Media Diaries and Digital (Auto)-Ethnography Research Report

Media Diary Entries (10 Marks) – 16 entries total across 4 days
FOR BONUS MARKS: Add 2 or more extra days to your diary related to the current situation of social distancing and self-isolation related to COVID-19 precautions.
If you would like to volunteer to participate in Professor Burchell’s Research Project, then ADDITIONALLY send the Participation COVER SHEET to your tutorial leader in a separate email or Quercus message . After the final marks are posted your diaries will be collected and delinked/anonymized for the project. The coversheet is attached here: RESEARCH PARTICIPATION FORM_Media Diaries_COVER_SHEET.pdfPreview the document
Media Diary Analysis Report (10 Marks)
The Media Diary Analysis Report [1000-1200 words, not including the Reference List] should include the following components:

[100 words] Introduction:
Write an introduction to your Media Diary Analysis and Auto-Ethnography Research Report, summarizing key findings

[400-500 words] Media Diary Analysis:
Discuss the themes that emerged through the Open Coding and Focused Coding of your diary entries

HINT #1: “Coding” involves highlighting or tagging the words and phrases that you’ve used in your diary which demonstrate your unique experience and reflections of using media technologies in everyday life.
HINT #2: Remember to employ “Sensitizing Concepts”, “Stories”, and “Problematized Issues” in the analysis of diary entries. You can find these in the text book Ch 9 “Trust the Process”.
HINT #2: The concepts of “Audience”, “Fan” and “User” might be useful frameworks for understanding the media practice highlighted in your diary entries. See the Power points from Week 9 and the attached reading here: ROSE_2012_DEFINITIONS_AUDIENCES_FANS_USERS.pdfPreview the document
[400-500 words] Literature Review and Analysis:
Conduct a literature review of media practices and popular media platforms featured in your diary. Discuss how you have applied the concepts from your literature review to better understand your media diary analysis.

HINT #3 See the question list below to help you reflect on and analyze your media use.
[100 words] Conclusion:
Write a conclusion summarizing your Media Diary Analysis Report

Include a Reference List or Work Cited List as well as proper in-text citations throughout your report.

Here are some questions to help stimulate reflection on media practices for coding and analysis:

What media do you rely on most throughout the day? What media do you use sparingly? Do you notice anything interesting (gaps, routines, or differences) in your media usage compared to your friends?
Pay particular attention to any words or phrases you use related to the design or functionality of various devices, technology, social media platform. Highlight or ‘code’ all of these phrases, is there anything particular about the way you talk about technology?
Highlight or ‘code’ the words or phrases in your diary that talk about any form of social connections and relationships. Do you notice anything particular about your use of technology as part of your social life?
Reflect on the timing and frequency of your media use? Highlight or ‘code’ any reflections or contextual clues on time or timing. What can be learnt about your everyday life and your media use through this?
Reflect on the types of media that you consume and the types of people or organizations that produced this media. Are you audience member of media products produced by companies? Or do you consume social media content produced by users like you? Do you remix and remake your own media content (like memes and gifs)?