Paul's Questions for 9/14

1. Our first reading by Denzin and Lincoln provided a description and table (Pg. 27) on interpretive paradigms, or interpretive framework. Two of those listed under paradigm/theory are Feminist and Ethnic. The descriptions regarding criteria, form of theory and type of narration were very similar for both, with the feminist paradigm/theory incorporating just a few more elements. It seems that in the form of theory area, Ethnic uses historical elements, where Faminist does not. Is this the basic difference between the two?
2. In the Denzin and Lincoln reading on Page 29, the methods of collecting and analyzing empirical materials are briefly described. From direct observation to the analysis of artifacts, documents, and cultural records, to the use of visual materials or personal experience, the descriptions sounds a lot like what a typical television journalist like myself does on a daily basis. Is this aspect of qualitative research just a more extensive form of what working journalists do as part of their routine?
3. Linguistic discourse analysis is discussed in our second reading this week by Jensen. He details the humanistic methodology of interaction as one of three main levels of analysis, such as interviewing. Conducting interviews is, again, a big part of my routine as a journalist, so this area of qualitative research intrigues me. On page 34, Jensen states, “linguistic analysis of an interview transcript, for example, can suggest how conceptual distinctions and interrelations are established during the interaction.” How is the interviewer performance described as part of the final writing of any qualitative research project?
4. “The Case of Visual Communication” is described on page 37 of Jensen’s portion of our reading. At the time of his writing in 1991, it’s clear that examining visual communication in terms of qualitative research was in its early stages. How far has it come? I hope to include the youtube debates in my dissertation, but have not determined how to approach it yet.
5. After giving a working definition of qualitative research on page 44, Jankowski cites Mead (1934) when he says that the notion of role taking suggests, “in order to study human behavior the perspective of the actor must be established.” The researcher’s task, he adds, is to reconstruct and understand this perspective. What is meant by this?