Editorial, Special Issue: Defining context for qualitative data

In 2005, the ESRC supported an additional funding scheme to complement the UK Data Archive’s national qualitative data service, ESDS Qualidata. The Qualitative Archiving and Data Sharing Scheme (QUADS), running from April 2005 until October 2006 aims to develop and promote innovative methodological approaches to the archiving, sharing, re-use and secondary analysis of qualitative research and data. This stems from ESRC's drive to increase the UK resource of highly skilled researchers, and to fully exploit the distinctive potential offered by qualitative research and data. The QUADS is small in terms of cost and scale, but is dedicated to the mission of learning more about the sharing, representation and re-use of qualitative data, in all of its disparate shapes and forms. Five small exploratory projects have been funded together with a Co-ordination Role. QUADS Co-ordination plays a pivotal role in fostering communication and understanding between the ESRC Qualitative Data Archiving and Dissemination Scheme (QUADS) projects. It facilitates promotion and publicity via a web site, printed materials, a discussion list for information communication and exchange, and by hosting forums to engage projects in debate, sharing developments and to show working demonstrators. It engages with stakeholders and gives presentations at key events and encourages publication and dissemination of project findings (QUADS 2006).