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Researching the Visual
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Researching the Visual

Second Edition


December 2012 | 296 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
The exciting Second Edition provides an overview of the field of visual research by drawing on the contributions of traditions as diverse as semiotics, ethnomethodology, symbolic interactionism, and material culture studies and by demonstrating their potential application for the visual researcher. Researching the Visual first covers traditional themes in visual research along with current trends in the field. It goes on to show how visual research should also embrace the analysis of everyday objects, places, and forms of interactions through its discussion of 2D and 3D visual data and both lived and living visual data. A brand new chapter on virtual visual data adds another dimension to this comprehensive book.

This updated new edition includes fully updated exercises which show students how "low-tech, low-budget" visual research can provide methodologically sophisticated ways of testing and developing cultural theory. The book also addresses the ethical considerations that are relevant to visual researchers.

Generously illustrated with images and diagrams, this new Second Edition is the perfect companion to those doing visual research projects and writing dissertations and theses.

 
A Very Short Introduction: The Scope of Visual Research
 
Ethics in Visual Research
 
Visual Research: The Disciplinary Core
 
Two-Dimensional Visual Data: Photographs and Beyond
 
Three-Dimensional Visual Data
 
Lived Visual Data
 
Living Forms of Visual Data
 
Virtual Visual Data

Stocked with artful new insights, methods and observations without jettisoning more enduring concerns, the field of visual research as presented here is a very welcome sight.
David Rowe
University of Western Sydney


In this newest edition, the authors take visual research far beyond the study of two-dimensional images to show readers how observational techniques can be marshalled to analyze public and private spaces in the built environment, human interaction and the culture of everyday life. Researching the Visual is a real eye-opener.
David Grazian
University of Pennsylvania


...Although the book does not explicitly say that this would be useful for educational researchers, the content and style does lend itself well to be a useful methodological resource for those educationalists engaged in research or postgraduate study who are curious about visual methods. And for the adventurous, the many excellent examples of exercises and projects and the illustrations throughout will provide a good place to start. This book would also be a positive addition to the reading list of any lecturers who are keen to explore visual methods with their students. 

Jill Clark, School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, Newcastle University
International Journal of Research and Method in Education

The Impact of the Social Sciences provides wide-ranging new data on how non-academic impact occurs in social, business or policy contexts as well as identifying the types of research and researcher best placed to produce these 'auditable or recordable occasions of influence'. It also proposes the idea of 'a hidden iceberg mass of knowledge' called the Dynamic Knowledge Inventory that builds up in the public domain and remains dormant, ready for some unspecified use. This framework also highlights the collective and cumulative nature of social science research available to user communities.  As REF impact case studies and 'Pathway to Impact' statements rely on specific impacts emerging from individual research projects, the Dynamic Knowledge Inventory challenges a major assumption of the impact agenda.  

Jacqueline Aldridge, Kent Business School, University of Kent
European Consortium for Political Research

The Impact of the Social Sciences provides wide-ranging new data on how non-academic impact occurs in social, business or policy contexts as well as identifying the types of research and researcher best placed to produce these 'auditable or recordable occasions of influence'. It also proposes the idea of 'a hidden iceberg mass of knowledge' called the Dynamic Knowledge Inventory that builds up in the public domain and remains dormant, ready for some unspecified use. This framework also highlights the collective and cumulative nature of social science research available to user communities.  As REF impact case studies and 'Pathway to Impact' statements rely on specific impacts emerging from individual research projects, the Dynamic Knowledge Inventory challenges a major assumption of the impact agenda.  

Jacqueline Aldridge, Kent Business School, University of Kent
European Consortium for Political Research

The Impact of the Social Sciences provides wide-ranging new data on how non-academic impact occurs in social, business or policy contexts as well as identifying the types of research and researcher best placed to produce these 'auditable or recordable occasions of influence'. It also proposes the idea of 'a hidden iceberg mass of knowledge' called the Dynamic Knowledge Inventory that builds up in the public domain and remains dormant, ready for some unspecified use. This framework also highlights the collective and cumulative nature of social science research available to user communities.  As REF impact case studies and 'Pathway to Impact' statements rely on specific impacts emerging from individual research projects, the Dynamic Knowledge Inventory challenges a major assumption of the impact agenda.  

Jacqueline Aldridge, Kent Business School, University of Kent
European Consortium for Political Research

This book will be recommended as essential reading for the course.
Comprehensive methodological text, will ensure students have the background and understanding they need.

Dr Angela Dickinson
CRIPACC, Hertfordshire University
October 25, 2019

Excellent addition to the reading list. A very good overview of the area with good examples. I hope to use the text to introduce visual research to my students.

Mrs denise Burke Mac Giolla Ri
Humanities , AIT Athlone Institute of Technology
November 19, 2015

This is a very good text on the visual research methods. While PG students may find it useful, UG students need to read a more accessible text first.

Dr Jung Woo Lee
Institute of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Edinburgh University
May 9, 2015

It is a very interesting book for specialized social investigators.
The examples are good, and it includes a quite number of good ideas of how to afront qualitative social investigation based in the analysis of different kind of images: photograhs, existing images, internet, but olso public spaces, body use, etc.
I recomend it to get a new an different idea of "the visual"

Dr Marian Ispizua
Sociology, Universidad del Pams Vasco
February 24, 2015

A very useful book to help students think creatively about their undergrad./postgrad. dissertation research methods.

Dr Nadine Tchelebi
Business Law , Faculty Of Applied Sciences
July 7, 2014

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1


For instructors

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