Research... not going as planned.

For all those in my class reading this, this is an open request for help.

In beginning my research, I have found more and more obstacles in what I thought would be a straightforward subject of research. For those who don't know, my initial research proposal is here -- it outlines my intention to survey at least 100 Brown students to identify quantitative data on iPod use. My hope with this survey was to determine what people used their iPods for, how they were incorporated into their daily life, to what extent people identified with digital music, what genres of music people used most, generally what the relationship was between subject and technology via the iPod. However, after a sample of this survey, the preliminary results proved quite opposite.

The cross-section of Brown students revealed the entire spectrum of iPod use. Some would say this is a good thing--I disagree... somewhat. My aim was to reach specific conclusions as to how people interacted with their iPod, how they used it in their daily life, and in fact to generalize this usage to broader conclusions that might illuminate college students and their patterns of digital music consumption. However, what I now predict I will find in further research is that these patterns cannot be generalized and (for the most part) cannot be summed by quantitative data because it simply reinforces the undefinable versatility of the iPod as a malleable technology. Because of the great variety in my initial findings, I have now decided to forgo the quantitative portion of my research and focus specifically on qualitative profiles of iPod users, ones which can then be compared to form a cross-section of iPod usage.

I will admit two primary mistakes in my research thus far, two that I hope will illuminate the problem so that those reading this may understand where I was coming from in undertaking this project and may understand where I need to go. My first mistake was generalizing a student population that, at face value, often seems homogeneous in taste yet is in fact quite broad. I assumed that genres of music would be consistent, downloading patterns too, and that surveys would produce statistics that reinforced my initial hypotheses that iPods were in fact a dominant means of music consumption, often used in a similar manner by varying users. My hypothesis was wrong: wrong not only in its superficial evaluation of the Brown student body but also wrong in how greatly I underestimated the versatility of the iPod--both in its technical features and in the creativity of its users. My second mistake was my interview: I interviewed someone out of my target range, hoping that an older iPod user would shed light on the student population and in fact bring context to trends among student groups. In fact, this interview only confused me, complicating my survey findings yet assuring me that I needed to change direction.

Class: this is where you come in.

Think about your friends. Think about their iPods. Think about their music in dorm rooms, dining halls, locker rooms, house parties, frat lounges, libraries, back porches, wherever. When you think of music in all these different contexts, what comes to mind?

I don't mean to stereotype music in these different locales, quite the opposite. I really want your feedback because in reading these surveys (primarily from people I didn't know) I came to understand that the cross-section of student iPod users extended beyond what I would have guessed, and I hope that you all can help me find these extremities of which I was unaware. So perhaps I should rephrase my question: if you had to describe how three friends used their iPods differently from one another, what would they be? Could you guess why?

By taking these suggestions, I would like to dissect the different iPod uses and varying iPod technologies. What is the difference, say, between one who owns a iPod Shuffle (without a display screen) and one who owns an iPhone (with an accessible iTunes store)? How can one compare one who meticulously outlines playlists for moods, settings, genres, and one who lives and dies by the shuffle feature? By what criteria can one measure one uses their iPod to augment their vinyl collection and one who solely downloads illegal files? These are but a few of the questions I now realize I am unable to answer quantitatively and questions that I need help in answering. What say you? How can I redirect my research to a more productive, nay, illuminating end?

So to conclude, really, I have no new research to speak of. In fact, I'm almost starting over. Kiri, Liam: my apologies. More information is soon to come, and hopefully from the comments of this post. But if nothing else, I am learning during this research not to put the cart before the horse and think that hypotheses will in any way guide actual findings. Hopefully, I can find subjects willing to offer in-depth, qualitative information that will better illustrate the culture of the iPod and how it so deeply (and distinctly) ingrains itself with each user.

To all: think, next time you plug in your earbuds. Your iPod may hold more than mp3s.