Back from Chicago, finally. Utterly exhausted and useless, and here's why: Over 4 days, I collected:
16 hours of recorded audio.
10 interviews.
1 focus group.
75 pages of notes.
200+ vids watched.
15 library items checked out.
15 GBs harddrive consumed.
and 14 hours of sleep required upon return in order to recover.
But I had a fantastic time. Proper detox post still forthcoming.
Showing posts with label fieldwork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fieldwork. Show all posts
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Focus Group at VVC
Just sent out a bunch of invitations for people to be interviewed at VVC, and I'm going to send out another round soon.
I'm wondering if anyone is interested in participating in a focus group while at the con, which is kind of like a group interview with four or five people all together. I've found this type of interview format to be really useful, engaging, and tends to be more social and fun than traditional interviewing. The questions will be a bit meatier and more open-ended, and are designed for everyone to discuss and debate with each other, dealing with trends in vidding, remix culture as a whole, the role of gender in the vidding community, and fair use and copyright issues.
If the idea of participating in this appeals to you, hey, let me know! I'm sure we can arrange a time for all of us to chat together at some point, perhaps over dinner?
Email me at fanthropology@gmail.com if you'd like to participate, or leave a comment and I'll get back to you. You're welcome to join the focus group even if I'm interviewing you separately as well!
I'm wondering if anyone is interested in participating in a focus group while at the con, which is kind of like a group interview with four or five people all together. I've found this type of interview format to be really useful, engaging, and tends to be more social and fun than traditional interviewing. The questions will be a bit meatier and more open-ended, and are designed for everyone to discuss and debate with each other, dealing with trends in vidding, remix culture as a whole, the role of gender in the vidding community, and fair use and copyright issues.
If the idea of participating in this appeals to you, hey, let me know! I'm sure we can arrange a time for all of us to chat together at some point, perhaps over dinner?
Email me at fanthropology@gmail.com if you'd like to participate, or leave a comment and I'll get back to you. You're welcome to join the focus group even if I'm interviewing you separately as well!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
VividCon Fieldwork
I'm gearing up to prep for my fieldwork at VividCon, and I want to talk a bit about what I'm planning to do there because I think it's important to be transparent about your research methods.
Methods
Here is a short rundown of the methods I plan to use while there.
- Participant Observation: this is a classic anthropology method which essentially involves me being a convention attendee - attending vid shows, listening to panels, etc. - and making notes on what is going on.
- Short Interviews: The formal term for "asking questions". I might ask someone what they think about fair use, or using YouTube, or the vid they just saw. Very straightforward.
- Extended / Formal Interviews: I would like to sit down with some people individually and go through a list of questions on your vidding practices, the vidding community, copyright and fair use issues, and issues around fandom in general.
- Roundtable: The ConCom has asked me to give a roundtable presentation on my research, where I will be outlining my approach, theories, and research thus far so that people can give me feedback and ask questions.
- Focus Group: If people are interested, I would like to get 4 or 5 people together to talk with me in a focus group, which is similar to an extended interview but tends to deal with more complex questions and lets all the group members discuss it together with me.
Ethical Concerns - Consent, Confidentiality, and the Right to Decline
My University requires that each participant read this participant information sheet and sign a consent form like this one before particpating so that everyone is fully informed. All must be over the age of 18. You need to sign your real name on the consent form, but after that I will assign you a random pseudonym and obscure your personal details so that you remain fully anonymous unless you choose to be identified by name or by a particular nickname (like your vidder name or LJ handle). I know some people are concerned about copyright suits, and I will do my utmost to protect your identity. The consent forms will be kept locked a file cabinet in my office and destroyed after the end of the project. You may refuse to answer any questions, and may cease participating at any time with no hard feelings. :-)
Research Guidelines
I have been in touch with the ConCom, and they have provided me with several guidelines to follow for your protection and mine. They are as follows:
- Consent forms will be required from all participants.
- Interviews will mostly be arranged in advance but you can also approach me and ask for one at the event.
- I will be introduced at the beginning of the con so that people know who I am and can approach me or avoid me if they are not interested. Please do not feel shy about telling me you do not want to participate - I completely understand and I will not be offended.
- I will be interviewing away from the main con space where there is some privacy.
- I will not make any recordings or take any photos during the convention. I would like to audio-record my extended interviews, but these will happen away from the main con space and I will ask each person individually for permission.
- I am going to be handing out a flyer at the con with details on my work and how to contact me.
For more information, please don't hesitate to contact me. You can email me at fanthropology@gmail.com or leave a comment at this post or at my LJ. You can also contact the ConCom and they will be able to pass your concerns on to me anonymously. If you haven't yet, please fill out my survey over at Survey Monkey.
I'm really excited to get to attend this great vidding event and meeting some of my vidder heroes!
Methods
Here is a short rundown of the methods I plan to use while there.
- Participant Observation: this is a classic anthropology method which essentially involves me being a convention attendee - attending vid shows, listening to panels, etc. - and making notes on what is going on.
- Short Interviews: The formal term for "asking questions". I might ask someone what they think about fair use, or using YouTube, or the vid they just saw. Very straightforward.
- Extended / Formal Interviews: I would like to sit down with some people individually and go through a list of questions on your vidding practices, the vidding community, copyright and fair use issues, and issues around fandom in general.
- Roundtable: The ConCom has asked me to give a roundtable presentation on my research, where I will be outlining my approach, theories, and research thus far so that people can give me feedback and ask questions.
- Focus Group: If people are interested, I would like to get 4 or 5 people together to talk with me in a focus group, which is similar to an extended interview but tends to deal with more complex questions and lets all the group members discuss it together with me.
