"Reflections from the field of cyberspace: Practical, ethical and relational issues in Internet based research"

Maureen Flynn-Burhoe and Andrea Doucet PhD. Carleton University

Abstract

"Although the concept of Internet-based research would have been unthinkable just one decade ago, many researchers are now turning to the Internet as a source for collecting data for their research projects. Whether for in-depth interviewing or survey based research, the Internet can offer advantages of cost effectiveness, ease or transferring responses into transcripts for manual or computer-based coding, and the possibility to have a conversation with research respondents over along term time frame, thus allowing for refining and clarifications of themes that arise in the first interview/survey inter-change. On the other hand, internet-based research raises issues of deception, a compromised relationship between the researcher and the researched, and the loss of observational data and supplementary field notes that may be available to the researcher in 'live' interviews. This paper explores the possibilities and limitations of using the Internet for research purposes, focusing on practical, ethical and relational issues. Drawing on an SSHRC-funded qualitative research project on fathers as primary caregivers, we explore the use of the Internet as a compliment to focus groups, face to face individual and couple interviews, and a mail out survey. We detail the thinking processes that went into the preparation and implementation of the internet based component of the project and offer reflections on its place within the wider field of qualitative research practice. Particular attention will be paid to the reconfigured notion of a research relationship when 'the field' is cyberspace, and where the research encounter occurs between two people looking at computer screens rather than at each other."

Keywords:
Internet surveys, qualitative research, fathers

Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. Brief History of data collection on-line
  3. Online methods
  4. Possibilities and limitations of using the Internet for research purposes
  5. Reflections on preparation and implementation of the Internet based component
  6. Conclusion
  7. EndNotes
  8. References

Introduction

1.1
  1. Introduction
  2. Case study: SSHRC-funded qualitative research project on fathers as primary caregivers
  3. Use of the Internet as a compliment to:
    • focus groups
    • face to face individual and couple interviews
    • a mail out survey
  4. Thinking processes behind preparation and implementation of the internet based component

Brief History of data collection on-line

2.1
....history

Online methods

3.1
  1. Standardized interviews
  2. Non-standardized interviews
  3. Observational techniques
  4. Observation of linguistic behaviour
  5. Participant Observation
  6. In-depth interviewing
  7. Survey-based response

Possibilites and limitations of using the Internet for research purposes

4.1
4-2 Practical aspects of using the Internet for research purposes
  • Cost-effective
  • Ease or transferring responses into transcripts for manual or computer-based coding
  • Loss of observational data and supplementary field notes generated in 'live' interviews.
4-3 Ethical aspects of using the Internet for research purposes
  • Possibility of deception
  • Possibility of a compromised relationship between the researcher and the researched
4-4 Relational aspects of using the Internet for research purposes
  1. Long time frame for ongoing conversation with research respondents
  2. Possibility of refining and clarifying themes that arise in the first interview/survey inter-change
  3. Implications of lack of face-to-face contact
  4. Implications of relation between individuals are their keyboard and screen

Reflections on preparation and implementation of the internet based component

5.1
Reflections...
  1. Internet research in the wider field of qualitative research practice
  2. Reconfigured notion of a research relationship when 'the field' is cyberspace, and where the research encounter occurs between two people looking at computer screens rather than at each other."

Conclusion

6.1
Conclusion

References

MANN,Chris & Fiona Stewart. (2001) Internet Communication and Qualitative Research

Examples of web-based queries

  1. Bobbi Kerlin, PhD "Research Paradigms: Quantitative/Qualitative Methodologies"
  2. Coomber's 1997 Drug sellers' questionnaire | on Sociological Research Online, 1997
  3. Human social values survey by Environics
  4. Surveysite Online Market Research
  5. NUA Internet Surveys
  6. EasySurvey
  7. Carleton University Survey Centre: General Belief System Scale Web-based. Sent to email address
  8. Carleton University Survey Centre
  9. Fatherhood Survey under construction Web-based cgi-bin
  10. People's History Survey Email survey

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Flynn-Burhoe, M. and Andrea Doucet. 2001. "Reflections from the field of cyberspace: Practical, ethical and relational issues in Internet based research." Paper presented at the 18th Annual Qualitatives Conference. McMaster University. Hamilton, CA. May 16 - 19. © Copyright Doucet & Flynn-Burhoe, 2001.

© Web design and images: Maureen Flynn-Burhoe 2001. Last updated May 2001.