Visual display of qualitative information: Implications of using illustrations to depict video data

Abstract

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Qualitative Methods in PER: A Critical Examination.] Qualitative studies in the domain of physics education research have become more common in the last several decades. Methodologically, this has been marked by an expansion of the types of data collected in physics education research (PER): namely, in the use of individual and group interviews, problem-solving sessions, and classroom observations—often in the form of video data. However, depictions of those video data in publications, a key opportunity for communicating analytic approaches and results, are often left out or are constructed without addressing some important implications of video data depictions. In this paper, we critically examine how video data can be depicted, first providing a rough taxonomy of depiction approaches. We then emphasize the case of line illustrations as a depiction approach with significant potential for improving (i) the transparency of analytic perspectives, (ii) communicational clarity, and (iii) the handling of ethical issues, such as participant anonymization, followed by a discussion of the limitations and challenges of using illustrations. In the Appendix, we provide a practical guide for researchers interested in making their own illustrations for academic publishing purposes.