Virtual Methods: Issues in Social Research on the Internet

by Christine Hine (Editor)

Social researchers can hardly afford to ignore the Internet, as it has become an intrinsic part of everyday life. This new site of social interactions is begging to be researched and explored. At the same time it can be a moral minefield and a quality control nightmare even for researchers skilled in established methods. Virtual Methods offers a detailed exploration of the problems and opportunities surrounding Internet-based research. Can offline and online observations be combined? Are online interviews able to produce high quality data? How does a researcher sort through the vast mass of material available? From hyperlink analysis to the sex industry online, case studies sensitively highlight the difficulties researchers face, point out the opportunities to be seized, and offer practical solutions. Virtual Methods provides concrete advice for all stages of the research process. Anyone planning a research project involving the Internet will find this book an essential guide.

Genres: Ethnography, Anthropology

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am seriously underwhelmed by this book. I expected a strong study - both theoretically and practically - of social scientific research online. The presentation was very basic. The book was first published in 2005, which perhaps explains the simple 'strategies' presented. There is some attention to online ethnography and anthropology. The best chapter (by Joelle Kivits) investigates asynchronous email interviewing. However, it remains a very, very basic introduction to online research methods. Better guides now exist.