Internet Communication and Qualitative Research: A Handbook for Researching Online

Communication and Qualitative Research is the first textbook to examine the impact of Internet technology on qualitative research methods. Drawing on many pioneering studies using computer-mediated communication (CMC), the authors show how online researchers can employ Internet-based qualitative methods to collect rich, descriptive, contextually-situated data. They discuss the methodological, practical and theoretical considerations associated with such methods as in-depth online interviewing, virtual focus groups, and participant observation in virtual communities. This is a comprehensive and practical guide that:

• Reviews online research practice and basic Internet technology
• Looks in detail at the skills required by the online researcher
• Examines the ethical, confidentiality, security, and legal issues involved in online research
• Considers the theoretical challenges surrounding data collected in a virtual venue
• Addresses the social and cultural impact of researching online through a discussion of power, gender, and identity issues in the virtual world

Internet Communication and Qualitative Research will be an indispensable guide for all students and researchers working in the digital age.

Author: Chris Mann, Fiona Stewart
Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd
Published: 09/05/2000
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.91lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.38w x 0.63d
ISBN: 9780761966272

About the Author
Mann, Chris: - Chris Mann is a Senior Research Associate in the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Her pioneering work on methodological and ethical issues in doing Internet-research underpinned her research at the OII.

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