Documents as sources of data
What is semiotics?
The study of semi-detached houses
A half-baked attempt at social research
The method of semi-structured interviewing
The science of signs
The science of signs
Semiotics is a branch of social science research that focuses on the way symbols and signs are used in everyday life. This might involve studying the way visual images function as “signs” in a cultural text (objects and images as well as documents), referring not only to specific objects at a superficial level but also to underlying “deep structures” of the social world. It can be seen as an approach to analysis of data, as well as a subject area in its own right. The word should not be thought of as Latin ‘semi-‘, in the sense of ‘half’, but as Greek ‘sem(e)i-‘, meaning ‘sign’.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 565
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 565
The science of signs Semiotics is a branch of social science research that focuses on the way symbols and signs are used in everyday life. This might involve studying the way visual images function as “signs” in a cultural text (objects and images as well as documents), referring not only to specific objects at a superficial level but also to underlying “deep structures” of the social world. It can be seen as an approach to analysis of data, as well as a subject area in its own right. The word should not be thought of as Latin ‘semi-‘, in the sense of ‘half’, but as Greek ‘sem(e)i-‘, meaning ‘sign’.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 565
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 565
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Which of the following is not an example of an official document?A. A report of a public inquiry into a disaster
B. A PhD student’s collection of interview transcripts
C. Documentation from a pharmaceutical company about a new drug
D. A leaked memo from one member of parliament to another
Why is it necessary to consider the authenticity of personal documents? Select all that apply.
A. Because they have been seen by other people
B. Because they might have been “ghost written” or heavily edited by other authors
C. Because they might not reflect the true feelings of the writer
D. Because documents can never be trusted
Why can it be difficult to establish the authenticity of virtual data?
A. Because we do not know who wrote the material on a web site
B. Because virtual data are not as good as actual data
C. Because it may require specialist “inside knowledge” to understand the text
D. Because it is usually presented in the form of visual images
Why might a collection of personal letters from the nineteenth century be low in representativeness?
A. Because it would be difficult to read old-fashioned styles of handwriting
B. Because it can be hard for a modern day researcher to understand such materials
C. Because they might have been forged by an unscrupulous dealer
D. Because at that time literacy was mainly limited to middle class males
Why is it important to study the way audiences “read” cultural documents?
A. To demonstrate how audiences passively accept whatever they are told
B. Because their interpretation of it may differ from that intended by the author
C. Because sociologists are running out of new things to research
D. Because there is a lot of funding available for focus group studies
Why might social researchers be interested in analysing photographs as a form of visual data?
A. To find out more about fashion, artifacts and everyday life in a particular social setting
B. To study the way photographs present idealized depictions of family life
C. To help them to see what has not been photographed and why
D. All of the above
How does qualitative content analysis differ from quantitative content analysis?
A. It is always preceded by ethnographic research
B. It involves counting the number of times certain words appear in a text
C. It is less rigid, as researchers are constantly revising their concepts
D. It is less likely to be used by feminist researchers
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