Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges

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dc.contributor.advisorMouton, J.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSchier, Christa Marianneen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology.
dc.date.accessioned2010-02-17T07:25:30Zen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2010-08-13T15:01:59Z
dc.date.available2010-02-17T07:25:30Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2010-08-13T15:01:59Z
dc.date.issued2010-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Throughout its relative short history, the Internet has attracted a multiplicity of researchers whose engagement with the new technology has taken many different forms. The growing number and diversity of quantitative and qualitative studies on and of the Internet demonstrate its usefulness as data collection tool and its potential as significant research object. Based on the assumption that the Internet is amenable to empirical investigation, qualitative researchers have employed established research methods, which have been adapted in a number of innovative ways, in order to explore the object ‘Internet’. This thesis describes the objects and methods of such qualitative Internet research and illustrates their application by way of study examples. The objects of the Internet are presented in chronological order, starting with the first application, the email and concluding with the most recent Internet service, the Web 2.0. The qualitative research methods that have been adapted to suit the online environment include ethnography, text analysis, case study design and participatory research methods. The study examples that follow portray the diversity of the qualitative Internet enquiries that have been conducted since the early 1990s. The methodological and ethical challenges that Internet researchers encountered as a result of the particular characteristics of the object of the study are addressed within the context of the studies. While the review of the studies did confirm the viability of the online environment as field for qualitative research, it is also pointed out that those, who intent to conduct qualitative Internet studies, should take note of the substantial complexities that such enquiries entail.
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Regdeur sy relatiewe kort geskiedenis het die Internet ‘n menigvuldigheid van navorsers aangetrek wie se verbintenis met die nuwe tegnologie verskillende vorms aangeneem het. Die groeiende aantal en verskeidenheid van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe studies op en van die internet demonstreer sy nut as dataversamelingshulpmiddel en sy potensiaal as beduidende studie-objek. Gegrond op die aanname dat die Internet vatbaar is vir empiriese navorsing, het kwalitatiewe navorsers gevestigde navorsingsmetodes, wat in ‘n aantal innoverende maniere aangepas is, toegepas om die voorwerp “Internet” te ondersoek. Hierdie tesis beskryf die objekte en metodes van sodanige kwalitatiewe internet navorsing en illustreer die toepassing daarvan by wyse van studie voorbeelde. Die objekte van die internet word in chronologiese volgorde aangebied, wat begin by die eerste toepassing, die e-pos en eindig met die mees onglangse internet-diens, die Web 2.0. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes wat aangepas is na gelang van die aanlyn-omgewing behels etnografie, teks analise, gevallestudie ontwerp en deelnemende navorsingsmetodes. Die studie voorbeelde wat volg beskryf die diversiteit van kwalitatiewe internetnavorsing wat gedoen is sedert die vroeë 1990’s. Die metodologiese en etiese uitdagings, wat internet navorsers teëgekom het as gevolg van die besondere kenmerke van die objek van die studie, is binne die konteks van studies bespreek. Terwyl die bespreking van die studies die lewensvatbaarheid van die aanlyn-omgewing as veld vir kwalitatiewe navorsing bevestig het, wys dit ook daarop dat diegene, wat van voorneme is om kwalitatiewe internetnavorsing aan te pak, kennis moet neem van die groot uitdagings wat sulke navorsing behels.
dc.format.extent125 p.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4356
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
dc.rights.holderUniversity of Stellenbosch
dc.subjectInternet researchen_ZA
dc.subjectQualitative Internet research methodsen_ZA
dc.subjectInternet research ethicsen_ZA
dc.subjectObjects of Internet researchen_ZA
dc.subjectDissertations -- Sociology and social anthropologyen
dc.subjectTheses -- Sociology and social anthropologyen
dc.subject.otherSociology and Social Anthropologyen_ZA
dc.titleQualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challengesen_ZA
dc.typeThesis
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