Visual Communication Research Designs

"Visual Communication Research Designs offers detailed guidance for using a variety of research methods to investigate visual communications. This book embeds each method - interview, draw-and-write, diary, Photovoice, case study, visual ethnography, focus group, discourse analysis, and content analysis - within a research design. Chapters begin with a brief, engaging story, such as: why people really include visuals on Facebook; why Picasso could draw but barely pass elementary school; and how camera phones can be used for intimate communication." "They then address key research components for each method, such as theoretical perspective, units of analysis, sampling, data analysis, data display, quality control, advantages/disadvantages, ethical issues, and the resources needed to complete the research." "Author Keith Kenney provides a consistent voice as well as a variety of perspectives from eleven contributors, each describing his/her work on a particular research project. With this book, Kenney moves visual communication away from a medium-centered approach (such as television or film) to a communication-centered approach (including intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organization, public, and mass communication)." "Providing explicit, practical guidance in an accessible, understandable format, this book will facilitate more and better research about visual communication."--BOOK JACKET.

Keith Kenney is an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina.