Video In Social Science Research

In this digital age the use of video in social science research has become commonplace. As sophistication has increased along with usability, as spiralling staff costs push out direct observation, the researchers training today are grasping video as a means of coming to terms with the continued pressure to produce accessible research. However, the ‘fit’ of technology with research is far from simple. Ideally placed to offer guidance to developing researchers, this new text draws together the theoretical, methodological and practical issues of effectively using video across the social sciences. This book concentrates on how researchers can benefit from the use of video in their own research, whether it is: Video as representation Video as an aid to reflection Video that generates participation Video, voice and articulation, or Video that acts as a provocation. In turn each of these five central functions is discussed in relation to different stages of the research process, consisting of: Research design Fieldwork and data collection Analysis of data and findings Dissemination. As a practical research tool this book shows how, why and when video should be used, representing an invaluable guide for postgraduate and doctoral students conducting research in the social sciences, as well as any researchers, academics or professionals interested in developing technologically informed research.

Making Sense of Social Research Methodology: A Student and Practitioner Centered Approach introduces students to research methods by illuminating the underlying assumptions of social science inquiry. Authors Pengfei Zhao, Karen Ross, Peiwei Li, and Barbara Dennis show how research concepts are often an integral part of everyday life through illustrative common scenarios, like looking for a recipe or going on a job interview. The authors extrapolate from these personal but ubiquitous experiences to further explain concepts, like gathering data or social context, so students develop a deeper understanding of research and its applications outside of the classroom. Students from across the social sciences can take this new understanding into their own research, their professional lives, and their personal lives with a new sense of relevancy and urgency. This text is organized into clusters that center on major topics in social science research. The first cluster introduces concepts that are fundamental to all aspects and steps of the research process. These concepts include relationality, identity, ethics, epistemology, validity, and the sociopolitical context within which research occurs. The second and third clusters focus on data and inference. These clusters engage concretely with steps of the research process, including decisions about designing research, generating data, making inferences. Throughout the chapters, Pause and Reflect open-ended questions provide readers with the space for further inquiry into research concepts and how they apply to life. Research Scenario features in each chapter offer new perspectives on major research topics from leading and emerging voices in methods. Moving from this dialogic perspective to more actionable advice, You and Research features offer students concrete steps for engaging with research. Take your research into the world with Making Sense of Social Research Methodology: A Student and Practitioner Centered Approach.

This interdisciplinary collection provides a set of innovative and inventive approaches to the use of video as a research method. Building on the development of visual methods across the social sciences, it highlights a range of possibilities for making and working with video data. The collection showcases different video methods, including video diaries, video go-alongs, time-lapse video, mobile devices, multi-angle video recording, video ethnography, and ethnographic documentary. Each method is presented through a case study, showing how it can be used in practice. The authors offer pragmatic advice and discuss practical issues, including equipment, techniques and skills, analysis, and presentation. They also show how video methods can be used in a range of different contexts – at train stations, on bicycles, in schools, outdoors, and in museums – to investigate worlds that are visible, audible, tangible, and in motion. In doing so, they illuminate the theoretical possibilities that video methods offer for researching the body, identity, everyday life, affect, time, and space.

Video data is transforming the possibilities of social science research. Whether through mobile phone footage, body-worn cameras or public video surveillance, we have access to an ever-expanding pool of data on real-life situations and interactions. This book provides a flexible framework for working with video data and understanding what it says about social life. With examples from a range of real video research projects, the book showcases step-by-step how to analyse any kind of data, including both found and generated videos. It also includes a non-technical discussion of computer vision and its opportunities for social science research. With this book you will be able to: · Complete each step of the research process fully and efficiently, from data collection to management, analysis, and interpretation · Use video data in an ethical and effective way to maximise its impact · Utilise contemporary technology and accessible platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Tik Tok and Facebook. This book is an ideal toolkit for researchers or postgraduate students across the social sciences working with video data as a part of their research projects. Accessible and practical, is written for qualitative and quantitative researchers, newcomers and experienced scholars. Features include interactive activities for different skill levels and ‘what to read next’ sections to help you engage further with the research mentioned in the book.

Covering issues such as technical and aesthetic considerations in objective research this book is a practical research tool for the digital age that shows, how, why and when video could and should be used in social science research.

Video provides unprecedented opportunities for social science research, enabling fine-grained analysis of social organisation, culture and communication. Video in Qualitative Research provides practical guidance for students and academics on how to use video in qualitative research, how to address the problems and issues that arise in undertaking video-based field studies and how to subject video recordings to detailed scrutiny and analysis. Heath, Hindmarsh and Luff consider the ethical and practical issues that arise in recording and gathering data as well as how video enables new and distinctive ways of presenting insights, observations and findings to both academic and practitioner audiences. The book is illustrated throughout with a wide range of case material drawn from the authors own research projects, and these cases serve to situate the practical and methodological guidance offered by the book into real research scenarios. Video in Qualitative Research is an invaluable guide for students and researchers across the social sciences thinking of using video as part of their research. Christian Heath is Professor of Work and Organisation, Kings College London Jon Hindmarsh is Reader in Work Practice and Technology, Kings College London Paul Luff is Professor in Organisations and Technology, Kings College London

This introductory text presents basic principles of social science research through maps, graphs, and diagrams. The authors show how concept maps and mind maps can be used in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research, using student-friendly examples and classroom-based activities. Integrating theory and practice, chapters show how to use these tools to plan research projects, "see" analysis strategies, and assist in the development and writing of research reports.

Provides: an historical overview of the development of the narrative approach; a guide to how narrative methods can be applied in fieldwork; how to incorporate a narrative approach within a field project; guidelines for interpreting collected or produced narratives; and useful guides for further reading.