In order to compile my data set, I arrived at Suburban Station at 5 PM on both Friday and Saturday. I gathered data for a half hour, leaving at 5:30 PM each day. Two methods were used to collect data. The first and more extensive method was the use of a video camera and tripod, both of which were rented from the communications department. I sat at a bench with the camera set up next to me facing an area where the entrance to a track could be seen, as well as a long aisle. The intention was to record from the same angle both days, however on Saturday the bench was occupied and I thus adjusted my method by sitting at a bench across from the original, but capturing the same aisle. Once set up, I recorded for a half hour. My intention with this method was to create a time-lapse video with the speed fast-forwarded, as I believed this would best demonstrate the volume of people in the station. The second method of data collection involved an audio recording. Halfway through being in the station, I recorded an audio file on my iPhone for five minutes. Audio was chosen as a means of collection because the fast-forwarded time lapse would alter the sound of the video, and I wished to add sound to capture another layer of what the station was truly like.
Video and the audio file from Friday, February 26, can be seen below:
Looking at the video from the weekday, Friday, February 26, the station was very crowded. People could be seen walking by often, typically at a fast pace. The video also showed many people waiting at the entrance to the track. The attire of many of the people in the video was professional. Many were carrying briefcases or other bags. Women’s outfits varied, but the majority of men wore buttoned shirts and dress pants. The youngest of individuals captured by the video appeared to be of teenage years, but there was a preponderance of people that appeared above the age of 18. The data predominantly showed people waiting for their train or walking around the station. The sound clip from the same date was mainly comprised of background music that played throughout the station. This music was interspersed with train arrival announcements, three of which can be heard in the five-minute clip alone. Some chatter can be heard in the audio recording, but not an overwhelming amount.
Video and the audio file from Saturday, February 27, can be seen below:
According to the video footage of the weekend, Saturday, February 27, the station did not contain as many people as it had the previous day. People could still be seen walking in the aisles, however this was done at a slower pace than those walking on Friday. The attire of the people seen in the video varied greatly, however it could be categorized as much less formal than the earlier video. Very few briefcases were seen during this data collection, and many more shopping bags were witnessed. Ages were more variant in this set of data, with the youngest person being a very small child. Despite this variance, the majority of the people in the station appeared to be above the age of 18. Saturday’s sound clip did not vary much from Friday, despite the noticeable difference in the amount of people present. The background music contributed to most of the sound, and less train arrival announcements were made, with only one recorded in the clip compared to the three on Friday.
Overall, the data collected demonstrated that Suburban Station was more crowded on this particular weekday, and that people tended to dress more casually on this particular weekend. Prior to collecting this data, I inevitably held some assumptions about what I would find during my collection process. The difference in volume of people as well as their dress and activities was essentially what I assumed heading into this project. I was surprised, however, at the lack of difference in the audio files that were collected. With the amount of people present, I expected a weekday to be louder. Without the train announcements, which suggested that more trains run on a weekday than the weekend, there was very little difference. In the end, this project adds to data describing Suburban Station, and future projects could examine the station on various weekdays, as well as including multiple camera angles for video collection.
No comments:
Post a Comment