Method

Jasper L -

I take AP Research, so my research project becomes my senior project by default. As mentioned in my previous post, my topic is patterns in serial killer films. To answer my question, I have to conduct a content analysis. “Content analysis is a research tool used to determine the presence of certain words, themes, or concepts within some qualitative data” (Content Analysis). Although I am using content analysis to answer my question, none of the sources I found fully use serial killer film traits conducted content analysis. My research method was inspired by Eirunn Milde’s research paper called The Changing Portrayals of Serial Killers in Popular Culture. How ‘My Friend Dahmer’ and ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’ Invite to Sympathy For Serial Killers. In this research paper, she covered many different types of serial killer traits like trauma and sympathy. She wanted to see how My Friend Dahmer and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile differ from previous serial killer films. This inspired my question about how current films differ from previous serial killer films. Is the serial killer still portrayed similarly or differently? 

While I got what I wanted to do, I still needed to find out how. I have a framework of what I should do but I needed to make sure my method is real and usable. I began increasing my parameters to any paper about films that conduct content analysis. The first paper that popped up was about lighting in horror movies. In their paper, their method includes making a list of traits that exist in horror movies. The author used proof from each film to show it exists. Although that paper’s goal is to make a list while I start with a list, the method is similar enough to prove that my method is real and usable. 

So far I have watched four films: Lost Girls (2021), Woman of the Hour (2023), Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman (2021), and The Good Nurse (2022). I have watched each of the films twice and finalized the patterns that exist in them. I will continue to watch the rest of the movies to get all of the data. 

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Comments:

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    jad_c
    In Milde's research paper, you state that she identified "many different types of serial killer traits like trauma and sympathy." This is really interesting as this suggests that a serial killer character isn't solely determined by their actions (committing multiple murders), but also by a pattern of behavior that other serial killers exhibit. Before initiating your research, what traits did you associate with serial killers? Additionally, what forms of media did you draw these associations from? Would it agree or disagree with Milde's research?
    March 5, 2025 at 4:19 pm - Reply
    jasper_l
    I think my wording of this sentence had created confusion. When I said serial killer traits, I meant traits the creator of the films gave to serial killers. For example, sympathy for the serial killer is a trait the creator of the film can add. Whether or not the serial killer has trauma is another trait.
    March 9, 2025 at 12:00 am - Reply
    brooke_w
    Do you expect the years the movies were filmed to have any effect on the sentiments expressed? Any hypothesis?
    March 12, 2025 at 9:22 pm - Reply
    jasper_l
    Because culture changes over time, I wanted to see if how the serial killer was portrayed changed over time. In my opinion, because it has only been like one year, there won't be any difference.
    March 14, 2025 at 3:15 pm - Reply

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