Virtual Fieldwork: A Review of The Internet: Understanding Qualitative Research

Authors

Arnaldo Mejias Jr., University of South FloridaFollow

Abstract

In this brief and thoughtful book, Hine (2013) attempts to "help with the process of writing up qualitative Internet research” (p. 2). First acknowledging that the Internet is “a new field of study” whose quality is still being worked out, she makes a strong case for the Internet as virtual fieldwork. Hine (2013) avoids repeating information that may be found in larger textbooks dealing with qualitative research, but she raises valuable ethical questions, presents an itemized summary of key components of qualitative Internet writing, and suggests specific ways by which we can evaluate qualitative Internet research. The final chapter serves as a condensed annotated bibliography.

Keywords

Internet as Fieldwork, Writing up Research, Qualitative Internet Research

Author Bio(s)

Arnie Mejías is a Ph.D. student in Adult Education at the University of South Florida (USF) and serves as Associate Director of Advising for Health Professions in USF’s Honors College. Among his research interests are human resource development, nonformal education, and simulation learning. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: mejias@honors.usf.edu.

Publication Date

11-20-2017

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2017.3282

Recommended APA Citation

Mejias, A. (2017). Virtual Fieldwork: A Review of The Internet: Understanding Qualitative Research. The Qualitative Report, 22(11), 3011-3013. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2017.3282