Through the Lens: Research Methods through the Cinematic Medium
This research pro-seminar offers a comprehensive introduction to the foundations of academic research, with a particular emphasis on qualitative research methods and the development of research thinking through cinema and visual media. Throughout the course, students will acquire the theoretical and practical tools required to understand the nature of academic inquiry, develop a research idea, formulate research questions and hypotheses, design a research framework, and become familiar with the various stages of the research process—from conceptualization to data analysis.
The distinctive feature of this course is its integration of research methodology with cinematic and aesthetic analysis. Film and visual media will serve both as objects of inquiry and as methodological tools for critical thinking, interpretation, and knowledge production. Through close viewing and interpretive analysis of cinematic language—including composition, cinematography, editing, sound, color, movement, and narrative—students will learn how aesthetic choices communicate ideas, reveal cultural meanings, and provide insights into social and human phenomena.
The course introduces a range of qualitative research methodologies, including content analysis, narrative analysis, visual analysis, visual ethnography, and other interpretive approaches, highlighting their application across the humanities, social sciences, education, and the arts. Throughout the academic year, students will engage in critical readings, film screenings, and analytical discussions while developing the ability to employ cinematic expression both as a subject of scholarly investigation and as a medium for generating academic knowledge.
By the end of the course, students will have developed a solid theoretical and methodological foundation in qualitative research, alongside advanced skills in critical thinking, interpretive analysis, and academic writing, grounded in the understanding that cinema and visual media constitute powerful tools for exploring human experience, society, and culture.