Research, methodology and the Internet : a study of the Internet as a data capturing tool

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:It is widely accepted that the Internet has become a valuable resource for socialscientists, not just for the purpose of information exchange; via e-mail, discussiongroups and electronic journals, but also as a medium for data collection. Its globalnature gives a researcher access to a vast range of individuals located around theworld. It also opens up access to difficult to hitherto penetrate study areas, such assensitive research on deviant behaviour. Further, it is claimed that considerable savingsto both research budgets and time frames are made possible with the new technology.It is not surprising, therefore, that a substantial body of research, employing theInternet as the primary means of data collection, already exists. This raises a numberof questions as to how the Internet fares as a research tool. Are there any importantmethodological issues that this new approach raises? Do the traditional researchmethods suffice? Or are adaptations to existing methods necessary when difficultiesare encountered? Does such changes affect the more fundamental question of theresearch design? These questions are considered in this thesis.To answer them, I consider two different types of empirical research designs. The first,'survey research, is a quantitative, numerical design that traditionally has a high level ofcontrol. I consider in detail issues of sampling, including non-response, andquestionnaire design. The second design examined, ethnographic research, isqualitative, textual and generally has a low level of researcher control. I address themethods used in cyber ethnography and then discuss the considerable ethical concernsthat feature in such research.I conclude that, on the whole, the existing methods can be transferred to Internetresearch. Indeed, some of the problems faced in traditional research are alsoconsiderations in Internet studies and can be overcome by employing similartechniques, such as using incentives to reduce non-response rates. However, a numberof new problems emerge, such as the lack of paralinguistic cues, which requireadaptations to the existing methods in order to produce results that can be consideredvalid and reliable. However, I also argue that these necessary adaptations to themethods do not affect the underlying principles found in the research design.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University