Coding Data

Lectures

Coding Strategies

Carol Ember explains the basics of “coding” or categorize ethnographic data–that is, the process of transforming qualitative text into quantitative variables that can be used for statistical analyses. Operationalization, code sheets, types of variables, and other key considerations involved in coding are discussed.

Available Data and Databases

eHRAF Databases

Introduces the two eHRAF databases used in anthropology and the social sciences: eHRAF World Cultures, a database and search engine for ethnographic texts, and eHRAF Archaeology, a database and search engine for archaeological site reports. These two databases allow social scientists to search for specific text or thematic categories across anthropological texts, allowing both researchers and students to identify similarities and differences across cultures.

Cross-Cultural Concordance

Introduces the Human Relation Area Files (HRAF)’s cross-cultural concordance–a tool for helping you to match coded data across different ethnographic samples in time and place.

Data Sources: Finding Existing Datasets

Seán Robert discusses sources for finding pre-existing datasets and databases for use in research and manuscripts, citing the creators of these datasets, and the pros and cons of using different data formats—such as CSV files, Excel Files, Google Sheets files, and JSON files.

D-PLACE Database

Fiona Jordan discusses the use of the D-PLACE database for finding pre-coded variables, exploring cultural similarities and diversity, and instantly creating phylogenetic cultural trees.

Activity

Accessing Data from D-Place in R (PDF)

Presentation Slides

D-PLACE (PDF)

Additional Reading

Forkel, R., List, J. M., Greenhill, S. J., Rzymski, C., Bank, S., Cysouw, M. & Gray, R. D. (2018). Cross-Linguistic Data Formats, advancing data sharing and re-use in comparative linguistics. Scientific data, 5(1), 1-10. Slingerland E, Atkinson QD, Ember CR, et al. Coding culture: challenges and recommendations for comparative cultural databases. Evolutionary Human Sciences. 2020;2:e29. doi:10.1017/ehs.2020.30