qmethod (version 1.0)

qmethod-package: Package for Q methodology analysis

Description

Overview of the qmethod package. This package performs the analysis of Q methodology data using principal components analysis, varimax rotation (replaceable by other rotations allowed in principal from psych, and automatic flagging.

The following steps of the analysis correspond to separate functions: factor loadings for Q-sorts, automatic flagging of Q-sorts (manual flagging is optional), z-scores and rounded scores for statements, distinguishing and consensus statements, and general characteristics of the factors. The function qmethod wraps all.

The package includes a function to import data from PQMethod software, to export plain text data for interpretation in two flavours, and to plot Q method results. Use help(package="qmethod") for a list of all functions.

References

Brown, S. R., 1980 Political subjectivity: Applications of Q methodology in political science, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Available from: http://qmethod.org/papers/Brown-1980-PoliticalSubjectivity.pdf.

Van Exel, J., and G. de Graaf, 2005. Q Methodology: A Sneak Preview Available from: http://qmethod.org/articles/vanExel.pdf.

Watts, S., and and P. Stenner, 2012. Doing Q Methodological Research: Theory, Method & Interpretation, London: Sage Publications Ltd.

http://qmethod.org/

http://schmolck.userweb.mwn.de/qmethod/

Examples

data(lipset)
results <- qmethod(lipset, nfactors=3, nstat=33, 
           nqsorts=9, rotation="varimax")
summary(results)
results