Readers Read, Readers Write: A Methodology for The Study of Reading Practices in Media Convergence

Abstract

In this article we propose a set of methodologies to study emerging reading practices in narratives developing simultaneously in various media. We have taken the data by readers of the Spanish-Argentinian project Orsai in the form of blog comments, download rates, and print-run volumes as “reading traces.” We believe these traces shed much light on what is sparking readers’ attention (narrative developments, frequency of publication, interaction with other readers and authors), and in what fashion (comment frequency, volume, and type). Our methodology includes network analysis and visualizations of reading traces in the comparative setting of our case study, and is susceptible to being adapted to other convergence media projects.