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Locating internet research methods within five qualitative research traditions

Locating internet research methods within five qualitative research traditions. Denise N. Rall, PhD candidate, drall@scu.edu.au School of Environmental Science & Mgmt., Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW Australia 19 September 2004, Sussex University, UK. Where is IS & R ?.

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Locating internet research methods within five qualitative research traditions

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  1. Locating internet research methods within five qualitative research traditions Denise N. Rall, PhD candidate, drall@scu.edu.au School of Environmental Science & Mgmt., Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW Australia 19 September 2004, Sussex University, UK DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 1

  2. Where is IS&R ? a meta-field* or a minefield ? {the universe of all possible disciplines} * (Silver, 2004) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 2

  3. Working definition. . . “Internet Studies & Research, as it develops within programs of study or research projects at universities, research centers or institutes, is elaborated by scholars who work across the disciplines and take the internet, its use and users as their focus/locus of study and research” (Rall, 2004). DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 3

  4. “While simultaneously drawing and building from other, older research streams (computers & composition, computer-supported cooperative work, hyper/cybertext theory, and human-computer interaction, to name just a few) . . . internet studies . . . continues to grow as what can only be called a Meta-field of study” (Silver, 2004, p. 55) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 4

  5. internet-base research methods. . . the internet as a general-purpose research tool? vs. internet researchers who seek answers via the internet to a more particular set of inquiries . . . internet scholars pose their questions in a variety of ways and to particular ends . . . DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 5

  6. Locus & Focus internet scholarship {general purpose internet-based research} DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 6

  7. Creswell’s research paradigms* 1) ontological 2) epistemological 3) axiological 4) rhetorical; and 5) methodological. * from (Guba & Lincoln, 1988) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 7

  8. Five paradigmatic questions* . . . Ontological - What is the nature of reality? Epistemological - What is the relationship between the researcher and that being researched? Axiological - What is the role of values? Rhetorical - What is the language of research? Methodological - What is theprocess of research? * (Creswell 1998, p. 75) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 8

  9. Denise* rephrases the 5 questions . . . Ontological - Where do we start? Epistemological -How do we travel (maps, guides, etc.)? Axiological - How do we best treat others & ourselves? Rhetorical - How does language facilitate meaning? Methodological - How do we bestconnect our research to other scholars? * (Rall, 2004)

  10. the internet as focus/locus of inquiry*... 1) where do we start? *(Schneider & Foot, 2004, “The web as an object of study”) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 10

  11. internet ontology. . .the bit plastic - takes on representation, a container the bit is the core of computation computation builds an analytical engine (Turing machine) designed to simulate*various logic systems (computers) meanings are assigned, manipulated, changed or deleted. * (Weizenbaum 1976) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 11

  12. ontology - as research direction bit - takes on representation, a container information communication (media, packet) rhetorical cognitive, psychological DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 12

  13. the internet as focus/locus of inquiry*... 2) how do we travel? DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 13

  14. epistemology - as research direction maps & guides- methods procedures locating core processes (vs. surface representations) So, what happens when what we see is nothing we can count? Or what we wish to count is nothing that we can see? DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 14

  15. the internet as focus/locus of inquiry*... 3) how do we best treat others and ourselves? DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 15

  16. ethics - as research direction ethical considerations- data collection (methods, procedures)data analysis (how to understand & represent informants)institutional requirements (review boards)critical analysis (how to best portray informant participation) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 16

  17. the internet as focus/locus of inquiry*... 4) how does language facilitate meaning? DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 17

  18. rhetoric - as research direction analytical frameworks - textual narrative, content & discourse analysis contexts metaphor community DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 18

  19. the internet as focus/locus of inquiry*... 5) how do we connect our research to others? DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 19

  20. methodology - as research direction building relationships between- specific tools (webtracker, webcrawlers, etc.)research methods (social network analysis, web sphere analysis)methodologies (critical approaches, methodological assumptions) [in order to] connect one’s specific inquiry to a larger understanding of methodology and the role it plays in social science research DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 20

  21. Denise’s theoretical parameters for Internet Studies & Research interactive strategies and/or relationships - with people (virtual or ‘real’’) internet or other network-based technologies new media(s) cyberculture(s) research methods, methodological assumptions & critical approaches CONTEXT(s)? OUTCOMES ? DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 21

  22. end Denise N. Rall, PhD candidate drall@scu.edu.au School of Environmental Science & Mgmt Southern Cross University “Web as mirror” workshop, 19 September 2004 DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 22

  23. DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 23

  24. Internet Studies & Research grows: 1999 - Curtin University (Perth) opens the first under- & p-grad degrees & diplomas - Internet Studies 1999 - Brandeis University (small, liberal arts college) in Pennsylvania - IS minor for u-grad’s 2001 - Center for Internet Studies opens at UMinn. as a p-grad degree program (Rhetoric & Sci. Comm.) AoIR continues to grow, meetings in 2000, 2001, 2002 2002 - Oxford Internet Institute is formally launched DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 24

  25. Locus for ISR: • universities, with degree programs - • universities, with a program (study focus) & doctoral students w/ ‘outside’ research assignments - • research centers with research commitments & requirements for policy outcomes, symposia, current post-doctoral fellows, pub’s & online Master’s) - Curtin - Uminn - - Oxford Internet Institute - Three sites viewed as exemplars — Locus does not provide much commonality for ISR. DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 25

  26. Chap. 3 - Interdisciplinarity & the rise of ISR as a field of study* mapping ISR as a discipline is probably not appropriate, as it is multi/inter/trans/post/disciplinary. there are other structures & mechanisms outlined in ‘interdisciplinarity’. * includes many types of programs: e-science, e-government, etc. DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 26