Ethical Concerns - Consent, Confidentiality, and the Right to Decline
My University requires that each participant read this participant information sheet and sign a consent form like this one before particpating so that everyone is fully informed. All must be over the age of 18. You need to sign your real name on the consent form, but after that I will assign you a random pseudonym and obscure your personal details so that you remain fully anonymous unless you choose to be identified by name or by a particular nickname (like your vidder name or LJ handle). I know some people are concerned about copyright suits, and I will do my utmost to protect your identity. The consent forms will be kept locked a file cabinet in my office and destroyed after the end of the project. You may refuse to answer any questions, and may cease participating at any time with no hard feelings. :-)
Research Guidelines
I have been in touch with the ConCom, and they have provided me with several guidelines to follow for your protection and mine. They are as follows:
- Consent forms will be required from all participants.
- Interviews will mostly be arranged in advance but you can also approach me and ask for one at the event.
- I will be introduced at the beginning of the con so that people know who I am and can approach me or avoid me if they are not interested. Please do not feel shy about telling me you do not want to participate - I completely understand and I will not be offended.
- I will be interviewing away from the main con space where there is some privacy.
- I will not make any recordings or take any photos during the convention. I would like to audio-record my extended interviews, but these will happen away from the main con space and I will ask each person individually for permission.
- I am going to be handing out a flyer at the con with details on my work and how to contact me.
For more information, please don't hesitate to contact me. You can email me at fanthropology@gmail.com or leave a comment at this post or at my LJ. You can also contact the ConCom and they will be able to pass your concerns on to me anonymously. If you haven't yet, please fill out my survey over at Survey Monkey.
I'm really excited to get to attend this great vidding event and meeting some of my vidder heroes!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
On my way!
Well, I'm about to start my fieldwork for my thesis... and I have to confess I'm a bit nervous. I am extremely excited, of course, but also a bit worried - I've travelled so far, you know? Let's hope it all works out. I don't have much time here in the Abu Dhabi airport... See you all soon!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Here it is... The questionnaire!!
Let the data collection begin! My official blurb is below.
I am a graduate student at the University of Wollongong in Australia, and I am writing my Master's thesis on vidding. I have create a questionnaire for the purposes of my research that I would love to have as many vidders and vid-watchers take as possible. If you are interested in taking my questionnaire, please click the link below. It should take about 20 minutes to complete.
Click Here to take survey
If you would like more information before you begin, please don't hesitate to leave a comment here on my LJ, on my research blog, or you can email me.
Please note: This survey is only open to those over the age of 18.
Thank you to all the great vidders and fans out there who have helped me with my research!
Crossposted to my LJ and the LJ vidding community.
I am a graduate student at the University of Wollongong in Australia, and I am writing my Master's thesis on vidding. I have create a questionnaire for the purposes of my research that I would love to have as many vidders and vid-watchers take as possible. If you are interested in taking my questionnaire, please click the link below. It should take about 20 minutes to complete.
Click Here to take survey
If you would like more information before you begin, please don't hesitate to leave a comment here on my LJ, on my research blog, or you can email me.
Please note: This survey is only open to those over the age of 18.
Thank you to all the great vidders and fans out there who have helped me with my research!
Crossposted to my LJ and the LJ vidding community.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Almost there!
well everyone, i'm just about ready to begin my data collection for my thesis! how cool is that? i'm really excited to get down into the meat and potatoes of my work now. fieldwork is the anthropologist's lifeblood, after all. i am hoping to get my survey up and running this week, via survey monkey, in order to get some of my most basic questions answered. i hope to share my results with the community as well, just to give a bit back to you all.
i'm hoping to post it up in the livejournal comms, and perhaps at animemusicvideos.org as well - does anyone have any other suggestions on where i might be able to hit up more vidders?
i'm hoping to post it up in the livejournal comms, and perhaps at animemusicvideos.org as well - does anyone have any other suggestions on where i might be able to hit up more vidders?
Sunday, April 13, 2008
If only
I really, really, really, really want to attend VividCon. Oh man, do I. Partially because it would give me an excuse to see my family in Toronto, and partially because my inner fangirlish side also demands it from me. I would love to be able to meet and interact with all those vidders, watch the vids in the screening room, and essentially fangirl--- I mean, research. Yeah.
But unfortunately, the registration sold out in 15 minutes! I couldn't believe it when I heard it, let me tell you. But I still really want to go. *hangs head* I will try to go to VidUKon in the UK instead, and I am getting really excited about that one as well. But I am worried that my uni won't fork out the necessary funding to get me to the UK. It's a pickle.
Apparently, I am now using this blog to complain about problems and snags in my research. Sorry, audience!
In an attempt to change the general tenor of this post around, I will say that I love my topic, even if it does increase my general stress level by 5000%. But that's okay - VidUKon, I will try and attend you!
As they say here in Oz, no worries mate. No worries. We'll figure this out. (Besides, I can't actually do any fieldwork until I get my ethics approval, but that's in progress.)
But unfortunately, the registration sold out in 15 minutes! I couldn't believe it when I heard it, let me tell you. But I still really want to go. *hangs head* I will try to go to VidUKon in the UK instead, and I am getting really excited about that one as well. But I am worried that my uni won't fork out the necessary funding to get me to the UK. It's a pickle.
Apparently, I am now using this blog to complain about problems and snags in my research. Sorry, audience!
In an attempt to change the general tenor of this post around, I will say that I love my topic, even if it does increase my general stress level by 5000%. But that's okay - VidUKon, I will try and attend you!
As they say here in Oz, no worries mate. No worries. We'll figure this out. (Besides, I can't actually do any fieldwork until I get my ethics approval, but that's in progress.)
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