INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods

Outline1) The status of images in society2) Compositional interpretation – some

vocabulary3) Content Analysis of Images4) Semiotic Analysis

Source: http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/evening-standard-crowd.htm

A New Era of Digitally Doctored Images

Source: http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/evening-standard-crowd.htm

Compositional Interpretation1. content – what is the

image of? Religious, historical, literary themes/events

2. color – hue, saturation, value/brightness

3. spatial organization – perspective, point of view, eye level

4. light source

Compositional InterpretationMoving Images1. Screen ratio2. Screen frame – open or closed3. Screen plane4. Shot distance5. Focus6. Angle

Compositional InterpretationMoving Images1. Revolving: Pan, Tilt2. Tracking, Crane3. ZoomEditing1. Continuity cut (classic Hollywood)2. Jump cuts (MTV)

1) Sample documents (can even do a random sample)

2) Divide documents into units1. syntactical vs. semantic elements2. Articles, words, sentences, themes,

propositions

3) Construct a coding frame and assign codes to units

4) Calculate frequencies

Content Analysis of Images

Content Analysis of ImagesReading National Geographic(Lutz and Collins

1993)

Content Analysis of ImagesHow photos were coded:1. World location2. Unit of article organization (region, nation-state,

ethnic group, other)…1. Camera gaze of person photographed2. Westerners in photo3. Skin color4. Dress style (“western” or local)5. Male nudity6. Female nudity7. Technological type present (simple handmade tools,

machinery)

What exactly do frequencies mean? Does more often mean more important?

What about important omissions? Good coding schemes need extensive

piloting, trial and error Binary nature of codes

Shortcomings of Content Analysis

Semiology/Semiotics1. Language is relational not referential2. Signifier, signified, referent

Furthermore – icon, index, symbol

3. Studying how signs come together and work as codes

Denotation (a baby, base-level meaning) vs. connotation (higher-level meaning, i.e. innocence)

Semiology/SemioticsTwo main research issues:1. Analysis of signs in systems of relations

through which they get their meaning2. How a particular sign system divides up

the world (and what are the social implications)

Semiotics: Method1. denotational phase, list all elements in

the image and any accompanying text2. ask what does each element connote?3. how do the elements relate to each

other?4. what cultural knowledges are required

in order to read the material? (connection to wider systems of meaning)

[source: Bauer and Gaskell]

Semiotics: Example

Implicit presumption about readers as ‘cultural dupes’

Elaborate, perhaps overly complex terminology

Lack of concern with surrounding social practices – but see ‘social semiotics’

Shortcomings of Semiotics

Summary Content analysis on large quantities of

text/imagery (news media) Semiotics on persuasive/rhetorical

texts/imagery (advertisements) Semiotics requires substantial cultural

knowledge How do we handle what is notably

absent, concealed?

Visual Methodologies, Gillian Rose – highly recommended

Further Reading