Regular readers of this blog know I have a particular panache for academic writing and research practices.
As a researcher, I like to muddle long-held academic conventions to reimagine scholarship differently – like using experimental feminist approaches when referencing. (Note to any undergrads reading this: don’t do this! Don’t mess with academic referencing. Tow the line! Unless you have a Ph.D. before your name, follow academic style and referencing conventions. You will be penalised if you don’t (ie loose marks). I’m a known disrupter at Uni and the feminist expert-iments I use like the Visible and Valued: In(Citing) Feminist Scholarship and the recent Reading with Recipocity Project are part of my research methodology so I can get away with it!).
As an academic writing advisor, I regularly work with undergrad and postgrads and look for ways to help them better understand course content and practice skills that produce better writing.
I teach an elective course for pre-service teachers called 3404EDN Gender & Literacy and am currently working with a number of postgrads who are diving into their first-ever text analysis.
Text analysis is different from a video/film analysis (like the video above).
This post outlines a few ideas to get started with text analysis – whether you are at uni, a text buff, or just an interested party.
This is not a definitive or exhaustive list of ideas. A caveat: use your good judgment! The ideas here are suggestions that work for me and the undergrads I work with, they are not rules to be applied ALL the time, to EVERY assessment, in EVERY situation.
Here, I’m covering the regular questions I get asked by students doing an AV text analysis at uni for the first time – and some aspects that are interesting more broadly.
Let’s get into it!
Text Aanalysis
Have a systematic way to analyze the text.
Always follow what your tutor/supervisor says as far as how to ‘analyse’.
If you have not been provided with a clear outline of what/how to begin a text analysis, ask for one, or find one and check its appropriacy with your supervisor.
This might be a theoretical framework, a model, a process, or some other way to systematically work through critical points for analysis.
For example, in my 3404EDN class, we focus on gender. We use the text analysis process below to identify and interrogate gender patterns within a given text. This helps us look carefully at character representations. From there, we might discuss the dynamics we see, like if/where there are examples of traditional, transformational, or a mix of gender representations, how this links to theoretical perspectives of how gender is constructed, and what this means for us (as uni students/pre-service teachers), other audiences (more widely), learners (students in our future classes/workplaces), and society at large.
This is just one example of one type of text analysis. There are many other ways to do text analysis. The tip here is to use a systematic approach.
If it is a recognised text analysis process, theory, or approach drawn from academic literature, include a citation.
So, you need to know what/how to approach your text analysis.
How to reference a visual text.
Most students know (hopefully!) how to reference an academic source – a journal article (best published in last 10 years), a chapter in a book, and/or a book.
Fewer people know who to accurately reference a report (like a UN Annual Report or Government document) or other grey literature.
This is understandable as it is tricky to do.
Even less know how to reference audio/visual (A/V) texts (unless it is your area of study).
Here I am referring to films, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, posters, artwork, illustrations, TV commercials, comics/manga, video games, and the like.
The best way to approach this is to find a really good referencing guide.
Find an online tool or download a guide you like and keep it handy.
There is no excuse for losing points for references. There is so much help, support and many resources available. Plus, it is an academic skill you’ll need for all courses in your uni degree and beyond, so it’s best to know how to do it accurately.
Know what referencing style to use.
Ask your tutor if unsure…in fact…ask your tutor anyway …just to double-check – don’t assume!
We use APA 7th.
Griffith Library has an online Referencing Tool you can modify to suit whatever text you are working on.
It has examples and formats for both in-text and reference list entries.
But there are limits to this particular tool. For example for AV, it lists video stream database, YouTube/Vimeo, and DVD/BluRay only. Any other AV format means you’ll need to use a different referencing tool/style guide.
In my experience, Griffith’s APA tool will cover most of what is needed for undergrad work.
Here’s an example for a DVD film from Griffith’s APA 7th Referencing Tool:
If you go online there are heaps of downloadable referencing guides.
