Energy Democracy in Northeastern North America
The data project has been initiated for research on energy democracy initiatives (EDI) and their transition narratives, and more broadly on social-ecological-technical systems related to renewable energy transition in the region of northeastern North America to strengthen initiative-based practice and learning and support diverse and participatory analytical approaches. Documentation and metadata for this research include contextual information about the study, research methods used, variable definitions, units of analysis, format and file type of the data, a description of the data capture and collection methods, data source inventory, explanation of data coding and analysis performed and details of who has worked on the project and performed each task. A Methods and Data Management Plan is used to organize the documentation and metadata needed to support this research.
Burke, M. J. (2018). Shared Yet Contested: Energy Democracy Counter-Narratives. Frontiers in Communication, 3, 22.
Codebook developed through directed (topical) coding followed by open (exploratory) coding using word frequency queries for selected sub-nodes (problems, solutions, adversaries, agents) and coding queries with In Vivo coding of remaining sub-nodes (motivations, values and norms, futures, connections across time). Text data. May be updated. Codebook(s) are created as text documents using Microsoft Word 2016 (.doc) and converted to Rich Text Format (.rtf) as well as PDF (.pdf) file format using PDF version 1.7 (Acrobat 8.x). EDI_NENA.Codebook.yyyy.mm.dd
Summary of data management plan and documentation for this project.
An inventory of text source data files: A data listing that provides an inventory of the text sources used. All text source data files are listed within the data listing. Each unique text data source is listed individually, including date of collection, web browser used, location of source (i.e., web link), file name, and notes regarding translation where applicable. The inventory of text source data files is organized using Microsoft Excel 2016 as an Excel Workbook (.xls, .xlsx) and converted to Comma Separated Values (.csv) and OpenOffice Calc (.ods) file formats. EDI_NENA.inventory.text.yyyy.mm.dd
Results of the comparison diagrams: Spreadsheet used to confirm relationships between EDIs as presented in Venn diagram based on comparison diagrams using NVivo. Pairwise comparisons identify the set of subnodes common to any two EDIs as visualized within NVivo. Numeric data. May be confirmed using the NVivo project file and updated based onas new data. Results of the comparison diagrams are organized using Microsoft Excel 2016 as an Excel Workbook (.xls, .xlsx) and converted to Comma Separated Values (.csv) and OpenOffice Calc (.ods) file formats. EDI_NENA.ConfirmationEDIrelate.yyyy.mm.dd
A database of EDIs by attribute value: An initial set of EDIs and their associated attributes (responses to survey questions) constituting an original data base of energy democracy initiatives for the region. Text and numeric data. Revisable (new data may be added and old data may be changed or deleted). The database of EDIs is organized using Microsoft Excel 2016 as an Excel Workbook (.xls, .xlsx) and converted to Comma Separated Values (.csv) and OpenOffice Calc (.ods) file formats. EDI_NENA.initiatives.yyyy.mm.dd
Researcher-completed surveys and responses: This survey is used by the researcher to organize and collect data on each organization or program selected as an Energy Democracy Initiatives (EDI). The survey allows the researcher to identify and organize features or attributes for each selected EDI. This survey is not intended for use with non-researcher respondents. At this stage, the researcher completes the survey using publicly available sources as described in the Methods and Data Management Plan (EDI_NENA.MethodsDMP). Future use as a survey instrument would require approval of appropriate research ethics board. To use this survey, the researcher finds sources to identify a response to each question drawing from publicly available sources such as the EDI website. For each question, the researcher enters or selects the response, provides evidence of this response, and provides information on the source of the evidence. If no evidence is available, researcher responds as “unspecified.” Once compiled, the responses are entered into the database of Energy Democracy Initiatives for this research project (EDI_NENA.initiatives). Survey questions: EDI identifier (researcher-assigned); Name of organization or program; Location of organization or program (postal address of main office); Year of initiation; Organization type GS5 (public, private, nongovernmental/nonprofit, community-based, cooperative, hybrid); Initiation/management or leadership A5 (top-down, bottom-up or hybrid); Social performance measures O1 (e.g., efficiency, equity, accountability, sustainability); Ecological performance measures O2 (e.g., overharvested, resilience, biodiversity, sustainability); Social-ecological emphasis or norms A6 (social, ecological, social-ecological); Breadth of focus or mental models A7 (holistic or specific issues); Geographic range or spatial scale GS2 (local, regional, national, global, cross-scalar); Available technologies TS4 (e.g., solar, wind, hydroelectric, all renewables). One survey per selected EDI. Text and numeric data. Revisable (new data may be added and old data may be changed or deleted). Completed researcher surveys are created as text documents using Microsoft Word 2016 (.doc) and converted to Rich Text Format (.rtf) as well as PDF (.pdf) file format using PDF version 1.7 (Acrobat 8.x). EDI_NENA.[two-letter identifier for province/state][three-digit numeric identifier for each unique EDI].ResearcherSurvey.yyyy.mm.dd
The NVivo project file: The NVivo file for the project. Revisable (new data may be added). The NVivo project file is created as a QSR NVivo Project (.nvp) file (.nvp) using QSR NVivo 11 Pro. EDI_NENA.NVivoProject.yyyy This file (a full NVivo package) includes full-text materials with potential copyright constraints and can be made accessible on a limited one-on-one basis only to secondary users who have a verified academic affiliation and present a brief research plan specifying why they need access and how they plan to use the materials in the file. If you would like to request access, please do so via the catalog interface and be prepared to present those two pieces of information.
