Pathways to Meaning (Aarhus University)

Lori Kendall and I are teaching a PhD course at Aarhus University May 2011. Pathways to Meaning: Analytical Tools for Qualitative Researchers of Digital Media.

Reading List

Course Description

Many methodology workshops emphasize methods for gathering information, giving short shrift to the analysis of that information.  With that in mind, this course will introduce students to a range of tools for conducting detailed qualitative analyses of texts.  We are conceiving “texts” broadly to include both raw materials such as websites, images, and other media, as well as field notes, interview transcripts, and other intermediate products of qualitative research. The workshop will include presentations by the instructors on underlying logics of research, different ways of conducting qualitative research, and exemplar projects.  Over the course of three days, students will participate in four hands-on exercises and complete a brief analytical project.

Requirements for Participation

The class is intended for PhD students at all stages in the research project.  We ask students to bring materials to analyze.  These materials can comprise any form of textual or visual media.  Students may choose to bring materials from ongoing thesis work, test out an idea for a future project, or materials from a “side project.” Students need not have spent any time in analyzing the materials they bring prior to this class. Text or media of interest to the student will suffice.  For the purposes of the class project, students will likely be able to work on only a short segment of these materials (e.g., a single interview transcript, several pages of field notes, one portion of a website, a short series of photos, etc.). Students will also be assigned several pieces to read prior to the class.  Short presentations will be required at the end of the class.

 

Preliminary Program. Updates will be posted

Day 1

12:00 Arrival and Lunch
13:00-14:00 Discussion of workshop format and introductions
14:00-15:30  “Research Logics I,” presentation by Lori Kendall and discussion
15:30-17:00 “Research Logics II,” presentation by Annette Markham and discussion

Day 2

9:00-12:00 Exercise 1: Emergent Coding
12:00-13:30 Lunch
13:30-16:30 Exercise 2: Close Text Analysis (with emphasis on metaphor)
16:30-17:30 Discussion

Day 3

9:00-12:00 Exercise 3: Qualitative Image Analysis
12:00-13:30 Lunch
13:30-16:30 Exercise 4: Bricolage/Remix Analysis
16:30-17:30 Discussion of Individual Assignment

Day 4

9:00-10:30 Students working individually on projects
10:30-12:00 Meeting and discussion of individual projects
12:00-13:30 Lunch
13:30-15:00 Students working individually on projects
15:00-18:00 Student presentations