Ongoing Research
Working Group Rules
The Qualitative Research Group at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication is committed to openness, rigorous inquiry, and collaborative scholarship. We cultivate an environment that is:
- Critically engaged
- Methodologically reflective
- Ethically grounded
The following principles guide how we work together.
- The group follows an open participation model. All students can join projects based on research needs and capacity. Cross-project exchange and peer engagement are strongly encouraged.
- Intellectual contributions (discussion, feedback, consultation) are valued alongside direct research involvement.
- Members are expected to contribute respectfully and constructively.
- Regular meetings (biweekly or monthly) support research question development, theoretical framing, methodological design, etc. Meeting frequency may vary across project phases.
- Each project designates a Project Leader responsible for procedures and coordination, timelines and deadlines, operational decisions, etc.
- Funding is understood as both an opportunity and an obligation. Funded projects maintain transparency and responsible reporting.
On this page
Ongoing Research
This qualitative study explores how women use FemTech apps to share personal experiences about menstruation, reproductive health, and intimate relationships. Comparing Flo (an English-language app) and MeetYou (a Chinese-language app), the project examines how similar or different platform design shapes women’s online conversations, privacy practices, and community support across cultural contexts.
Recent Events
We are invite proposals for the 2025–2026 Qualitative Research Group Micro-Grant Competition. The Qualitative Research Group will fund two student-led qualitative research projects, with $500 awarded to each project to support research-related expenses such as data collection, software licensing, recruitment, travel, or archival access.
We welcome proposals from graduate students across the department and from all qualitative traditions, including but not limited to (digital) ethnography, interviews, content analysis, archival research, and arts-based methods. Cross-disciplinary and methodologically innovative projects are strongly encouraged.
For this micro-grant competition, we would like to encourage proposals that involve collaboration. For example, projects developed by small teams, or research designs that bring together complementary methodological or theoretical strengths. We see this micro-grant as an opportunity not only to support individual research agendas, but also to foster shared learning and collective qualitative inquiry within the department.
For the submission, a complete proposal should include:
- A 500-word abstract outlining the research question, methods, and anticipated scholarly contribution
- A brief budget table (approximately $500) explaining the intended use of funds
Please submit your materials by January 25, 2026. Funding decisions will be announced in mid-February, following a department-wide vote.
Proposals should be emailed to both:
JD Duncan (jfduncan2@wisc.edu)
Chenjie Zheng (czheng93@wisc.edu)
We look forward to reading your work.
We want to hear from you.
Have an idea for an event? Or wish to discuss a research project? Or a speaker we should invite? Let us know.