This document discusses various aspects of digital research. It describes how digital tools can be used for data collection, analysis, and presentation in research. It also addresses potential issues with digital research such as anonymity, convenience driving studies, and transferring traditional research designs. Finally, it provides examples of digital tools that can be used and resources for conducting qualitative research using digital methods.

1. Digital Research
Week 13

2. Bit of a blurry concept
• Digital tools for helping with data collection,
analysis, and presentation (e.g.,
surveymonkey, AtlasTI, infographics)
• Research conducted entirely online
• Research partially conducted online
• Research focusing on mobile
communications and network access etc.
• Research that is “technology” focused (e.g.,
tablet use, Smartboard use)
• Old research in digital disguise (especially in
education)

3. Potential issues
• “Hit & Run/Drive-by” research
• Anonymity
• Demographics
• Ethics
• Learning assumed to occur simply because
digital tech is present
• Problem of needing-to-research-something
studies
• Problem of convenience driving the study

4. Everything has meaning
Segment D (from Tanaka Nanako’s author notes)
L13 Thank you all who reviewed this story,
L14 and this chapter is dedicated to Sakura Blossomz01, wild-gurl,
Sweet^-^Rose, DZ pals, Fire Light and Lily-Chan.
L15 Thank you for adding me to your favorite author list! ^//.//^
L16 THANKS FOR THE GREAT SUPPORT YOU ARE GIVING ME!
^________^
L17 *Hugs her reviewers*
Segment E
L18 By the way, please pay close attentions to the e-mails in this
chapter,
L19 because they are some really important clues.
Source: Black (2008). Adolescents and Online Fiction. New York: Peter Lang.

7. Digital Research &
Research Design
• Established research designs and
approaches don’t necessarily transfer well
• Drawing boundaries around cases can be
tricky
• New social practices that haven’t been
studied before (e.g., “friending,”
“tagging”)
• Multiple terms for fairly similar things but
still tricky to talk about across fields

8. An example

9. I’m an average student,
Cs, Bs and a couple of
Ds in Statistics and
Economics (tricky stuff
>w<).

11. More things to consider
• Anonymity and traceability (and the desire
for visibility)
• Privacy issues
• Timing of data collection
• How to present multimedia and hyperlinked
practices in the flat plane of academic writing
• What your study contributes (to); i.e., larger
ideological positions

12. Let’s take a look….
•CamStudio
•Endnote
•Evernote
•Webcopier

13. There’s an app for that!
• http://www.mrmw.net/news-blogs/295-a-quick-
review-of-mobile-apps-for-qualitative-
research
• http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/apps.html

14. Practical Resources
• Hahn (2008). Doing qualitative research
using your computer: A practical guide.
Sage.
• Boellstorf et al. (2012). Ethnography and
virtual worlds: A handbook of method.
Princeton Uni. Press.
• Markham & Baym (2008). Internet inquiry:
Conversations about method. Sage.