Visual Research: A Concise Introduction to Thinking Visually

Visual Research: A Concise Introduction to Thinking Visually is the first text to present a concise overview of the significant ethical, theoretical, and practical considerations for conducting research with images. The capacity to take photos and video on handheld devices and the ability to store, post, and share such imagery online all offer tremendous opportunities for social research. The rapid development and popularity of such technology means that little technological proficiency is required, and even less theoretical and ethical consideration. This book provides an accessible introduction to doing visual research in the social sciences. Beginning with ethical considerations, this book highlights the importance of thinking visually before engaging in visual research. Further themes involve creating, organizing, and using images and are presented so as to help readers think about and work with their own visual data. Boxed case studies and further reading suggestions enhance the utility of this primer. Concise and highly focused, Visual Research will be an invaluable resource for visual, media, and communications students and researchers and others interested in visual research in the social sciences.

Table of Contents:
Tables and IllustrationsAcknowledgementsContributorsIntroductionSection One: Image BasicsChapter 1 - The Ethics of ImagesChapter 2 - The Basics of Thinking VisuallyChapter 3 - Thinking of Images as DataSection Two: Making ImagesChapter 4 - Cameras in Social Science ResearchChapter 5 - PhotographyChapter 6 - Video (with Elizabeth Cartwright)Chapter 7 - Multimedia Section Three: Using Images Chapter 8 - Storage and Organization (with Michele Reilly)Chapter 9 - Exploring Images (with Michele Reilly)Chapter 10 - Using ImagesConclusionAppendix 1: GlossaryAppendix 2: Online ResourcesNotesReferencesIndex

About the Author :
Jonathan S. Marion is Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arkansas and President-elect of the Society for Visual Anthropology (SVA).Jerome W. Crowder is Assistant Professor at the Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch, USA, and a Board member of the SVA.

Review :
"The authors have clearly figured out how to successfully teach visual research, and they share their insights in an engaging and immediately accessible way. In the classroom and in the field, researchers, teachers and students will welcome this book. It is both concise and comprehensive. - Liam Buckley, Co-editor of 'Visual Anthropology Review', President of the Society for Visual Anthropology Visual Research is an accessible introduction to the ever-expanding world of visual ethnography ... There is a careful balance of accessible and clear language alongside technical information that makes the book of use to the researcher or lay person with an interest in the field. Indeed, a key success of the book is that it manages to merge considerations of analysis and ethics with easy-to-follow practical advice about creating, storing and using images as methods of data collection ... This book encourages researchers who may be new to using visual ethnography to think critically about the use and meaning of visual data. It successfully teaches the reader the purpose and processes required to complete a successful visual research project. - Qualitative Research - Heather Pennington, Cardiff University, UK With its emphasis on most recent digital and online technologies – which makes it easier for all of us to produce, store and use images – the book represents an up-to-date introduction to visual research ... it comes at the right time, and its emphasis on the importance of thinking visually before engaging in visual research will probably remain invaluable. - Anthropological Notebooks - Gilles De Rapper, CNRS, IDEMEC, France Jonathan Marion and Jerome Crowder's Visual Research covers a lot of important ground, and in a tightly argued manner. Their summary of ethics covers the important issues surrounding images in the digital age. Images have a history in anthropology, which is presented as a succinct overview, and the modern world offers an often dizzying set of options regarding the way to make, process, analyze, and store images. Their ability to write clearly about these important but often overlooked issues makes their book especially useful and will ensure its place in the growing library of handbooks on visual methods. - Doug Harper, Professor of Sociology at Duquesne University, Author of 'Visual Sociology' As an increasing number of researchers in the social sciences engage with the potential of visual media it is crucial that they learn to think critically about the meaning and status of images and apply a scholarly rigour to their own visual practices. Visual Research provides an accessible introduction to the key issues, from the ethical consequences of making and showing images to the practical management of digital files. Case studies from a range of disciplinary perspectives provide insights into the benefits and challenges of working visually. Visual Research will be particularly useful to students at the outset of their visual research careers; whilst digital visual technologies may be ubiquitous, their application to research requires the acquisition of new skills and ways of thinking. - Darren Newbury, Research Co-ordinator for Visual Communication, Birmingham City University, Editor of 'Visual Studies'"