Online research methods are popular, dynamic and fast-changing. Following on from the great success of the first edition, published in 2008, The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods, Second Edition offers both updates of existing subject areas and new chapters covering more recent developments, such as social media, big data, data visualization and CAQDAS. Bringing together the leading names in both qualitative and quantitative online research, this new edition is organised into nine sections: 1. Online Research Methods 2. Designing Online Research 3. Online Data Capture and Data Collection 4. The Online Survey 5. Digital Quantitative Analysis 6. Digital Text Analysis 7. Virtual Ethnography 8. Online Secondary Analysis: Resources and Methods 9. The Future of Online Social Research The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods, Second Edition is an essential resource for anyone interested in the contemporary practice of computer-mediated research and scholarship.

Online Focus Groups

Online Focus Groups

ONLINE FOCUS GROUPS
Katie M. Abrams Ted J. Gaiser

Introduction to Online Focus Groups

The purpose of a focus group is to enable a researcher to evaluate ideas in a group setting. The environment of a focus group is often thought of as a more natural setting for gathering data, as opposed to a one-on-one interview, and enables researchers to gain additional insights from the dialog and interaction between participants. Focus groups can be employed for many diverse purposes. Politicians use the technique to assess public opinion and develop policy. Marketers assess many aspects of public opinion, from specific consumer preferences to test marketing new products. For social scientists, a focus group often represents an ...

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