In the Eye of the Transcriber: Four Column Analysis Structure for Qualitative Research With Audiovisual Data

Abstract

For the past thirty years, qualitative psychology researchers have focused on the study of written or spoken word while relegating the study of visual communications to children or those deemed unable to speak (Reavey, 2021, p. 2). Thus, the discipline now pays much attention to the collection and analysis of spoken or written words but significantly less to visual and auditory expressions of experience (Reavey, 2021, p. 3), and most transcription methods for psychology researchers are those designed for interviews that only capture the spoken word. However, these transcription methods have yet to account for the current context of ubiquitous, technologically mediated interactions. People from diverse groups use social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok to interact using speech, audio and video. While they offer rich data for qualitative psychology researchers, the tools to capture such multimodal expressions are still in early stages of development within the discipline (Marshall et al., 2021). In this article, we present a transcription structure that allows for the recording of both speech and visual elements in audiovisual content. Inspired by methods from communications and visual anthropology, the Four Column Analysis Structure (or, FoCAS) allows for the simultaneous analysis of both audio and visual data by allowing for the transcription of four dimensions: (1) timestamp, (2) setting, (3) scene, and (4) audio. Based on its application in two completed studies and one study in progress, we describe the development of the FoCAS, how to set it up, transcription conventions, and how to analyze qualitative data using all four columns. We additionally discuss sampling considerations and the advantages and disadvantages of the structure. By expanding the amount of meaningful data that can be captured by qualitative transcription, we hope the FoCAS can be used to create more multidimensional, rigorous analyses of audiovisual data.

“You’re Not Alone”: How Adolescents Share Dysmenorrhea Experiences Through Vlogs

“…The study utilizes a four-column analysis structure based on Stuart Hall's (1980Hall's ( /2009) theory of encoding and decoding. The structure facilitates the simultaneous deconstruction of audio and visual content, allowing the analyst to decode the meaning the creators encode into their productions (Mohammed et al, 2023). In this study, the structure enables researchers to gain insight to not only what adolescents say about their menstrual pain but how they meaningfully portray these experiences to an audience.…”

“…To ensure a manageable data set, we first explored the scope of available content to get a sense of the existing content about adolescent menstrual pain. Then, we defined clear inclusion and exclusion criteria for video selection and discussed which audio-visual elements within those videos would potentially be relevant to transcribe ( Mohammed et al, 2023 ). After excluding content from Instagram and TikTok due to relevance, we decided to search for “period pain vlog” on YouTube, which resulted in videos created by adolescents experiencing period pain and videos from family members of those experiencing period pain.…”

“…The first author took the lead on analysis, in consultation with the second and third authors. She transcribed the vlogs using a four-column coding system with columns dedicated to (1) timestamps, (2) the setting, (3) the scene, and (4) the dialogue content of each video ( Knowles, 2020 ; Mohammed et al, 2023 ). The setting and scene columns were used to record the visual content of the vlogs.…”

“…To achieve this aim, we searched YouTube for vlogs about menstrual pain posted by adolescents. We then transcribed these vlogs using a four-column analysis structure ( Mohammed et al, 2023 ) to capture both visual and audio data. Finally, we analyzed the cumulative data using a critical qualitative approach.…”

“…Vloggers craft their words carefully and decide what they show the audience to depict their stories. To incorporate these multimodal elements of the vlogs in our qualitative analysis, we utilized a four-column transcription structure to translate visual and audio elements into qualitative data so that visuals can be analyzed alongside the dialogue ( Mohammed et al, 2023 ). This transcription method enabled us to identify the qualities of the composite visual and audio pieces that constitute the total story being conveyed.…”