A holistic approach to the analysis of online profiles

Abstract

Purpose -The article aims to present a holistic approach to analysis of patterns on complex online profiles, demonstrated on profiles of European scientists. Design/methodology/approach -An existing analytical framework was developed to incorporate a holistic understanding of online profiles. The framework was applied to a sample of 188 online profiles belonging to 48 European scientists. The profile data were studied on three levels (content-unit level, profile-instance level, and profile-network level), using methods of the qualitative comparative analysis to derive profiling patterns. Findings -The approach developed in this work generated profiling patterns for European scientists. The patterns exist on all three levels, forming a hierarchy. This pattern structure shows the variety of ways in which scientists can use the internet for self-presentation. Originality/value -The study was based on a holistic understanding of online self-presentation, acknowledging that personal presentation can be spread across different platforms. The study presented shows how this understanding can be used when analysing online profiling behaviour. The profiling patterns of European scientists identified in this study supplement existing typologies. The study serves as a foundation to structure further research as well as to inform practitioners.

The academic web profile as a genre of “self-making”

“…Such a combination of authorships is most evident on the commercial platforms, where the platforms invite others to contribute and make use of algorithms to form the researcher profile. Although the level of other-and system-writing of the academic self differed between the institutional web sites and the commercial platform profiles included in the study, the platforms were primarily used as tools for visibility, as shown by Bukvova (2012). There was fairly little indication of differences that originate in the commercial platforms being used for networking, an affordance which is less pronounced on institutional web sites.…”

“…A few studies of academic web profiles or researcher web presence have looked into what characterizes the profiles. Bukvova (2012) found the most common type of content on both institutional web sites and social network sites to be what she terms "visit card, curriculum vitae", but common were also "visit card, personal identification". Both were mainly oriented towards factual information.…”

UGC Sharing Motives and Their Effects on UGC Sharing Intention from Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives: Focusing on Content Creators in South Korea

“…Self-expression can be a process by which people attempt to control the impressions others have of them [52]. Bukvova [53], focusing on the online profiles of European scientists, suggested that Internet presence should be treated as an important strategic instrument for self-presentation because it can be an effective tool for communication with peers, as well as with other stakeholders. Since the Internet offers opportunities for personalized self-presentation according to individual needs [53], online users are likely to user UGC as a communication channel to reveal themselves.…”

Validity, Reliability, and the Case for Participant-Centered Research: Reflections on a Multi-Platform Social Media Study

“…The academic networking project sought to examine in detail the structure of academics' ego-networks on two contrasting social media platforms which they use in relation to their professional work, and to understand the significance of those structures through interviews with participants. Academic SNS and Twitter were selected as contrasting platforms because while academic SNS are designed for a specifically academic audience, academics often view them as an online CV, while more actively discussing their work on Twitter (Bukvova, 2012;Van Noorden, 2014).…”