview (CI), followed by the version of the “wanted status of recent births” question, and a two-letter code indicating who conducted the interview followed by the interview number. For example, CI-V2-MB-007.
- Additional documentation provided includes a data narrative, the informed consent scripts used, all interview guides used and tables containing descriptive statistics for the study sample of each phase.
Mehling, Wolf; Strigo, Irina; Goldman, Veronica; Hartogensis, Wendy; Adler, Shelley; Lotz, Jeffrey; Hecht, Frederick. 2024. “Data For: Mind Your Pain: A Single-Arm Feasibility Study to Assess a Smartphone-Based Interoceptive Attention Training for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6QGJHI9. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The data files shared here consist of 29 de-identified interview transcripts (from all participants who completed the whole study) and their respective survey responses. Three iterations of the team’s thematic coding of the qualitative materials combine analysis and data excerpts from the individual interviews and are thus classified as data files as well.
- The interview transcript file names use a participant ID number which corresponds to the participant’s responses in the quantitative survey.
- The documentation files consist of the study informed consent form, the interview guide, educational materials that accompanied the study app, survey data dictionary, this data narrative, and an administrative README file.
Environmental Science
Lambert, Catherine. 2024. “Data for: A Comparative Case Study of Enhanced Geothermal Systems: Interacting Imaginaries of Place and Energy in Renewable Energy Transitions”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6JDKEU0. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The shared data consist of 34 de-identified interview transcripts (from 35 individuals, with one UK transcript from a joint interview with two experts), with missing participant numbers indicating participants who opted out of data sharing, and six observational memos. The documentation files consist of three types of consent forms used (US students, US experts, and UK experts), three interview guides (for the same groups), the EGS handout used in student interviews, IRB documentation, and the codebook developed. Transcript labels reflect the case (“US” or “UK”) followed by the type of participant (“Expert” or “Student”). Observational memos are labeled with the event title and date. All data files are organized into folders by case location.
Jones, Kristal. 2020. “Seed systems in West Africa”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6URYY1I. QDR Main Collection. V1
- Tabular Data: This spreadsheet contains the full set of quantitative variables describing individual farmers’ demographic characteristics and decision making about seeds.
- Focus Groups: These are transcripts from each individual village’s focus group, sorted by country, village, and year groups were conducted.
- Focus Group Seed Maps: These are photos of the seed maps drawn by participants in each individual village focus group.
- Individual Interviews: These are transcripts of the individual interviews with each farmer, sorted by country and year interview was conducted.
Political Science
Ruedin, Didier; Murahwa, Brian. 2025. “Perspectives on Political Representation”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6L9HHYL. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The data files shared here encompass the 25 de-identified interview transcripts labeled with pseudonyms.
- The documentation files shared consist of the original informed consent used, the interview questionnaire, characteristics of the representatives interviewed, an ethics checklist used for the project (see more in Notes too), this Data Narrative and an administrative README file.
- Information about the survey portion of the broader project is shared at: Ruedin, Didier, Brian Murahwa, and Leonie Mugglin. 2025. “Pressure to Represent.” OSF. https://osf.io/smzxg/
Micatka, Nathan K. 2025. “Data for: Socializing Policy Feedback: The Persistent Effects of Adolescent Policy Program Use on Political Behaviors and Attitudes in Adulthood”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6HYTYIJ. QDR Main Collection. V1
Data files shared in this deposit include:
- The de-identified transcripts from the focus group discussion and the three rounds of individual interviews, all labeled with participants’ chosen pseudonyms, along with the researcher-collected questionnaire data from the same participants.
- The original national-level quantitative data from the AHPAS used for analysis are also shared, in a raw and clean version, in .dta and .csv formats. The Original version has the uncoded variables in it, while in the Clean version, the variables are coded/labeled, although there is no separate codebook. Secondary users who want to make different coding decisions can use the Original version.
- A qdpx version (interoperable with other qualitative software analysis programs) of the Atlas.ti project.
The qualitative (focus group and interview transcripts) and quantitative data (AHPAS files and questionnaire completed by Rounds 1-3 respondents) are presented in separate dedicated folders.
Hale, Thomas. 2016. “Between Interests and Law: The Politics of Transnational Commercial Disputes”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6C8276H. QDR Main Collection. V2
- The project employs mixed methods. Statistical analysis is used to perform descriptive inference on the use of private arbitration at the global level and in the national case studies (using newly compiled data), and to explain the diffusion of the regime in the postwar period. The core of the study, however, relies on 4 case studies (each divided into several chronological sub-cases) of the global regime (1900-1960), the United States (1700s-2012), Argentina (1700s-2012), and China (1800s-2012). The study brings several key historical episodes, and their associated documents, into the literature for the first time. These case studies employ chiefly archival and interview sources.
