Q-sorting and MIS Research: A Primer
Open accessAbstract
Q-sort offers a powerful, theoretically grounded, and quantitative tool for examining opinions and attitudes. This article provides clear guidelines in an effort to facilitate successful understanding and application of Q-sort. Following a description of the steps of Q-sorting, an example Q-sort of MIS professors on the topic of PhD preparation is presented. The example includes details of Web-based data collection and data analysis using freeware tools. The use of Q-sorting in MIS research and issues surrounding the use of Q-sort are discussed.
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Q-sorts were conducted until a hit rate of 75% or higher was achieved to establish each item's meaning and consistency.
“Q-sorts were conducted until a hit rate of 75% or higher was achieved to establish each item’s meaning and consistency (Thomas et al.65).”
From When better data meets better design: How EHR data usability and system usability shape physicians' cognitive load (2026) · cites this paper as Thomas et al.65
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References 39 · Cited by 144
- Authors
- Thomas, D. M., & Watson, R. T.
- Affiliations
- University of Georgia (US)
- Venue
- Communications of the Association for Information Systems
- Publisher
- Association for Information Systems
- Published
- 2002
- Volume
- 8
- ISSN
- 1529-3181 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W107963254
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 3.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Communications of the Association for Information Systems (publishedVersion)
- Journal of the Association for Information Systems (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Q Methodology Applications
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Delphi Technique in Research
- Keywords
- Q-sorting, Q methodology, attitudes and opinions, graduate education, online data collection, information systems research methodology
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