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Workshop Recap: Introduction to Content Management System Open Paper

Methods Lab

On April 28, 2026, researchers from the WI gathered for an engaging workshop introducing Open Paper – a next-generation content management system designed to break free from the constraints of traditional publishing formats. The session centered on a core idea: knowledge shouldn’t be confined to linear, static documents. Instead, Open Paper enables dynamic, interactive publications that adapt to how readers actually engage with content. By replacing rigid PDFs and blog posts with modular, navigable experiences, the platform empowers authors to create richer, more intuitive reading experiences. The workshop was organized by Merja Mahrt and Esther Görnemann from WI together with the Methods Lab, and Markus Brandenburg and Fabian Hassel from the agency that has developed Open Paper – MADEFUL – were invited as speakers.

In the workshop, participants explored how Open Paper transforms static text into living publications. Through a hands-on demo, they discovered features like:

  • Modular content blocks (text, multimedia, citations, sticky notes, animations)
  • Flexible layouts with multi-column arrangements and responsive design
  • Interactive expositions that allow readers to dive deeper into subtopics while maintaining context
  • Self-contained chapters that make content accessible even when read out of order
Esther Görnemann provides details on the production of the fundamental on digital sovereignty

The real impact was seen in an overview over digital sovereignty as part of the Weizenbaum fundamental series – a flagship example of what’s possible. With interactive visuals, side-by-side comparisons, and layered explanations, the publication achieved an average reader engagement of 26 minutes, which is a clear indicator of depth and interest. Even more telling: traffic increasingly comes from AI tools like ChatGPT, signaling that the content is not only readable but reusable and referable in emerging digital workflows.

Beyond design, Open Paper was built on strong ethical and technical foundations: open source, open access, GDPR-compliant, CO₂-neutral hosting, SEO-friendly, and fully accessible. Like the Weizenbaum Institute, other institutions can also deploy a custom instance aligned with their corporate design, ensuring brand consistency and long-term ownership.

Markus Brandenburg explains how to add and edit different types of content in Open Paper

The workshop’s interactive phase let participants discover how to build a page in real time using a three-panel interface:

  • Left: Structure and layout tools (grid, headings, visual elements)
  • Center: Live preview of content and layout
  • Right: Contextual editing options for the selected element

Beyond the workshop itself, the presenters further created a tutorial video made available on the WI’s Open Paper instance.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all template, Open Paper encourages authors to think critically about audience, structure, and engagement. It represents a shift in how we think about knowledge sharing: interactive, inclusive, and built for the future.

Workshop Recap: Introduction to Programming and Data Analysis with R (2026 Edition)

Methods Lab

The fourth edition of our Introduction to Programming and Data Analysis with R workshop took place on March 25 and 26, 2026 continuing the tradition of hands-on, beginner-friendly training in R—a powerful tool for data science and statistical analysis. For those who attended previous editions, the structure and content remained familiar and effective: a two-day immersive experience covering the fundamentals of R syntax, Markdown/Quarto, data wrangling, analysis, visualization, and reproducible research practices. If you are new to R, or looking to refresh your skills, this workshop remains a great starting point.

Roland Toth provides an overview of the workshop goals

We’re proud to see a consistent number of participants attending each year. The workshop’s format has been shaped by feedback from past attendees, and we have kept the core curriculum intact to ensure a smooth learning curve. If you missed this year’s session, you can still explore the material through our previous recaps:

These posts offer summaries and key takeaways—perfect for catching up or preparing for the next edition. Stay tuned for updates on the 2027 workshop, and keep coding with R! 📊💻

Workshop: Walking Through and Scrolling Back – Digital Ethnographic Methods for Platform Research Workshop (12-13 May)

Methods Lab

Join us for the workshop Walking Through and Scrolling Back: Digital Ethnographic Methods for Platform Research, organized by the Methods Lab. On May 12–13, 2026, Dr. Daniela Jaramillo-Dent will introduce participants to innovative ethnographic approaches for studying visual and interactive social media platforms.

This hands-on workshop focuses on two complementary methods: the walkthrough method and the scroll back method. Participants will learn how to engage directly with platform interfaces to better understand how design features, technological mechanisms, and cultural references shape user experiences. In addition, the scroll back method will be explored as an interview-based adaptation, inviting participants to revisit their own platform histories and reflect on their interactions and meaning-making processes. Through practical exercises and examples from digital communities, the workshop offers valuable insights into how discourses emerge and evolve on visual platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

The workshop is designed for beginner to intermediate researchers who are interested in expanding their qualitative methodological toolkit.

Seats are limited. To learn more, please visit our program page. We look forward to welcoming you!

