Book review: Doing excellent social research with documents – Aimee Grant

In her book Doing excellent social research with documents, Aimee Grant promises practical examples and guidance for qualitative researchers. As a research methods teacher and supervisor for student projects I am aware that there is a need for a book that sets out the different types of work that can be done with documents and data in social research in a modern and up to date context, and does not shy away from theory, ethics, and the actual practicalities of doing research and analysis. Grant’s background is in health research and whilst that is evident in the choice of case studies that she uses to showcase and illustrate the different types of documentary research and analytic techniques, it does not mean that the book is only relevant to those interested in health. The case studies span a wide range of social topics. These range from a thematic analysis of tabloid press descriptions of the victims and perpetrators of the 2011 London Riots, to a Critical Discourse Analysis of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, alongside transcripts of parliamentary debates relating to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015, to elicitation interviews on health and wellbeing in pregnancy.