YouTube Case Studies:
How Youth Use YouTube and What Can YouTube Tell Us About Their Lifeworlds
Part 1: Observation
Take some time to peruse this YouTuber’s channel: You’re going to garner some expertise about this particular subgenre of YouTube, so treat this as an anthropological experiment, heavy on the visual research methodologies. Take a look at their most popular videos, the number of subscribers, and view counts. Get an in-depth feel for their videos and the video production--try to watch at least 5-10 videos from this channel. Don’t forget to scan their entire feed of videos and watch videos from their early days on YouTube.
As you view your channel’s videos, jot down observations of the following elements:
YOUTUBER What can you observe about this YouTuber’s background and history? | KEY VIDEOS FROM THE CHANNEL: Copy the links of the essential videos from this YouTuber. |
IMAGES: | WORDS: |
ACTIVITIES: | PLACES or SETTING: |
PEOPLE: | AUDIENCE: |
Part 2: Discover
Now, take some time to explore other videos in this corner of the YouTube Universe. Tell us about two or three other YouTube Channels that also take up similar themes. Try different ways of searching for videos--either by using search terms like “makeup tutorials” or by looking at recommended videos in the right sidebar.
YouTube Channel (jot down the Channel name) | Brief Summary of the Channel | Recommended Videos |
Part 3: Analyze
What are your personal reactions to these videos and the youth that created them? In your view, do these videos have a valuable purpose?
What kinds of knowledge does this YouTuber impart that we might not find elsewhere?
What does this arena of YouTube tell us about youth culture?