Q Methodology

NIE's Office for Research (OfR) is thrilled to extend a warm invitation to you for our upcoming OfR Professional Development series!

This workshop focuses on Q methodology as a flexible yet rigorous approach for mapping shared viewpoints in social science research. By integrating a structured sorting task, by-person factor analysis, and a coherent interpretive framework, Q offers a systematic and transparent means of studying subjectivity amid a growing literature that signals a maturing field. 

Across three hours, participants will move through the full workflow: scoping a concourse and drafting a balanced Q sample; planning a P set; facilitating a Q sort; and interpreting factor arrays into defensible narratives. Along the way we address design choices, analytic decisions, and interpretive strategies. Short mini-lectures alternate with hands-on exercises and small-group critique. The session is suitable for researchers new to Q as well as experienced users seeking a compact, practice-oriented refresher that links methodological clarity with actionable research design.