This course is divided into 2 parts, which are essentially qualitative data collection and data analysis. The qualitative data collection focuses on interviews. Interviewing is a popular and well-established method in social science research. It is a varied and flexible approach that can be used alone, or together with other approaches to investigate a wide variety of topics related to the study of the Internet. Yet, carrying out high quality interview studies requires a complex set of skills and knowledge that are often underestimated. Furthermore, the use of new technologies at all stages of the research process have extended the reach and possibilities to conduct interviews in varied ways and on different populations, but these opportunities (and challenges) need careful consideration.
Qualitative data analysis about the Internet requires a set of specialized skills involving construction of categories, coding data and writing up the results. This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to carry out qualitative data analysis of a variety of kinds of data (e.g. text, photos, videos) collected from both online and offline settings. Students will gain familiarity with techniques for using a variety of Internet-related methods, and will understand their challenges.
The first half of this course is designed to encourage students to develop a critical stance to their own research practice and the work of others. Alongside conceptual and theoretical discussions in class, students will be obtaining hands‐on practice gathering qualitative interview data, particularly using digitally mediated methods.
The second half of this course is designed to give students experience analysing qualitative data, and to give them a conceptual understanding of the reasons for using qualitative analytic approaches, the limits of the techniques they will be using, and the opportunities and challenges unique to qualitative social research methods and the Internet.
