Qualitative research methods for media studies / Bonnie S. Brennen.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Getting started. Quantitative vs. qualitative research ; The development of qualitative research conceptual orientations -- 2. Doing qualitative research. The ethics of qualitative research ; The qualitative research process ; Choosing a research topic ; Crafting research questions ; Gathering and analyzing evidence ; Crafting a research report -- 3. Interviewing. Qualitative interviews ; Ethical considerations ; Using qualitative interviews ; Conceptualizing a study ; Designing a study ; Conducting interviews ; Interviewing techniques ; Transcribing interviews ; Analyzing the information ; Verifying information ; Writing a research report -- 4. Focus groups. The development of focus groups ; Contemporary focus groups ; The role of a moderator ; Facilitator's communication strategies ; Recruiting participants ; Dealing with difficult participants ; Ethical considerations ; Focus group research -- 5. History. Traditional vs. cultural history ; Media history ; The method of history ; Collecting historical evidence ; Types of historical materials ; Evaluating historical evidence ; Ethical considerations ; Research using history -- 6. Oral history. Technique of oral history ; Interview strategies ; Learning to listen ; The editing process ; Ethical considerations ; Research using oral history transcripts -- 7. Ethnography and participant observation. Thick description ; Ethnography in media studies ; Participant observation ; Going native in Avatar ; FIeld notes ; Reflexivity ; Analyzing and interpreting ethnographic material ; Ethical considerations ; Research using ethnography -- 8. Textual analysis. What is a text? ; The development of textual analysis ; The influence of semiotics ; Theory and interpretation ; Encoding and decoding ; Ideological analysis ; Genre analysis ; Rhetorical analysis ; Ethical considerations ; Research using textual analysis.

"This book introduces the essential qualitative methods used in media research, with an emphasis on integrating theory with practice. Each method is introduced through step-by-step instruction on conducting research and interpreting research findings, alongside in-depth discussions of the historical, cultural, and theorical context of the particular method and case studies drawn from published scholarship. This text is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to qualitative methods, ideal for media and mass communication research courses"-- Provided by publisher.