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Cited by 206Education and Public PolicyQualitative Research Methods and ApplicationsEducational Research and Methods

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Policy Document Analysis: A Practical Educational Leadership Tool and a Qualitative Research Method

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Cardno, Carol·2019·Educational Administration: Theory and Practice
DOI 10.14527/kuey.2018.016
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Abstract

This paper presents policy document analysis as practical tool that can be put to valuable use by educational leaders and can also be adopted as a research method. Educational leaders are at the forefront of policy interpretation and consequently need knowledge and skills that enable them to analyse policy as part of their work in developing, implementing and reviewing organisational policy. They need to be able to look behind the policy to know what forces brought it into being; to tap into policy history to know how it was constructed; and most importantly, evaluate the way it is working to achieve its stated purposes. The analysis of policy documents is also an established and appealing qualitative research method, especially for students engaged in postgraduate research associated with educational leadership and policy studies because policy documents offer background insights into understanding educational problems in both research and practice. In this paper advantages and disadvantages associated with using documentary analysis as a qualitative research method are outlined and practical document analysis tools and approaches are presented.

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Metadata

Authors
Cardno, C.
Corresponding author
Cardno, Carol
Venue
Educational Administration: Theory and Practice
Publisher
UK Zhende Publishing Limited Company
Published
2019-01-15
Volume
24
Issue
4
ISSN
  • 1300-4832 (ISSN-L)
  • 2148-2403
DOI
10.14527/kuey.2018.016
OpenAlex
W2915812872
Cited by
206
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1
FWCI
49.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Educational Administration Theory and Practice journal (publishedVersion)
  • Unitec Research Bank (Unitec Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Education and Public Policy
  • Social Sciences › Education › Qualitative Research Methods and Applications
  • Social Sciences › Education › Educational Research and Methods
Keywords
educational leadership, document analysis, qualitative research, policy interpretation, policy evaluation, policy history

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Cardno, C. (2019). Policy Document Analysis: A Practical Educational Leadership Tool and a Qualitative Research Method. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.14527/kuey.2018.016