Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is widely accepted that the Internet has become a valuable resource for social
scientists, not just for the purpose of information exchange; via e-mail, discussion
groups and electronic journals, but also as a medium for data collection. Its global
nature gives a researcher access to a vast range of individuals located around the
world. It also opens up access to difficult to hitherto penetrate study areas, such as
sensitive research on deviant behaviour. Further, it is claimed that considerable savings
to both research budgets and time frames are made possible with the new technology.
It is not surprising, therefore, that a substantial body of research, employing the
Internet as the primary means of data collection, already exists. This raises a number
of questions as to how the Internet fares as a research tool. Are there any important
methodological issues that this new approach raises? Do the traditional research
methods suffice? Or are adaptations to existing methods necessary when difficulties
are encountered? Does such changes affect the more fundamental question of the
research design? These questions are considered in this thesis.
To answer them, I consider two different types of empirical research designs. The first,'
survey research, is a quantitative, numerical design that traditionally has a high level of
control. I consider in detail issues of sampling, including non-response, and
questionnaire design. The second design examined, ethnographic research, is
qualitative, textual and generally has a low level of researcher control. I address the
methods used in cyber ethnography and then discuss the considerable ethical concerns
that feature in such research. I conclude that, on the whole, the existing methods can be transferred to Internet
research. Indeed, some of the problems faced in traditional research are also
considerations in Internet studies and can be overcome by employing similar
techniques, such as using incentives to reduce non-response rates. However, a number
of new problems emerge, such as the lack of paralinguistic cues, which require
adaptations to the existing methods in order to produce results that can be considered
valid and reliable. However, I also argue that these necessary adaptations to the
methods do not affect the underlying principles found in the research design. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit word algemeen aanvaar dat die Internet In waardevolle hulpmiddel is vir
sosiaalwetenskaplikes; nie net vir die uitruil van inligting deur middel van e-pos,
besprekingsforums en elektroniese joernale nie, maar ook as In instrument om inligting
te versamel. Die globale aard van die internet gee die navorser toegang to In wye
spektrum individue internasionaal. Dit verleen ook toegang tot moeilike
navorsingsareas, soos sensitiewe navorsing oor afwykende gedrag. Verder word
beweer dat dit aansienlike besparings moontlik kan maak vir beide die
navorsingsbegroting en tydraamwerk.
Dit is dus nie verbasend dat In substansiële hoeveelheid van navorsing, wat die
Internet as die primêre bron van dataversameling gebruik, reeds bestaan nie. Dit laat
verskeie vrae ontstaan oor hoe die Internet vaar as In navorsingshulpmiddel. Is daar
enige belangrike metodologiese kwessies wat hierdie nuwe metode aanraak? Is die
tradisionele metodes voldoende? Of moet daar veranderinge aan die huidige metodes
aangebring word wanneer probleme ontstaan? Sal hierdie veranderinge die
fundamentele aspekte van navorsingsontwerp beïnvloed? Die vrae saloorweeg word in
hierdie tesis.
Ek gebruik twee empiriese navorsingsontwerpe om die vrae te beantwoord. Die eerste,
steekproefnavorsing, is In kwantitatiewe ontwerp wat tradisioneel In hoë vlak van
beheer toon. Ek ondersoek in detail kwessies van steekproewe, insluitend geen
respons en vraelysontwerp. Die tweede ontwerp wat ondersoek word, etnografiese
navorsing, is kwalitatief, tekstueel en toon in die algemeen In lae vlak van navorser beheer. Ek ondersoek die metodes wat gebruik word in kuberetnografie en bespreek
dan die etiese vraagstukke wat hierdie navorsing kenmerk.
Ek kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat oor die algemeen die huidige metodes toegepas kan
word op Internetnavorsing. Inderdaad kan van die probleme wat ondervind word in
tradisionele navorsing ook ondervind word in Internet studies en ook hier kan dit
oorkom word deur die gebruik van soortgelyke tegnieke, soos om aansporingsbonusse
om geen responskoerse te verminder, hoewel daar nuwe probleme opduik, soos die
gebrek aan para-taalkundige wenke. Dit noodsaak veranderinge aan die huidige
metodes om resultate te lewer wat geldig en betroubaar is. Ek redeneer egter ook dat
hierdie nodige veranderinge aan die metodes nie onderliggende beginsels van
navorsingsontwerp verander nie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52432 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Dowling, Zoë Teresa |
| Contributors | Mouton, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences . Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology . |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 111 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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