Milman, Anita. 2023. “Ascertaining Intergovernmental Coordination Mechanisms”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6QHVGUI. QDR Main Collection. V1
Data were collected between January 2018 and May 2020. The methods for data collection varied by data type.
- Secondary data on the physical, social, and institutional characteristics of groundwater basins were collected from California Department of Water Resources datasets, the American Community Survey, and the National Land Use Database.
- Data on GSA formation and copies of GSPs and Coordination Agreements were obtained from the California’s SGMA Portal Website (https://sgma.water.ca.gov/portal/)
- Meeting minutes and other documentation were obtained from the respective websites of local-level agencies that formed GSAs.
- Interviews were conducted with representatives from 67 groundwater sustainability agencies. Interviewees spanned 17 of the 19 basins and 38 of the 44 groundwater sustainability plans produced. Interviewees were identified based on formal GSA contact information and selected based on formal notices to produce a GSP. Recruitment sought to interview representatives from least one GSA from each GSP group.
- Participant observation was undertaken of more than 58 public meetings (in person, virtually, or reviewing recordings).
Other Social Sciences
Silan, Miguel Alejandro; Ciruelas, Nica. 2026. “So What Is Relationship Quality? A Multi-Country Investigation into the Conceptualization and Measurement of Relationship Quality”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6VANJL8. QDR Main Collection. V1
The data files shared in this deposit consist of 199 items. The reasons for six transcripts from the full set of interviews not being shared are as follows:
- One therapist interview was excluded because the interview was not fully completed.
- Three lay participant interviews excluded because the participants did not provide consent for data sharing.
- Two additional lay interviews are not yet in a shareable state at the time of this deposit. These files have additional transcription and de-identification/redaction needs, identified during the team’s final internal review. When processed, they might be added to a future version of the data deposit.
The lay interview transcripts are sorted into folders by country of origin. Within the country-of-origin folders, participants are further sorted into sub-folders, labeled as Option One or Option Two, depending on their choice of redaction technique chosen prior to data sharing. (More details on the options can be found in the Informed Consent and Data Notice documentation file.) Interview files were additionally labeled using the names of the local data collectors who conducted the interviews, both to ensure clear traceability of the data collection process and to acknowledge their essential contributions to the study.
Turk, Tahir. 2025. “Data for: Integrating Co-Design into Formative Research for a SBCC Entry-Point Platform for Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection Programs in Low- and Middle-Income Country Settings”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6M0T6GO. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The data files shared here include de-identified transcripts from focus group discussions (8 beneficiary groups in Bangladesh, including 2 reference groups of service providers, and 4 beneficiary groups in Pakistan - a total of 12 FGDs with 134 participants). The Pakistani FGD transcribes are labelled PU for urban groups and PR for rural groups. There are also 30 total semi-structured key informant interviews (20 KIIs from Bangladesh and 10 KIIs from Pakistan). The documentation files provided consist of the original informed consent form, the interview guides for the FGDs and the KIIs, this Data Narrative, participant demographics list for Pakistani FGDs, both countries’ KIIs, and an administrative README file. The participant demographic lists for each Bangladeshi FGD transcript are included at the beginning of the respective files.
Hickner, Andy. 2022. “Data for ‘How do Search Systems Impact Systematic Searching? A Qualitative Study’”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F68AAMX3. QDR Main Collection. V1
- Data for “What do systematic searchers need from search systems?” includes deidentified interview transcripts (plain text), recruitment materials, study information sheet, description of participants, pre-screening form, interview guide, consent form, and coded data.
Bezabih, Alemitu Mequanint; Smith, C. Estelle. 2025. “Expanding Models of Delivery for Online Spiritual Care”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6R7J9HL. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The data files shared here encompass the 22 de-identified interview transcripts and the responses to the intake and exit survey questionnaires. While the data for Phases 2 and 3 will be released as they are completed, the current version of the deposit contains only the data from Phase 1.
Education
Miró, Àlex. 2025. “Data for: Why Is Secondary School Mathematics Difficult to Learn? From the Perspectives of In-Service Teachers and Cognitive Load Theory”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6MAO6TQ. QDR Main Collection. V1
Interviews were face-to-face, conducted in Catalan or Spanish according to participants’ preference, and audio-recorded with consent. Each session lasted between 20 and 50 minutes. The interview protocol was semi-structured and designed to explore:
- The perceived sources of complexity that students experience in mathematics learning.
- Teachers’ comparisons of different mathematical topics and problems in terms of difficulty and cognitive demand.
- The factors contributing to task and knowledge complexity in classroom instruction.
To guide discussion, teachers analysed a learning sequence on fraction operations drawn from a Catalan Year-7 mathematics textbook aligned with the national curriculum. The interview included both conceptual questions about mathematics content (e.g., “Which topics do students find most complex?”) and applied tasks (e.g., “What aspects of this problem increase its complexity for students?”).
