ANIMATION VS. COMIC STRIPFOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATION : A Mixed Method Approach through an Online Survey

Abstract: Knowledge and its distribution are important for people to understand the world. In principle, science and academic research is the ultimate reliable source when knowledge is at stake, and an efficient way of communicating knowledge is through stories and narratives. As the use of digital devices is increasing, so are the use of digital devices for communicating storytelling. According to previous research, immersive and interactive forms of digital storytelling, such as video games, are beneficial for communicating knowledge. These media are, however, costly and time consuming. Communicating knowledge through more simple means is thus valuable too. The aim of this thesis was to investigate which method of communication, animated video, or comic strip, that leads to best performance, most knowledge, and is preferred. To do this a mixed method approach was conducted. The participants were asked eight questions related to the narrative. With each question three response options were provided for the participants to choose from. The collected data was analyzed through two statistical analyses, as well as a qualitative analysis. The findings suggest that there is no statistically significant difference between animated video and comic strip regarding the issue of developing knowledge, but that there is a difference in preference. These findings, as well as limitations, are further discussed in the paper.