Find one that you like and one that covers your most used sources.
Make sure it is not overly complicated and is quick to use.
Sometimes, you might need to cite an uncommon ‘wild card’ reference – something that is more challenging to cite – like a podcast or some other source not in your handy guide.
In this case, use an advanced guide, or the official APA Style Referencing website, or ask a uni librarian.
Hot tips for referencing AV texts
You’ll need to accurately cite any sources used intext in the Reference List.
Let’s say you are writing about the film The Bicycle Thief.
HOT TIP # 1
Always write the title in italics (this helps distinguish it as ‘the text’ as opposed to your writing or citations (anything not in italics).
“The film The Bicycle Thief centers on a man called Mario who….”
HOT TIP # 2
The first time you write the title, you’ll need to include the year the film was first released after it.
First time naming the text example:
“The film The Bicycle Thief (1948) is a classic example of Italian Neorealism as ….”
In my 3404EDN course, the first assessment is only 750 words. For brevity, I’m happy if the text is ‘yeared’ the first time it is introduced, but thereafter, I don’t see a need to include the year every time the text is named.
But if your assessment is longer or your tutor is a stickler, you might be required to include the year every time (like you would for an academic citation… or use some other technique). This is in line with ‘official’ APA 7th formatting.
Personally, I think it is overkill. For me, the initial intext citation with the year is evidence enough the student knows what they are doing (it’s usually more than other undergrads do anyway), as well as the use of italics for the title thereafter, is enough. Besides, it inhibits readability and flow – that is just me. But it is a thought to consider.
My students need only include the year the first time. After that, no need to include the year. Just make sure the title is always in italics.
HOT TIP # 3
If you want to get super fancy and accurate (not many students know or do this, so it stands out when you do – it’s next level), use timestamps (as a page number variation) when discussing a particular scene, an utterance, or a moment.
Timestamping shows extra attention to detail. This is good practice as it shows high-level critical analysis, showcases specific details, and advanced referencing skills.
Most tutors I know (myself included) LOOOVE seeing this.
Again, if you are not sure, ask your tutor. (Maybe after class if you want to keep it to yourself, or in class if you are happy to share this secret weapon).
There are a few ways to timestamp.
The ‘official APA 7th’ way is:
Hours/minutes/seconds format H:MM:SS e.g. 1:35:02
I have also seen it done like this:
Minutes/seconds follows the MM’SS” e.g. 23’12” or 75’33” (if over an hour)
Personally, I don’t mind either way, just as long as it is applied consistently.
Using this technique in writing might look like this:
“Mario’s independence transgresses heteronormative and essentializing male gender roles. An example of this is when Mario and Henry blah, blah (34:12). In this scene, Mario blah, blah, blahs which is/means/demonstrates…..”.
34:12 or 34’12” means 34 minutes and 12 minutes – an A/V text equivalent of a page number.
Timestamping is a must when using a short direct quote: more on this here.
“…and this is best exemplified when Mario publicly shouts, “I am a man, not a mouse!” (56:22), which is meant to position him as…”
References List entries
Keeping in mind you will always need to double-check/modify/edit all Reference List entries regardless. Vic Uni offers this basic reference list format for films:
- Primary contributor or contributors with their contribution identified in round brackets (e.g. the Director).
- Year (in round brackets).
- Title (in italics).
- Description of work [in square brackets].
- Publisher (e.g. the production company).
- URL (where relevant).
- The first line of each citation is left adjusted. Every subsequent line is indented by a TAB or 5-7 spaces.
Reference List format example:
Ireland, P. (Director). (2016). Pawno [Film]. Toothless Pictures.
So there you have it!
A few ideas to get started with text analysis and referencing AV texts.
As always (again) … double-check with your tutor (they have the final word) and make sure you check formatting and edit references to suit your specific purposes.
I hope this gives you a few ideas moving forward!
Good luck!