Other forms of research

Experiment: A test to see if something is true. Experiments can be good to find a specific answer, however results can be inconclusive for example if not enough experiments are done to achieve a proper result.

Participant Observation: The researcher participates in the activity in order to better understand it. This can give the researcher a first hand view of what they're trying to find out. However it only gives results based on the researcher. If the target audience is not the researcher, the information obtained will not be very valuable.

Historical Research: Looking at the history and development of something, or studying old examples of something and comparing with contemporary examples. Information obtained via this method may not be valuable if circumstances have changed since. For example, information about technology 60 years ago wouldn't be relevent today because of how much it has changed since then.

Rhetorical Analysis: Analysis of the techniques used to persuade the audience (can tell us something about the audience and the purpose of the text). This analysis can give us information about the audience by analysing the way they are being targeted by the media. However, this only tells us what the media thinks about the audience, rather than finding out about the audience themselves.

Comparative Analysis: Research that compares/contrasts behaviours/media products. This research can be valuable to the researcher, if comparing their product to a more succesful product, and comparing what their product does better.

Competitor Analysis: Close analysis and ratings of a range of competitor's products. This research can be valuable if analysing a competitor's products that are better than your own. If you analyse a competitor's product who'se are worse, then you won't learn anything.

During our comparative analysis excersise, we learn't that it was subjective because in putting our own rating for each category from 1 to 5, we are putting our own opinions forward.

Processes of Dubstep Research:
1) Determine questions to gather information about the history of Dubstep.
2) Create a list of different aspects of the topic to research.
3) First understand the history of the topic to gather a good understanding.
4) Gather information about the stastics of web traffic websites particular to the topic get.