Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials: An Introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Methods [Paperback]

There are many ways of interpreting the things we see around us. This book gives a set of tools so that we can interpret visual artifacts through a specific methodology - hence the title.

Here's a list of the chapters directly relating to methodologies but it's not an exhaustive list of the book's chapters:

3. The Good Eye - looking at pictures using compositional analysis
4. Content analysis - counting what you (think you) see
5. Semiology - laying bare the prejudices beneath the smooth surface of the beautiful
6. Psychoanalysis - visual culture, visual pleasure, visual disruption
7. Discourse analysis1 - text, intertextuality, context
8. Discourse analysis 2 - institutions and ways of seeing
9. Audience studies - studying how television gets watched
10. An anthropological approach - directly observing the social life of visual objects
11. Making photographs as part of a research project - photo-elicitation, photo documentation an other uses of photos.

So it's a pretty broad selection and I'm sure you'll find something here that's relevant to your work. The text recommends that 2 or 3relevant methods are applied to whatever it is you're researching so you get a balanced view. The text is accessible and surprisingly easy reading for such a theory based subject. The book was of definite use for me in adding academic depth in my degree essays and of course helping me understand certain things.

Loved this book. It provides a broad selection of tools/methods to interpret and report visual elements. It's a good introduction to the various methods to help you decide what your next step should be. Gillian Rose is a good writer and makes the subject very accessible. Even if you have already chosen a method, this book is still valuable to help you become a more informed visual analyst and to develop more informed arguements in your work.

This is the best introductory primer for students studying visual methods of social research. Very highly recommended place to start your studies.