Q-sorts and relative weighting exercise 2024

The data collection encompassed two components: the researchers (1) used a quantitative ranking exercise to elicit perspectives and opinions of stakeholders on what makes restoration successful (Q-sorts), and (2) subsequently carried out a relative weighting exercise to explore the reality of restoration practice in the study area. Participants were surveyed individually and, depending on their availability, participated in both components or in component (1) only. To analyse the resulting data, the researchers performed a multivariate analysis of Q-sorts using principal component analyses with the "qmethod" package in R software for component (1). For component (2), they used Spearman rank correlation and boxplots.