Importance of Seeing

After really getting a better understanding for qualitative research I think that my plan for a documentary will work extremely well because when conducting interviews and catching it on film you are able to see facial expressions and hear changes in tone. If I were to just write a paper you would be more likely to get my bias account of the interviews, but when you are catching everything on film it is less likely, although keep in mind that editing, camera angle etc. will contribute to my biases. 

While trying to get a better understanding of qualitative research and the power it can have I came across the phenomenological method (I know big word, and don't worry I can't pronounce it either). But according to Spiegelberg who describes the method, it is important to "become highly aware" of your subjects and your subjects surroundings (Bruyn 284). How much more could you become aware of your subjects and their surroundings then by filming them! Another part of the phenomenological method that Spiegelberg stresses is the importance of "'watching modes of appearing' [which] stresses the importance of seeing objects as they actually exist rather than as we imagine they exist" (Bruyn 284). A-ha! Don't you love a good "A-ha!" moment. That's exactly what I will be doing by filming them, I will be capturing students and faculty as they exist instead of trying to describe them and projecting my views through words. 

Works Cited:

Bruyn, Severyn T., "The New Empiricists: The Participant Observer and Phenomenologist." 
             Qualitative Methodology. Ed. William J. Filstead. Chicago: Markham Publishing, 1970.
             283-87.