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Internet Research Methods
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Internet Research Methods

Second Edition


December 2015 | 232 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

The internet is a compelling tool for research, enabling efficient, cost-effective data collection and facilitating access to large samples and new populations. This book presents a state-of-the-art guide to the internet as a tool for conducting research in the social and behavioural sciences using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches.

New to this edition:

  • Fully re-written to reflect the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies
  • Expanded coverage of web surveys for data collection
  • Unobtrusive methods to harvest data from online archives and documents
  • New practical tools and resources, where to find them, and how to keep up-to-date with new developments as they emerge
  • New chapter on research ethics and discussion of ethical practicalities throughout

Guiding the reader through the theoretical, ethical and practical issues of using the internet in research, this is an essential resource for researchers wishing to assess how the latest techniques, tools and methods in internet-mediated research may support and expand research in their own field.

 
Chapter 1: Introduction
 
Chapter 2: The Internet
 
Chapter 3: Internet-mediated Research: State of the Art
 
Chapter 4: Sampling in Internet-mediated Research
 
Chapter 5: Ethics in Internet-mediated Research
 
Chapter 6: Tools and Design Strategies for Internet-mediated Research
 
Chapter 7: What Can Go Wrong?
 
Afterword

The book provides a concise explanation of modern internet research methods. The summary is very clear, and many different issues are discussed, including ethics. My course in research methods runs each year, and is compulsory for all masters in psychology (more than 15 different master's degrees). The book was one of my recommended books this year, and it will be next year (so 2015 and 2016).

Professor Martin Edwards
Faculté de Psychologie et des Sciences de l’Education, Université catholique de Louvain
February 24, 2016

The book is an interesting asset for students who will be starting to do Internet-related in the context of academic research. In this aspect the book provides valuable information, however, the format of the book and the way the information is displayed is not welcoming to the target audience of first-year students. A second reason to not adopt the book is that media and communication research has particular needs that the book does not address in sufficient detail. This is not to say that the content is not good, but rather that its focus does not suit the needs of Internet-based qualitative media research.

Mr Andreas Rauh Ortega
Institute of Communications Studies, Leeds University
March 8, 2016

It is an ideal book for students who are unfamiliar with the current trends of Internet based research

Dr Alexander Luke
Department of Surgical Sciences, Ajman University of Science and Technology
March 8, 2016

A very good general textbook on using the internet to gather robust data sets

Miss Lynda Juliet Fitzwater
Interdiscipline , University for the Creative Arts
March 8, 2016

This is an excellent and essential text for anyone conducting online research or teaching others how to get the most out of online resources. A must read for all researchers and postgraduates and a core text for undergraduate research.

Mr Paul Matthews
School of Hospitality, Tourism & Events, University College Birmingham
May 4, 2016

Internet Research Methods by Hewnson, Vogel and Laurent (2016) is the second edition to the original book published in 2002. The latest edition follows up on the previous but it encompasses the vast growth that has taken place in the field over the past decade. It is great to have such a recent and up-to-date book for class.
An important feature of the book is that is aimed not only at researchers but at students as well and this is illustrated by its user-friendly approach and systematic and organized structuring of chapters. The authors begin with a brief history of the internet which is essential in setting the tone for the following chapters. The rest of the book, very clearly shifts from one topic to another and the flow is uninterrupted. This in turn allows for the reader to fully understand the crux of every chapter and building a foundation to take in knowledge from the following chapters. It is fun to read, the right level for my students and a very timely source book.

Professor Sonia Lippke
Jacobs Center on Lifelong Learning and Institutional Development, Jacobs University Bremen
May 12, 2016
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Key features

New to the Second Edition of Internet Research Methods:

  • Fully re-written to reflect the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies
  • Expanded coverage of web surveys for data collection
  • Unobtrusive methods to harvest data from online archives and documents
  • New practical tools and resources, where to find them, and how to keep up-to-date with new developments
  • New chapter on research ethics and discussion of ethical practicalities throughout.
  • Fully re-written to reflect the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies
  • Expanded coverage of web surveys for data collection
  • Unobtrusive methods to harvest data from online archives and documents
  • New practical tools and resources, where to find them, and how to keep up-to-date with new developments
  • New chapter on research ethics and discussion of ethical practicalities throughout.

For instructors

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Paperback
ISBN: 9781446208564
£42.99

Hardcover
ISBN: 9781446208557
£134.00

SAGE Research Methods is a research methods tool created to help researchers, faculty and students with their research projects. SAGE Research Methods links over 175,000 pages of SAGE’s renowned book, journal and reference content with truly advanced search and discovery tools. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. Since SAGE Research Methods focuses on methodology rather than disciplines, it can be used across the social sciences, health sciences, and more.

With SAGE Research Methods, researchers can explore their chosen method across the depth and breadth of content, expanding or refining their search as needed; read online, print, or email full-text content; utilize suggested related methods and links to related authors from SAGE Research Methods' robust library and unique features; and even share their own collections of content through Methods Lists. SAGE Research Methods contains content from over 720 books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks, the entire “Little Green Book,” and "Little Blue Book” series, two Major Works collating a selection of journal articles, and specially commissioned videos.