| Learning Objective #1: Identify two ethical issues surrounding research online | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Identify a qualitative and a quantitative research method to use in online research |
One of the newest frontiers for nursing researchers is the online world of the Internet. Research on computers and life online is relatively new. Studies using computer mediated communication (CMC) as a means of recruiting subjects and or collecting data largely began in the 1990s. Today, while descriptive and experimental designs are still used in studying CMC, qualitative methods, such as ethnography, are being used to explore the culture of the Internet. This presentation will focus on research online: using the Internet as a research site, and the study of online communication and communities. Included will be research rationale; methods; ethics; and implications for nursing research, practice and education. Qualitative and quantitative research methods will be addressed. The application of traditional research methods to CMC will be identified, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this medium. Specific methodologies, e.g. online surveys; ethnography, narrative analysis; and websites will be discussed. Privacy, ethics, and consent are of paramount concern and the source of controversy in online research. This presentation will review the development of rules, regulations, and standards about privacy and ethics surrounding research in and about the Internet. Online communication has altered the way thousands of people live and communicate. Over the past five years, CMC has been used as a social support mechanism for a variety of special needs groups, giving rise to thousands of overlapping online social support networks. Whether it is the access to social support in any geographic location or the anonymity of the participants, the developments of these new online cultures, beg to be studied. Studies in and about the Internet give researchers access to subjects / participants from all over the world. This medium can contribute to society's knowledge of CMC and online communities, our newest frontier.
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