Conference Recap: “Data, Archive & Tool Demos” at DGPUK 2026

Methods Lab
Great interest in the 12 high-density presentations

On March 19, 2026, the “Data, Archive & Tool Demos” panel returned at the annual conference of the German Communication Association (DGPuK) in Dortmund. Co-hosted by the Methods Lab lead Christian Strippel, colleagues and the GESIS Methods Hub, the panel brought together researchers to present and exchange reusable research data sets, archives, collections, and research software that promote transparency, collaboration, and methodological innovation in communication and media studies.

A total of 12 projects were presented, including the Platform Governance Archive, OpenQDA, the GESIS Pretest Database, the German Scandal Database, FID Media Publish, and a community data trustee for researching the far right online. The projects were first introduced in short presentations. Afterwards, interested colleagues from the audience could learn more about each project at poster and demo stations. As was the case two years prior, interest in the format was very high. This motivates us to continue offering this format in the future.

Workshop Recap: Reflections on Qualitative Interviews in Practice

Methods Lab

On March 19th, PhD researchers and postdocs from the WI, together with colleagues from partner institutions including DeZIM, FU Berlin, and WBZ, participated in a hands-on workshop on qualitative interviews as a method of data collection. With participants at different stages of their academic careers, the workshop offered a lively and collaborative space to reflect on both the practical challenges and methodological nuances of interview-based research.

The session began with short inputs from Zozan Baran (FU Berlin), Samuel Zewdie Hagos (DeZIM), and Georg von Richthofen (HIIG). Drawing on their own research experiences, they shared insights into what makes qualitative interviews both rewarding and demanding. Meaningful interviews are not only about asking the “right” questions, but also about building trust, remaining reflexive, and approaching the research process with care and attentiveness.

A recurring theme throughout the workshop was positionality: how researchers are perceived, how they position themselves, and how this shapes the interview situation. While shared language or similar backgrounds can help establish rapport, the speakers emphasized that these factors do not erase existing asymmetries. Instead, they highlighted the importance of continuously reflecting on expectations, power dynamics, and vulnerabilities on all sides of the interaction.

This kind of reflection, participants noted, starts well before entering the field. Engaging deeply with theory and existing literature was framed as essential preparation – captured in the idea of approaching interviews with “an open mind, but not an empty head.”

Beyond interview design, the workshop also explored the broader conditions under which interviews take place. Discussions addressed practical considerations such as the choice of setting (online vs. in person) and how each shapes the interaction. Ethical questions also played a central role, particularly when working with sensitive or potentially traumatic topics.

In the moderated discussion that followed, participants connected these themes to their own research projects. Conversations around locality, navigating difficult situations, and managing the emotional demands of working with vulnerable groups led to a rich exchange of perspectives and strategies.

Rather than offering a fixed set of rules, the workshop highlighted the iterative nature of qualitative interviewing: analyze, adapt, and refine. 

Special Panel: “Data, Archive & Tool Demos” at DGPUK 2026 Conference

Diana Ignatovich

The “Data, Archive & Tool Demos” panel featured at the 2024 conference of the German Communication Association (DGPuK) will return at this year’s DGPuK conference in Dortmund. On Thursday, March 19, 2026, Methods Lab lead Christian Strippel will host this special panel together with Johannes Breuer, Silke Fürst, Erik Koenen, Dimitri Prandner, and Christian Schwarzenegger, in collaboration with the GESIS Methods Hub.

The panel aims to exchange reusable research data, archives, collections, and relevant research software that strengthen transparency, collaboration, and methodological innovation in communication and media studies. Some of the featured projects include: 

  • MaskBench: a modular framework for benchmarking 2D pose estimation and video de-identification, allowing comparison of models on privacy-masked videos
  • Epigraf 5.2: a research platform for collecting, annotating, linking, and publishing multimodal text data
  • GESIS Pretest-Datenbank: a database providing insights from cognitive pretests, showing how respondents understand, interpret, and answer survey questions for improved questionnaire design 
  • GESIS AppKit: a mobile data collection tool for smartphones, compliant with data protection regulations and free of charge, supporting experience sampling, ambulatory, and ecological momentary assessments
  • GESIS Methods Hub: an open community portal giving tools, tutorials, and interactive environments to explore and apply computational methods
  • OpenQDA 1.0.3: the improved version of the free, open-source, web-based alternative to MAXQDA, providing flexible and collaborative tools for qualitative data analysis
  • Platform Governance Archive (PGA): a long-term repository of social media platform policies, enabling research on how platforms govern communication and track changes over time 
  • FID Media Publish: a central, free research service for communication and media studies, providing tailored literature, open-access publishing support, and specialized resources
  • ComAI Research Space: a collaborative platform coordinating joint data collection on communicative AI, creating an open repository, and investigating emerging media and communication practices

To learn more about the full program and the organizational details of the event, click here! Those interested in joining are welcome to register online until March 17th, or in person by March 20th.

Meet our Newest Methods Lab Members!

