Digital Research

Week 13

Bit of a blurry concept• Digital tools for helping with data collection,

analysis, and presentation (e.g., surveymonkey, AtlasTI, infographics)

• Research conducted entirely online• Research partially conducted online• Research focusing on mobile

communications and network access etc.• Research that is “technology” driven (e.g.,

tablet use, Smartboard use)• Old research in digital disguise (especially in

education)

Potential issues

• “Hit & Run” research• Anonymity• Demographics• Ethics• Learning assumed to occur simply because

digital tech is present• Problem of needing-to-research-something

studies• Problem of convenience driving the study

Everything has meaning

Segment D (from Tanaka Nanako’s author notes)L13 Thank you all who reviewed this story, L14 and this chapter is dedicated to Sakura Blossomz01, wild-gurl,

Sweet^-^Rose, DZ pals, Fire Light and Lily-Chan. L15 Thank you for adding me to your favorite author list! ^//.//^ L16 THANKS FOR THE GREAT SUPPORT YOU ARE GIVING ME!

^________^

L17 *Hugs her reviewers*

Segment EL18 By the way, please pay close attentions to the e-mails in this

chapter, L19 because they are some really important clues.

Source: Black (2008). Adolescents and Online Fiction. New York: Peter Lang.

Digital Research & Research Design

• Established research designs and approaches don’t necessarily transfer well

• Drawing boundaries around cases can be tricky

• New social practices that haven’t been studied before (e.g., “friending,” “tagging”)

• Multiple terms for fairly similar things but still tricky to talk across fields

An example

I’m an average student, Cs, Bs and a couple of Ds in Statistics and Economics (tricky stuff >w<).

More things to consider

• Anonymity and traceability (and the desire for visibility)

• Privacy issues• Timing of data collection• How to present multimedia and hyperlinked

practices in the flat plane of academic writing• What your study contributes (to); i.e., larger

ideological positions

Let’s take a look….

http://bloggingprojectrunway.blogspot.com

What’s going on here if we’re interested in exploring claims about participation, collaboration and affinities/passions?

Practical Resources

• Hahn (2008). Doing qualitative research using your computer: A pratical guide. Sage.

• Boellstorf et al. (2012). Ethnography and virtual worlds: A handbook of method. Princeton Uni. Press.

• Markham & Baym (2008). Internet inquiry: Conversations about method. Sage.