This was a fantastically interactive workshop. In the discussion about semiotics, I enjoyed the discussion with my group about ‘stereotypical’ research images, bringing my right back to my Chemistry GCSE coursework, and how I still felt that process was what we are told to think as ‘proper’ research.
The poem exercise was an unusual one – we were tasked with looking through transcripts of interviews and creating a poem from choosing selected bits of the text. Lots of interesting story arcs came up! Using these creative tools can make the research and thinking really eye-opening. Your positionality is always part of this process.
Coding
Advice from the session:
Going through the text and highlighting what you think is important. Text, images, sounds. Coding is the first steps in making the text manageable, helping you make sense of what you’re looking at.
What is the data telling me about this particular area of interest?
In practice:
Highlighting text, using Nvivo (qualitative data software), printing out different people in different colours.
Try and put themes into words (be more descriptive at the time) instead of just using one word.
Presentation Practice
The five sentences were a really good help, and really guided me into chunking my project into different headings. My problem is I need to be more succinct and less waffly! I think at this stage as I have no data and just a head full of theoretical ideas and plans, it all still sounds so wishy washy. I’m hoping once I start analysing, the presentation will be easier to navigate.