Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges
Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
2010
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613954590638080 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Schier, Christa Marianne |
| author2 | Mouton, J. |
| author_browse | Mouton, J. Schier, Christa Marianne |
| author_facet | Mouton, J. Schier, Christa Marianne |
| author_sort | Schier, Christa Marianne |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | University of Stellenbosch |
| description | Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4356 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:21.236Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publishDateRange | 2010 |
| publishDateSort | 2010 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4356 Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges Schier, Christa Marianne Mouton, J. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. Internet research Qualitative Internet research methods Internet research ethics Objects of Internet research Dissertations -- Sociology and social anthropology Theses -- Sociology and social anthropology Sociology and Social Anthropology Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. ENGLISH 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. AFRIKAANSE 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. Masters 2010-02-17T07:25:30Z 2010-08-13T15:01:59Z 2010-02-17T07:25:30Z 2010-08-13T15:01:59Z 2010-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4356 en University of Stellenbosch 125 p. application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| spellingShingle | Internet research Qualitative Internet research methods Internet research ethics Objects of Internet research Dissertations -- Sociology and social anthropology Theses -- Sociology and social anthropology Sociology and Social Anthropology Schier, Christa Marianne Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges |
| title | Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges |
| title_full | Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges |
| title_fullStr | Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges |
| title_short | Qualitative Internet research : its objects, methods and ethical challenges |
| title_sort | qualitative internet research its objects methods and ethical challenges |
| topic | Internet research Qualitative Internet research methods Internet research ethics Objects of Internet research Dissertations -- Sociology and social anthropology Theses -- Sociology and social anthropology Sociology and Social Anthropology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4356 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT schierchristamarianne qualitativeinternetresearchitsobjectsmethodsandethicalchallenges |