Understanding Research in the Digital Age

First Edition

Sarah Quinton - Oxford Brookes University, UK
Nina Reynolds - University of Wollongong, Australia

Other Titles in:
Research Methods for Business & Management

February 2018 | 256 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

A guide to understanding digital research from both a conceptual and practical perspective, helping the reader to make sense of the issues, challenges and opportunities of social science research in the digital age.

The book will help the reader to understand how the digital context impacts on social science research and is divided into three main sections:

A Justification & Reconceptualization of Digital Research: The authors explore how far the digital environment is transforming social science research.
Accessing Digital Data: An outline of the characteristics of digital data, temporality issues in digital research and different data sources.
Moving Forward with Digital Research: Examining the practicalities of how to conduct digital research, with examples and suggestions to strengthen the implementation of digital research.

Suitable for Masters and Doctoral students undertaking digital or online research methods courses, as well as anyone doing a research project or dissertation with an online component.

Section 1: A Justification & Reconceptualization of Digital Research

Chapter 1: Digital Research as a Phenomenon and a Method

Chapter 2: The Changing Research Landscape

Section 2: Accessing Digital Data

Chapter 3: Characteristics of Digital Data

Chapter 4: Temporality in Digital Research

Chapter 5: Data Sources for Digital Research

Chapter 6: Research Processes and the Human/Technology Interface

Section 3: Moving Forward with Digital Research

Chapter 7: The Practicalities of Doing Digital Research

Chapter 8: Conclusion, The Bigger Picture

If you use digital data, you should read this book! A valuable guide to the big issues, challenges, and opportunities of social science in the digital age, this book emphasizes ethics, expectations, and expertise --and solid critical thinking. I plan to make good use of it in my teaching.

Robert Kozinets

J&H Hufschmid Chair, University of Southern California

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Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 2: The Changing Research Landscape

Sarah Quinton

Sarah Quinton is a researcher fascinated by how digitalisation is changing society and how we as researchers explore that changed society. As an academic Sarah teaches research methods with a particular focus on the breadth and ethical implications of digital research possibilities and she spends much time encouraging her Masters’ and PhD students to consider the opportunities and complexities of digital research. Previous writing for Sage includes a text book Postgraduate research in business: a critical guide. Sarah’s research centres around how and why digital technologies are shaping the world of consumption, small business... More About Author

Nina Reynolds

Nina Reynolds has a long established research stream that focuses on research methods, starting with her MPhil and PhD research projects. This is reflected in her contribution to both qualifying (Master/Doctoral) and non-qualifying research methods education within and across institutions. She is currently supervising a number of research students that are facing the problems associated with research in the digital age. As well as her methodological research stream, her other research interests currently focus on understanding how consumers might develop or increase their wellbeing through consumption, and how transformative services... More About Author

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