This study centers on archival research as the primary methodological approach, combining content analysis with historical contextualization. By examining obituaries from Indianapolis across three key years: 1927, 1968, and 2020—this research uncovers how commemorative practices and public memory have evolved in relation to societal changes, cultural values, and technological shifts.
Utilized Excel Spreadsheets to Code
Archival research was an essential method for this paper, as it provided authentic, historical obituaries from digital archives.
This method allowed for the retrieval and analysis of the original materials such as
scanned newspapers
online death notices
funeral home websites
allowing me to capture language, format, and content as they were originally published.