Creating value for your reader through the introduction and literature review
MONDAY 4/8 14.30 – 17.00
In the first half of this workshop, we tackle common challenges in writing literature reviews for PhD theses and journal articles, including structure, theory, synthesis, and focus. I’ll share my own techniques, including how mind mapping can help build a strong review framework. In the second half, I invite you to think about how we create value for our readers, particularly in the introduction and lit review. I will walk you through a 6-step formula for how you can do this. To begin the session, I will invite you to share the aspects of literature reviews that you find most challenging. Please come prepared with a list of topics or questions that you would like us to address.
Abstract writing
TUESDAY 5/8 13.30 – 16.30
In this workshop you will be given a quick overview of the core academic format ‘abstract’ but will also be invited to consider titles and how they communicate your work. We will work on developing titles, investigating key components of the abstracts, suggesting concrete word limits, discussing the differences between a journal and conference abstract, and whether references belong in an abstract or not. There will be six key questions that can guide abstract writing and during the workshop, you will be invited to critically analyse your own abstracts that you submitted to apply to the summer school. The students will be given the opportunity to work hands-on to improve their abstracts and titles of their project.
Media archaeology
WEDNESDAY 6/8 13.30 – 15.30
Södertörn Media Archaeological Collections (SMS) are a laboratory, a workshop, and an environment for the creative exploration of media history through the technologies it has left behind. By interacting hands on with media devices such as a slide projector, a push-button telephone, and document organizers we explore how audio, visuals and storage media have been remediated and what it might tell us about future media technologies. The workshop explores how media archaeology, as both method and perspective, allows us to critically engage with obsolete or forgotten media in order to better understand the non-linear and layered nature of media history.
Working with qualitative data
WEDNESDAY 6/8 13.30 – 15.30
Qualitative research is full of surprises and rewarding moments, but also pitfalls at every stage: from choosing the right approach to accessing the field, recruiting participants, collecting data, and finally interpreting it. This workshop explores key challenges across the research process based on participants demands and requirements. Doing so, we will put a special focus on two delicate aspects: First, gaining access to hard-to-reach groups and dealing with participants’ reluctance to contribute to research. In this context we will also reflect on ethical tensions that might occur between researchers and participants or on either side of this constellation .As a second aspect, we address how inconsistencies and contradictions in qualitative data (and human behavior) can be addressed and turned into a strength.
Studying Social Media via Data Extraction – Current (im)possibilities
THURSDAY 7/8 13.30 – 15.30
Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Bluesky are used for communicating, debating and discussing on a variety of topics and themes. Such uses produces vast amounts of data – data that can be very useful for media and communication research efforts. In this workshop, we will discuss the current possibilities of data collection from the mentioned services. Students will also be given data samples from each platform, and we will examine what kind of information can be collected. If time allows, we will also touch on ethical issues related to these types of data collection.
Emotional labour in research
THURSDAY 7/8 13.30 – 15.30
Many researchers engage with emotionally demanding work and work on sensitive or distressing topics, or handle traumatic material/data as part of their research. This type of work can present specific emotional and ethical challenges, and may sometimes affect researchers’ wellbeing. This session will focus on how to handle important ethical issues that arise with this type of data collection and focus on developing specific strategies that researchers can adopt for self-care and the wellbeing of research participants. The session will be hands-on with case studies and examples from the facilitators own research experience.
Exploring the backends of AI
THURSDAY 7/8 16.00 – 17.30
The workshop will start with a short introduction on AI and how to think about ”it”, as well as the concept of media backends. We will then engage with activities exploring AI at its backend. These will help us think about how the world gets flattened to data and the political implications of this, as well as sustainability and loss through the materialities of data infrastructure.
The publishing landscape and how to find your way
SATURDAY 9/8 14.00 – 16.30
Publishing in international journals is a given for researchers. Nevertheless, it can often be difficult to get an overview of the range of journals, decide where to submit your manuscript and to understand the different steps involved in the publication process. In his presentation Magnus Fredriksson, editor at Nordicom will provide an orientation to the publishing landscape, what it looks like and how you can think when you are about to select a outlet for your work.