Production and analysis of video recordings in qualitative research

Abstract

One of the criticisms made about empirical studies of a qualitative basis concerns the inappropriate use of research methodologies as a result of a less than careful match between the research object/problem and the data production procedures. A fact often neglected is that the adoption of a given methodology is dictated by what is necessary to do in order to obtain empirical material whose density and wealth allows a better understanding of the different aspects surrounding the problem under investigation, so that well grounded hypotheses can be formulated. It is up to the researcher to choose the method best suited to the gathering of the data and to the theoretical assumptions guiding it, and to that purpose he/she must have knowledge of the various choices available. This article presents reflections and guidelines about the ever more frequent use of video recordings in qualitative research, discussing specificities of the production and analysis of audiovisual material associated to investigation procedures in social and human sciences. The considerations put forward here were built from the experience in the use of this kind of resource in studies carried out by the authors during the last five years, in constant dialogue with publications by other researchers who, having also worked with this resource, describe in their texts the difficulties and solutions related to its adoption. It is hoped that this will contribute to the debate on the necessary and close correlation between object and method in empirical studies.