Methodologies for Researching Digital Artifacts

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Methodologies for Researching Digital Artifacts (3 ECTS/5 ECTS)

March 13 – April 3, 2017 (Stockholm University)

Course Description: The study of websites, social media platforms and other digital artifacts is a large part of academic research. Given their wide range of form and content, it can be difficult for researchers to know which methodologies to use. In addition, students often lack some of the basic technical skills needed to gather and organize online date.

With this in mind, the purpose of this course will be to offer doctoral students engaged with, or interested in, research looking at what we can broadly call “digital artifacts” (material available online such as websites, social media, etc.) a variety of methodological tools with which to begin their work. Of particular importance in this course is a combination of lectures and practical, hands-on workshops where students are shown how data is gathered and analyzed, and given the opportunity to engage in data-gathering exercises. The course will focus on a number of key areas: (1) Platform Research, (2) Statistical Analysis of Social Media, (3) Big Data Analysis: Opportunities, Methods, and Challenges, and (4) Technology in Historical Context.

Course Instructors: Christian Christensen (Stockholm University; Course Leader), Anders Larsson (Westerdals Oslo School of Arts), Walid Al-Saqaf (Stockholm University), Nina Wormbs (KTH), Anne Kaun (Södertörn)

Course Points: Lectures & Seminars Only: 3 ECTS, Lectures & Seminars Plus Paper (10-12 pages submitted after): 5 ECTS

Schedule (all meetings at JMK in Bang-salen)

  • March 13, 2017 (10:00-12:00) Christian Christensen: Contextualizing Digital Content Through Interviewing
  • March 13, 2017 (13:00-15:00) Christian Christensen: Contextualizing Digital Content Through Interviewing (Seminar/Practice)
  • March 14, 2017 (10:00-12:00) Anders Larsson: Statistical Analysis of Social Media
  • March 14, 2017 (13:00-15:00) Anders Larsson: Statistical Analysis of Social Media (Seminar/Practice)
  • March 21, 2017 (10:00-12:00) Walid Al-Saqaf: Big Data Analysis: Opportunities, Methods, and Challenges
  • March 21, 2017 (13:00-15:00) Walid Al-Saqaf: Big Data Analysis: Opportunities, Methods, and Challenges (Seminar/Practice)
  • March 22, 2017 (10:00-12:00) Nina Wormbs: Technology in Historical Context
  • March 22, 2017 (13:00-15:00) Nina Wormbs: Technology in Historical Context (Seminar/Practice)
  • April 3, 2017 (10:00-12:00) Anne Kaun: Platform Research
  • April 3, 2017 (13:00-15:00) Anne Kaun: Platform Research (Seminar/Practice)

 

For registration, please contact Christian Christensen (christian.christensen@ims.su.se) ASAP.