Pandemic Journaling Project Cluster
Willen, Sarah; Mason, Katherine. 2024. “Data for: The Pandemic Journaling Project, Phase One (PJP-1)”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6PXS9ZK. QDR Main Collection. V2
- This Qualitative Data Repository (QDR) project contains all journal entries and closed-ended survey responses submitted during PJP-1, along with accompanying descriptive and explanatory materials. The dataset includes individual journal entries and accompanying quantitative survey responses from more than 1,800 participants in 55 countries. Of nearly 27,000 journal entries in total, over 2,700 included images and over 300 are audio files. All data were collected via the Qualtrics survey platform. PJP-1 was approved as a research study by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Connecticut.
Jacobs, Nancy J. 2024. “South African COVID-19 Diaries”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6BYXWYG. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The entire archive consists of over 400 pages of mostly handwritten responses (in English) to weekly prompts, 89 short audio or video interviews, some very short, transcribed and translated into English, and several dozen photographs. The project is organized around contributors, identified by first name only, all of whom were students. Most students submitted interviews and photographs in addition to text; some only submitted text. The last entry by each contributor to the archive contains reflections on the project itself. The students were serious about leaving a historical record about this exceptional moment.
Wurtz, Heather M.; Mason, Katherine A.; Flores, Andrea; Willen, Sarah. 2025. “The Pandemic Journaling Project, Subproject 1, PJP - Immigrant Women in NYC (PJP-IW/NYC)”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6XOX6Y3. QDR Main Collection. V1
- This dataset contains all journal entries and closed-ended survey responses submitted as part of the PJP-IW/NYC study, along with accompanying descriptive and explanatory materials. The dataset includes individual journal entries and accompanying quantitative survey responses from a total of 34 participants, of whom 24 are from South Asia and 10 participants from Latin America. Of the 427 journal entries in total (248 from the South Asian sample and 179 from the Latinx sample), 47 included images and 12 were submitted as audio files. Each time a participant created a journal entry, they could choose to submit it as text or by attaching it as an audio file; an image with accompanying text; or an image with an accompanying audio file. All attached files, regardless of format, are cataloged as they were submitted. As a result, one video file has been cataloged with the images. Twenty-nine of the images consist of photos and one video of hand-written journal entries in Bangla.
Other COVID-Related
Alvarez, Carmen. 2025. “Data for: Experiences of Ghanaian Frontline Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Healthcare Leadership Recommendations”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6FYZITI. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The data files shared here encompass the 20 de-identified interview transcripts with Ghanaian healthcare workers.
- The documentation files shared consist of the original informed consent used, the interview questionnaire, a Data Narrative and an administrative README file.
Lutz, Amy. 2025. “Data for: Mothering in the Time of Coronavirus”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6GQ2ZC2. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The data files shared here encompass the 64 de-identified interview transcripts labeled by pseudonyms. The documentation files shared consist of the original informed consent used, the interview questionnaire, a Data Narrative and an administrative README file.
Evaluation of Prostitution-Diversion Programs
Shdaimah, Corey. 2020. “Problem-Solving Courts, Street Level Bureaucrats, and Clients as Policy Agents in a Prostitution Diversion Program”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6C8VUHP. QDR Main Collection. V3
- Over 3,200 problem-solving courts exist, with even more being planned, yet we know very little about how they work or about the extension of the drug court model to other types of offenses. Even less is known about the perspective of participants. This study examined prostitution models newly implemented in Baltimore City and Philadelphia, which, at the time, were two of the few existing examples of these programs that have been implemented with this population. It also included participant perspectives on what motivates them to participate in the program and how they negotiate with court professionals to meet their needs. This research study was designed to contribute to the broader policy debate regarding the risks and benefits of alternative criminal justice models, including under what circumstances and with which populations they are most likely to be effective, beneficial or harmful.
Shdaimah, Corey; Franke, Nancy. 2024. “Looking Back, Looking Forward: Lessons Learned about Prostitution Diversion Programs”. Qualitative Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5064/F6F7KQC7. QDR Main Collection. V1
- The purpose of the study was to learn more about the perspectives of criminal justice stakeholders and graduates in prostitution diversion programs over a decade after its implementation and as a follow up to an ethnographic study conducted from 2011-2014, the data of which is also housed in the QDR database. The objective is to identify lessons learned and to develop knowledge about the evolution in graduates and other stakeholders’ thinking about prostitution diversion programs and their continued efficacy and ethical legitimacy within an evolving social and legal context. This longitudinal qualitative study consists of semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of 24 professional stakeholders and 3 graduates from two prostitution diversion programs. Interviews were conducted virtually via zoom for approximately 45-90 minutes, recorded, and transcribed. Content analysis involved open-coding and consensus by two coders.