Virtual Methods [Paperback]

Christine Hine (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 16, 2005 | ISBN-10: 1845200853 | ISBN-13: 978-1845200855

Virtual Methods provides concrete advice for all stages of the research process. Anyone planning a research project involving the Internet will find this book an essential guide.
Can offline and online observations be combined? Are online interviews able to produce high quality data? How does a researcher sort through the vast mass of material available? From hyperlink analysis to the sex industry online, case studies sensitively highlight the difficulties researchers face, point out the opportunities to be seized, and offer practical solutions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Through the discussion of case studies using the internet and Hine's own insightful coments, Virtual Methods significantly adds to the accumulation of professional knowledge. Mike O'Donnell, Times Higher Education Supplement A welcome resource for scholars studying online communities from the perspectives of sociology, communication, media studies, and other fields. Susan Keith, Resource Centre for Cyberculture Studies

About the Author

Christine Hine is Lecturer, University of Surrey.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Berg Publishers (June 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845200853
• ISBN-13: 978-1845200855
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,077 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars what do you know across the net?, September 5, 2005

By 

W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Virtual Methods (Paperback)

How easy is it to use the Internet for conducting research with subjects, as compared to traditional real world in-person interviews? This is just one of the issues confronted by Hine. The Internet's pervasive sweep offers a glittering opportunity for researchers to scale up their efforts, without being constrained by geographical extent. So various research fields are struggling to adapt.

Hine points out many pitfalls that could tangle you up. Like the obvious one of how valid is an interview conducted on the net with one done in person? In both cases, you usually have to take some of the subject's background on trust. But with the Internet, you might not even know for sure the subject's gender or ethnicity. The virtual nature of the Internet gives rise to these and many more aspects.