Diana Ignatovich

We are delighted to welcome our newest members, Baoning “Bonny” Gong and Miriam Milzner to the Methods Lab. As research associates and doctoral researchers in the group “Dynamics of Digital Mobilization” at the Weizenbaum Institute, they bring methodological expertise and extensive research experience in digital political communication.

Baoning Gong completed her master’s degree in Media and Political Communication at Freie Universität Berlin. In her doctoral research, she examines the mobilization of far right social movements across different social media platforms from a comparative perspective.

Bonny enjoys working with quantitative and qualitative content analysis, that allow for both in depth analysis and the identification of patterns at scale. For her, paying attention to what people say and write is a key starting point to understand politics and society. By joining the methods lab, she is most excited about helping with methods questions and exploring new methods others are using in their research.

A small joy in her office: a steadily growing collection of stuffed animals on her desk.

Miriam Milzner is a doctoral candidate at Freie Universität Berlin, where she also completed her master’s degree in Communication and Media Studies. Her dissertation focuses on coordinated disinformation campaigns and the strategic manipulation of public debates on social media, exploring how digital information ecosystems shape mobilization and information disorder.

She is most enthusiastic about computational methods and about supporting colleagues in developing their methodological skills in the methods lab. She also looks forward to bringing inspiring researchers to the institute to share their expertise. Outside of her research, going through her saved searches on Vinted and Kleinanzeigen is a small ritual that brightens her day.

We are very happy to have Bonny and Miriam join our team and look forward to working with them in the Methods lab. Welcome!

Workshop: Qualitative Interviews in Practice (March 19, 2026)

Methods Lab

Join us for the workshop Qualitative Interviews in Practice, organized by the Methods Lab at the Weizenbaum Institute. On March 19, 2026, three experienced researchers will share insights from their hands-on work with qualitative interviews.

The workshop focuses on practical experience, reflection, and methodological exchange. Each invited expert will give a short input based on their own research practice, addressing topics such as planning and preparing interviews, conducting interviews in different contexts, training interviewers, handling challenging situations, and reflecting on lessons learned. The inputs will be followed by an open discussion, where participants can bring their own projects, questions, and experiences.

The workshop is open to researchers at different stages of their careers—from those preparing their first interviews to those with extensive field experience who are interested in exchanging perspectives and best practices.

To learn more, please visit our program page. We hope to see you there!

Workshop: Introduction to Programming and Data Analysis with R (March 25-26, 2026)

Methods Lab

The Methods Lab is happy to welcome back the fourth annual Programming and Data Analysis with R workshop, led by Roland Toth (WI). The two-day workshop will take place at the Weizenbaum Institute on Wednesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 26.

Aimed at participants with beginner to intermediate experience, the workshop offers a practical introduction to programming in R. On the first day, participants will learn the basics of coding, key data wrangling techniques, and how to work with Markdown. The second day builds on this foundation by focusing on data analysis through hands-on work with real datasets, allowing participants to explore a research topic with guided support.

Across both days, the workshop combines clear explanations with practical coding exercises, creating an interactive and supportive learning environment for developing core data analysis skills.

Seats are limited to 20 participants. For more information, check out the program page!

Tool Presentation: OpenQDA

Diana Ignatovich

OpenQDA is an accessible and easy-to-use alternative to the qualitative data analysis tool MAXQDA, which can often feel complicated, individualized, or expensive. It is being developed by our colleagues at ZeMKI at the University of Bremen. It offers functions similar to MAXQDA, but is free, open-source, web-based, and designed to support researchers through a flexible, collaborative workflow.

Although still in its early alpha phase, OpenQDA already supports core functions of qualitative coding and follows the REFI standard, making it possible to exchange projects with other programs. It enables collaborative workflows by allowing multiple researchers to work on shared projects from different locations, with versioning features that help track changes and maintain transparency. Users can further explore their data through basic visualizations, including distributions, frequencies, and configurable word clouds. In addition, a shared codebook library encourages researchers to exchange codebooks, ideas, and feedback within the growing OpenQDA community. An instructional overview video providing a brief guided tour of these features is available here, and detailed guidelines to using OpenQDA are provided here.

True to the open-source approach, the complete source code has been published on GitHub under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0, where anyone can explore the project and follow its progress. For example, a recent issue with assigning documents to projects was resolved through close collaboration between users and the software developers, who discussed potential solutions together and then implemented the necessary changes. Other topics still under discussion, such as improving accessibility, are being addressed alongside the development roadmap, which outlines upcoming features and planned improvements.

OpenQDA is designed to support GDPR-compliant data handling, with users retaining full control over their data. As researchers adopt and test the platform, their feedback directly informs its ongoing development, particularly through planned and emerging plug-in mechanisms that extend functionality. Together, these principles position OpenQDA as a community-driven platform that supports qualitative data analysis while inviting researchers to co-create the tools shaping its future.