What are online research methods?

1
What are online research methods?

• Online research methods (ORMs) are research
  methods that utilise internet as medium for
  research
• Also called internet mediated research (IMR) or
  online methodologies
• Include
• online questionnaires
• synchronous and asynchronous interviews
• virtual ethnographies
• online experiments etc
• Todays focus is on online questionnaires and
  interviews

2
Your interest in ORM

• As a group identify
• Some advantages of using online research methods
• Some disadvantages of online research methods
• The key issue(s) that you wish to explore today

10
3
What value online research?

• Huge uptake online research methods, especially
  online questionnaires
• Useful in particular situations e.g. researching
  online populations and previously difficult to
  contact groups
• Can mitigate distance and space and so
  internationalise research
• Can save time and money
• Safety issues
• Different dynamics of communication
• - more neutral venue
• - more thoughtful responses
• - different participants open up/excel

4
But.disadvantages

• But digital divide can limit who we talk to
• Drop off rates for questionnaires high
• Issues of identity verification
• Lack of empathy/rapport for interviews
• Circumstances of interview beyond interviewers
  control
• Technical obstacles
• Still need degree of technical competence and
  institutional support

5
Careful and critical use ORMs

• So ORMs are not a shortcut 'easy option'
• Many issues and problems of onsite research
  remain
• Divide between onsite/online methods
  inappropriate
• Must be used, carefully and critically and
  appropriately in light of each specific research
  topic

Attempting to undertake online data collection is
far easier than successfully accomplishing it.
For those who chose to perform it, they must do
so deliberately and cautiously.(Best and
Krueger, 2004)
While online methodological frameworks are in
constant flux, change is not necessarily always
progressive there is a need for online
researchers to practice their 'craft' with
reflexivity. (Madge and OConnor, 2005)?