14 - Using emoji as a creative tool for data analysis

Summary

Introduction

This chapter outlines the use of emoji as a tool for creative data analysis that can provide a new perspective on data by channelling new ways of thinking about and approaching coding and analysis. Our aim in this project was to explore the ways emoji could be used for coding and analytical purposes, as well as exploring how using emoji as coding labels could influence our perspective on the data. We wanted to explore the process of using emoji for analysis instead of words and see if this made any difference to the lexical analytical processes, and potentially the outcomes of the analysis. One of the areas we seek to explore more broadly in our work is what influences the way we analyse data and how things – including the different tools that we use – influence our analysis.

This project brought together two researchers from two different disciplines. Anuja is a qualitative researcher who uses, and trains people in, a range of qualitative analytical approaches and tools, including reflexive practice and research journaling. Lauren is a linguist who is interested in how people use language in social interaction, including emoji use in online communication. In this project, Anuja created, implemented, and documented the creative qualitative methods, and Lauren provided the data to code, the expertise in the technical and social features of emoji, and was a supportive conversationalist for talking through implementation challenges. Collaboration was key to this project, but Anuja was responsible for the majority of the reflexive practice. Therefore, throughout this chapter, the use of the ‘I’ voice reflects the experience of Anuja as the lead author, and the use of the ‘we’ voice reflects shared decision making.

We report on our novel use of emoji for analysis, outlining how this influenced or impacted the analytical process. The data used for the emoji analysis was also analysed in another project by us, and, therefore, our emphasis here is on understanding the role of emoji for analysis. As researchers, it is important that we are aware of the reality we are exploring, and also recognise that we are not external to that reality (Richards, 2021).