This week was entirely dedicated to resolving a major methodological dilemma within my proposal. In my independent study, I had to critically evaluate whether my investigation into animation cinematography required a qualitative or a quantitative methodological paradigm. Initially, I entertained the ambitious idea of conducting empirical quantitative research, such as distribution surveys or eye-tracking experiments with actual animation audiences to measure their immersion levels statistically.
However, through deliberate critical reflection and evaluating the realistic constraints of my project, I identified massive feasibility flaws in this approach. As a postgraduate researcher operating within a limited timeframe, setting up scientifically valid laboratory tests would consume too many resources and ultimately lack depth in film theory. Consequently, I autonomously decided to pivot toward a qualitative framework, specifically choosing close-up screen textual analysis as my primary method. I spent the latter half of Week 12 reading advanced film methodology texts to understand how to apply structured narrative coding to animation frames. By rejecting the quantitative route, I can ensure my proposal demonstrates a deep, sophisticated engagement with screen language rather than presenting superficial statistics.
