the first instance, to elicit discussion of the reasons for particular placements. While the relevance of this qualitative data is often suppressed in current uses of Q-methodology, the modes of reasoning behind placement of an item can be more analytically relevant than the absolute placement of cards. Application Q-methodology has been used as a research tool in a wide variety of disciplines including nursing, veterinary medicine, public health, transportation, education, rural sociology, hydrology, mobile communication, and even robotics. The methodology is particularly useful when researchers wish to understand and describe the variety of subjective viewpoints on an issue. Validation Some information on validation of the method is available. See also Card sorting Factor analysis Group concept mapping Validation and verification Varimax rotation References Social science methodology Factor analysis