Christine Hine, The Internet: Understanding Qualitative Research

Abstract

Opening with this beautifully appropriate quote from Castells (2002, p. 1), "The Internet is the fabric of our lives," The Internet, part of the Understanding Qualitative Research series, is a compact book brimming with useful advice on designing, conducting, and writing qualitative research on the Internet. Though not a text aimed specifically at researchers in psychology, The Internet contains a wealth of information useful to both novice researchers and those wishing to experiment with qualitative, Internet-based research in psychology.Chapter 2 provides an engaging introduction that makes the case for conducting qualitative research on the Internet, drawing on Hine's personal experiences with research (particularly ethnographic work) in the sociology of science and technology. This thoughtprovoking primer lays the groundwork for the rest of the book, hinting at issues around ethics, data sources, and appropriate tools for collection and collaboration. Following this, the book is split into five chapters that address various aspects of writing about qualitative research on the Internet: from writing the initial proposal through to exploring innovative ways of disseminating the results.In the second chapter, the focus is on writing research proposals, providing a practical and useful breakdown of exactly what needs to be included in a research proposal involving the Internet. This chapter will be particularly useful to students and new researchers in psychology because it highlights several potential pitfalls and difficulties one might encounter when writing a research proposal on any given topic, not specifically one focused on the Internet. For example, readers are invited to consider not only how they will access and collect their data, but how they will ensure that it is rich enough to stand up to qualitative analysis.Chapter 2 also encourages researchers to consider typical issues around, for example, how to identify and sample a population, how to collect and archive research data, and ethical issues of the study that is being planned. However, these typical concerns come with an extra layer of complexity when dealing with a piece of Internet research. Hine points out that researchers may need to familiarize themselves with a particular research site or acquire a completely new skill set before being able to efficiently and effectively conduct their research. All the while, researchers are reminded to maintain the fluidity required in qualitative research while also ensuring that their proposals will withstand interrogation.Throughout chapter 2, Internet-based research is positioned as something that can sit comfortably within a larger body or field of qualitative research, not bound by a particular discipline. Researchers are encouraged to interrogate their references and pin down their rationale for a particular line of enquiry and reminded to look to research from before the so-called age of the Internet to strengthen their proposals and give their research credibility 340