Researcher-completed survey: This survey is used by the researcher to organize and collect data on each organization or program selected as an Energy Democracy Initiatives (EDI). The survey allows the researcher to identify and organize features or attributes for each selected EDI. This survey is not intended for use with non-researcher respondents. At this stage, the researcher completes the survey using publicly available sources as described in the Methods and Data Management Plan (EDI_NENA.MethodsDMP). Future use as a survey instrument would require approval of appropriate research ethics board. To use this survey, the researcher finds sources to identify a response to each question drawing from publicly available sources such as the EDI website. For each question, the researcher enters or selects the response, provides evidence of this response, and provides information on the source of the evidence. If no evidence is available, researcher responds as “unspecified.” Once compiled, the responses are entered into the database of Energy Democracy Initiatives for this research project (EDI_NENA.initiatives). Survey questions: EDI identifier (researcher-assigned); Name of organization or program; Location of organization or program (postal address of main office); Year of initiation; Organization type GS5 (public, private, nongovernmental/nonprofit, community-based, cooperative, hybrid); Initiation/management or leadership A5 (top-down, bottom-up or hybrid); Social performance measures O1 (e.g., efficiency, equity, accountability, sustainability); Ecological performance measures O2 (e.g., overharvested, resilience, biodiversity, sustainability); Social-ecological emphasis or norms A6 (social, ecological, social-ecological); Breadth of focus or mental models A7 (holistic or specific issues); Geographic range or spatial scale GS2 (local, regional, national, global, cross-scalar); Available technologies TS4 (e.g., solar, wind, hydroelectric, all renewables). One survey per selected EDI. Text and numeric data. Revisable (new data may be added and old data may be changed or deleted). Original researcher survey is created as a text document using Microsoft Word 2016 (.doc) and converted to Rich Text Format (.rtf) as well as PDF (.pdf) file format using PDF version 1.7 (Acrobat 8.x). EDI_NENA.ResearcherSurvey.yyyy.mm.dd
Record of search and selection of potential EDIs: All potential EDIs are listed within a record of EDI search and selection. Each EDI is listed individually by search event. For each search, the record indicates the two-letter province or state and three-digit numeric identifier for the EDI (e.g., CT001), organization or program name, date of search, search terms used (or link when applicable), search engine used, location of source as evidence (e.g., link to web site), selection criteria met (i.e., use of term "energy democracy", goals and objectives, policy instruments), criterion score (1-3), evidence of criteria (e.g., textual excerpt from source), type of source (primary or secondary), source weight (1 or 2), numeric strength of evidence per source and averaged per EDI, and notes. Revisable (new data may be added). The record of search and selection is organized using Microsoft Excel 2016 as an Excel Workbook (.xls, .xlsx) and converted to Comma Separated Values (.csv) and OpenOffice Calc (.ods) file formats. EDI_NENA.search_selection.yyyy.mm.dd
Syntheses of transition narratives A text description of the procedure and results of the development of transition narratives. May be updated as based on new data. Peer review has resulted in additional minor updates to clarify and differentiate narratives. Transition narratives are organized using Microsoft Word 2016 (.doc) and converted to Rich Text Format (.rtf) as well as PDF (.pdf) file format using PDF version 1.7 (Acrobat 8.x). EDI_NENA.TransitionNarratives.yyyy.mm.dd