  27. Intra-research criteria Structural criteria Develop’tl. criteria Outcome criterion: Implications for practice ISR conforms closely to other studies, such as, Science Education Studies • Academic recognition • Professional associations • Research Journals - peer • Meetings & Conferences- peer • Active study/ research centers • scientific knowledge • distinctive questions • concept/theory develop. • Design & methodology • Progression of research • models of research • seminal publications • research training cf.: Fensham, P, 2002: ‘Science education as a field of research’ - ASERA 33, Townsville, QLD, July 2002 - from A/Prof. Keith Skamp DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 27

  28. university programs; degrees awarded • growing professional association (400; 4 years) • many venues for publication, New Media & Society;Journal of Internet Research, Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications & Policy, etc. • Online research strategies & methodologies* Prelim. Results - ISR is integrated with other fields w/ ‘normal academic work practices’ *Mann & Stewart (2000) Internet Communication and Qualitative Research: A handbook for researching online. Sage. DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 28

  29. Focus X {all processes and practices of interdisciplinarity} Internet Studies & Research (ISR) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 29

  30. structural disciplinarity Hard Soft technologies social practices methodologies and tools Applied [practice] Medicine units of analysis ‘normal science’* epistemology & metaphysics: ethics Pure [theory] epistemic core Thomas Kuhn, 1970 DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 31

  31. heterogeneity means boundary issues epistemic cores AIDs • government policies • public health • changing medical/research laboratory practices • gay activism & rights • developing world needs • geo-politics; immigation • globalization • etc. technologies social practices Applied [practice] methods & tools MEDICINE units of analysis Pure [theory] epistemic core ‘normal science’* epistemology & metaphysics: ethics DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 32

  32. ISR - as process of interdisciplinarity • borrowing; • instrumental • integrative • project/problem-based research (IDR - interdisciplinary research) • transdisciplinarity (Jantsch, 1972, 1984; etc.) • critical interdisciplinarity (cultural & rhetorical theories) • social theories: Bildung (Gibson & McHoul, 2001); social identity approach (Lazenby, 2002) • postdisciplinarity (Peters, (Ed.), 2001) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 33

  33. interdisciplinarity as continuum instrumental (TOOLS) integrative {post-disciplines} {transdisciplines} cyberanalytics; online research methods new epistemologies? policy (extrapolated from Klein, 1990) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 34

  34. inter-d and project*-based research new epistemologies? instrumental (TOOLS) integrative {post-disciplines} online research methods {transdisciplines} policy PDR project-based research (*problem-based research, extrapolated from Klein, 1990) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 35

  35. Chap. 4 - Research Methods qualitative interviews - BNIM model* (biographic-narrative-interpretive) to determine which processes of interdisciplinarity apply (see next page) results will be correlated in NUD*ist qualitative software (N6) *(Wengraf, Qualitative Research Interviewing, 2001) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 36

  36. Quantitative (study #1) LOCUS of Internet Researchers: 1. Clusters - their disciplinary affiliation (PhD) 2. Type of clusters (dense/dispersed) & shared areas: contents of study? (no) citations? (possibly yes) methodological assumptions & theo. approaches? (yes)critical approaches? (possibly yes) Mapping the ‘constituent’ disciplines of academics & their AoIR conference presentations, 1999-2003 (200-350 papers) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 37

  37. Qualitative (study #2) FOCUS of Internet Researchers: academic’s disciplinary affiliation (PhD) acad’s intro. to internet & internet-based research academic’s current study & response to ISR: themes of their study/research? citations that influence their study? methodological assumptions and/or approaches?critical approaches? Mapping the thematics of practice & theory of ISR in relation to borrowing - instrumental; borrowing - integrative; or other structures (critical, rhetorical, post-disp.) or project-based research. DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 38

  38. {all processes and practices of interdisciplinarity} {all possible interdisciplines, transdisciplines, or fields of study} Chap. 5 - Prelim. Findings internet DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 39

  39. disciplinary processes apply to interdisciplinarity knowledge seeking – epistemology –‘ways of knowing’ methodology – how to find/locate knowledge’ synthesis/criticism – ‘how can I analyze/place this knowledge in context’ ‘how can I problematize this knowledge’ movement/development – ‘how can I communicate this knowledge to others’ AND/or ‘how can I test this knowledge in society’ cf. “Future studies” (Slaughter, 1996:) DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 40

  40. Academic tribes & territories (Becher, 2001) Pure Applied Engineering, Accounting, Dentistry Hard Physics ISR . . . Soft Humanities, Cultural & Media Studies Social Science* *One interviewee: “they are just doing social science; they don’t understand information” DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 41

  41. Ontological – Where do we start? Epistemological – How do we travel (maps, guides, etc.)? Axiological – How do we best treat ourselves & others? Rhetorical – How do we connect speaking and meaning? Methodological – How do we connect our research to others? DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 42

  42. ISR is a field, not a discipline, that can be explained by concepts - Forsome, not all scholars this may be at ISR scholars may find some degree of as they negotiate their practices: study, teaching, research & policy within three domains (see previous page) Early findings suggest that: ‘interdisciplinarity’ post-disciplinary level commonality DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 43

  43. Theories of inter+disciplinarity should explain epistemic work. . . As Brown and Duguid* explain in a footnote, ‘by epistemic work we refer to the work people must do to acquire, confirm, deploy or modify what needs to be known in order for them to do what they do’ and this statement should be of interest to academics. In fact, epistemic work is what academics (arguably) do best.** *Brown and Duguid (2002:98) ** Rall, 2003 DNRall, Research Traditions, 19/09/04, 44

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