Virtual Graduate Seminar on Internet Research
Spring 2000
Contact Info
Matt Stoner
Dept. of Communication
University of Arizona
GStoner@u.arizona.edu
Purpose
The purpose of the seminar is to bring together graduate students and scholars from various disciplines who study and research the Internet. The seminar will take place in the Spring semester of 2000 leading up to a face-to-face meeting of the participants at the conference in Kansas. The format of the 16 week seminar will be weekly virtual meetings and discussions of the work of scholars in the field, who are participating in the seminar. In addition, participants (graduate students and scholars) will be paired to work on a research project of mutual interest, which can then be submitted and presented at the conference as part of a special panel highlighting the seminar. The conference will also allow the participants to meet in person for a special non-virtual gathering of the seminar.
Texts
Jones, S. (1999). Doing Internet Research. Newbury Park, CA, Sage.
Selected Readings available online via html or pdf.
McLaughlin, M. L., Osborne, K. K., & Smith, C. B. (1995). Standards of conduct on usenet. In S. Jones (ed) Cybersociety: Computer Mediated Communication and Community (p. 90-111). Newbury, CA: Sage.
Nass, C. I., & Mason, L. (1990). On the study of technology and task: A variable-based approach. In J. Fulk & C. Steinfeld (Eds.), Organizations and communication technology (pp. 46-67). Newbury, CA: Sage.
Walther, J. B. (1996). Computer-mediated communication: Impersonal, interpersonal, and hyperpersonal interaction. Communication research, 23, 3-43.
DeSanctis, G., & Poole, M. S., (1994). Capturing the complexity in advanced technology use: Adaptive structuration theory. Organization Science, 5(2), 121-147.
Projects
Throughout the seminar, there will be opportunities to participate in research on the Internet. Some of the scholars participating in the seminar have on-going projects and are looking for some assistance. Other possible projects include the drafting of a statement on the ethics of internet researcher, Dr. Dance’s Digital Divide Project, Dr. Jones’ survey of Internet Usage, and some additional projects..
Course Outline
THIS IS A DRAFT OF THE SCHEDULE - SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON STUDENT AND SCHOLAR INTEREST.
|
Day |
Topic |
Readings |
|
Jan. 12 |
- Why Study the Internet?
- Defining Technology & the Internet
(Steve Jones & Matt Stoner) |
Link to JCMC article
Nass, C. I., & Mason, L. (1990). On the study of technology and task: A variable-based approach. In J. Fulk & C. Steinfeld (Eds.), Organizations and communication technology (pp. 46-67). Newbury, CA: Sage. |
|
Jan. 19 |
- Ethics of Doing Internet Research
(Storm King) |
AIR-L Thread on the Use of Human Subjects
Ethical and legal aspects of human subject research in cyberspace
http://www.aaas.org/spp/dspp/sfrl/projects/intres/main.htm
On-Line Research With Human Subjects Deserves More Scrutiny, Scientists
Say
http://www.chronicle.com/free/99/06/99061501t.htm
Researching Internet Communities: Proposed Ethical Guidelines for the
Reporting of Results http://www.concentric.net/~astorm/eth-abs.html |
|
Jan. 26 |
- Methodological Issues of Studying the Internet
- Quantitative v. Qualitative Research on the Net
(SCHOLAR) |
Chpt. In DIR. |
|
Feb. 2 |
- Ethnographic Approaches to the study of the Internet
(SCHOLAR) |
Chpt. In DIR.
Susan Leigh Star and Anselm Strauss. (1999). Layers of Silence, Arenas of Voice: The Ecology of Visible and Invisible Work?, Computer-Supported Cooperative Work: The Journal of Collaborative Computing, 8, 9-30.. |
|
Feb. 9 |
- Online Communities and Social Networks
(Nancy Baym) |
|
|
Feb. 16 |
- Virtual Identities – Race and Gender Representation
(Kali Tal) |
|
|
Feb. 23 |
- Paper/Pencil Surveys to Online Surveys Online
- Measuring Internet Audiences
(SCHOLAR) |
Chpt. In DIR. |
|
Mar. 1 |
- Interpersonal Relationships
(SCHOLAR)
(SCHOLAR) |
Walther, J. B. (1996). Computer-mediated communication: Impersonal, interpersonal, and hyperpersonal interaction. Communication research, 23, 3-43. |
|
Mar. 8 |
(Stewart Alexander) |
|
|
Mar. 15 |
- Cybertalk & Online Discourse
(SCHOLAR |
McLaughlin, M. L., Osborne, K. K., & Smith, C. B. (1995). Standards of conduct on usenet. In S. Jones (ed) Cybersociety: Computer Mediated Communication and Community (p. 90-111). Newbury, CA: Sage. |
|
Mar. 22 |
(SCHOLAR) |
|
|
Mar. 29 |
- Rhetorical Analysis Studies of the Net
(SCHOLAR) |
Chpt. In DIR. |
|
Apr. 5 |
(Frank Dance) |
|
|
Apr. 12 |
- E-commerence & Electronic Trust
(SCHOLAR) |
|
|
Apr. 19 |
(Kiesler, Weisband, & Hinds) |
|
|
Apr. 26 |
|
|
|
May 3 |
- The Future Direction of Internet Researcher
|
|
|