October 2003 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

New Book--Online Social Research
by Mark D. Johns 31 Oct '03

31 Oct '03

Another shameless plug for a new book, just published by Peter Lang and now shipping: Online Social Research: Methods, Issues, and Ethics (Digital Formations Series, Vol. 7 -- Steve Jones, Series Editor) Edited by Mark D. Johns, Shing-Ling S. Chen, and G. Jon Hall (C) 2004 Back cover: Online Social Research: Methods, Issues, and Ethics is a collection of essays by veteran online researchers who provide testimonial illustrations as to how traditional research methods may be modified for effective online research as well as identify and discuss the critical issues and dilemmas encountered. The former serves as a resource for teachers, students, and researchers who utilize online environments for information gathering. The latter is designed to stimulate ongoing debates and creative ideas about an as yet nonregulated arena of research. Online Social Research addresses online research in the fields of communication, journalism, sociology, psychology, marketing, education, and medicine, as well as related disciplines that may have occasions to utilize surveys, interviews, and observations for information gathering in online environments. Since this book deals with methodological consideration, it is designed as a text for research methods classes as well as a resource for researchers. Table of contents appears below. ------ Mark D. Johns, Ph.D. Asst. Professor of Communication/Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa http://faculty.luther.edu/~johnsmar/ ----------------------------------------------- "Get the facts first. You can distort them later." ---Mark Twain Contents Online Environments and Interpretive Social Research Norman K. Denzin, University of IllinoisChampaign-Urbana Part IMethods of Online Social Research Introduction: Technological Environments and the Evolution of Social Research Methods Clifford G. Christians, University of IllinoisChampaign-Urbana; Shing-Ling Sarina Chen, University of Northern Iowa Reengineering Focus Group Methodology for the Online Environment Matthew Williams, Cardiff University; Kate Robson, University of Wales College of Medicine Researching OURNET: A Case Study of a Multiple Methods Approach Sharon S. Kleinman, Quinnipiac University Managing Visibility, Intimacy, and Focus in Online Critical Ethnography Kathleen LeBesco, Marymount Manhattan College Seeing and Sensing Online Interaction: An Interpretive Interactionist Approach to USENET Support Group Research Mary K. Walstrom, Sonoma State University Part IIIssues of Online Social Research Introduction: Opportunities and Challenges in Methodology and Ethics Amy S. Bruckman, Georgia Tech Surviving the IRB Review: Institutional Guidelines and Research Strategies Mark D. Johns, Luther College; G. Jon Hall, University of Northern Iowa; Tara Lynn Crowell, Richard Stockton College Participants and Observers in Online Ethnography: Five Stories About Identity Lori Kendall, SUNY, Purchase Representation in Online Ethnographies: A Matter of Context Sensitivity Annette N. Markham, University of Illinois at Chicago Research Paparazzi in Cyberspace: The Voices of the Researched Shing-Ling Sarina Chen, G. Jon Hall, University of Northern Iowa; Mark D. Johns, Luther College Part IIIEthics of Online Social Research Introduction: Ethics and Internet Studies Steve Jones, University of Illinois at Chicago Reexamining the Ethics of Internet Research: Facing the Challenge of Overzealous Oversight Jim Thomas, Northern Illinois University Issues of Attribution and Identification in Online Social Research Susan B. Barnes, Rochester Institute of Technology Electronic Eavesdropping: The Ethical Issues Involved in Conducting a Virtual Ethnography Katherine M. Clegg Smith, University of Illinois at Chicago NEED HELP ASAP!!!: A Feminist Communitarian Approach to Online Research Ethics G. Jon Hall, University of Northern Iowa; Douglas Frederick, University of Iowa; Mark D. Johns, Luther College Epilogue Are We There Yet? Emerging Ethical Guidelines for Online Research Charles Ess, Drury University

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digital divide
by Barry Wellman 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

The full version of the international comparative digital divide report -- by Wenhong Chen & Barry Wellman -- is at: http://www.amd.com/us-en/Weblets/0,,7832_8524,00.html#charting It was done for AMD's Global Consumer Advisory Board. There is a slightly older version on our website. Barry _____________________________________________________________________ Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director wellman at chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162 To network is to live; to live is to network _____________________________________________________________________

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2004 Program Chair
by Nancy Baym 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

I am delighted to announce that Professor Sheizaf Rafaeli has accepted our invitation to be the Program Chair for AoIR's 2004 Conference at the University of Sussex. Dr. Rafaeli is in the Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Haifa in Israel, and is also the Director of the University of Haifa's Center for the Study of the Information Society. He served for many years as a founding co-editor of the Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. He was also a keynote speaker at our second conference in 2001. We are excited by the combined energy, expertise, and enthusiasm of Sheizaf and conference chair Kate O'Riordan and look forward to a stimulating and fun event in 2004. Nancy -- Nancy Baym http://www.ku.edu/home/nbaym Communication Studies, University of Kansas Bailey Hall, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 102, Lawrence, KS 66045-7574, USA Association of Internet Researchers: http://aoir.org

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Neural Skeins and Digital Skins -- November on -empyre-
by Michael Arnold-Mages 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

The parallels between the internet and a biological system are many. Growth and decay, circulation and disease are symptoms of these living systems. In our bodies, cells, neurons, bacteria and on-line, words, memes and code-structures are vital elements of ordered, yet chaotic process. For the month of November -empyre- delights in presenting Neural Skeins and Digital Skins: code, writing, and the net as a central nervous system, with four prominent artists and theorists. *** In a pastiche of imagery and French and English text, Tamara Lai (Belgium) spins her intimate, visceral cyber-poems from her base in Liege. Lai's oeuvre includes exploration of performance, ephemerality and virtual relations. Alan Sondheim (US), New York based net artist and poet, conducts a continuous meditation on cyberspace, emphasizing issues of interiority, subjectivity, body, and language. http://www.asondheim.org/ Alessandro Ludovico (IT) publishes the critical journal neural.it in Italian and English online. <http://www.neural.it> and <http://www.neural.it/english> Florian Cramer (Germany), is a theorist on comparative net aesthetics and literature, and lectures at the Free University Berlin. *** As Alan writes, We collude between death and sex, to the limits of distortion - space-time burns around configurations of terror and the body. The skin is always a skein of communication. Words are performative only to the extent they can persuade physical reality beyond the sememe - propaganda or persuasion of language. How, as Florian asks, does 'codework' fit notions of text that were crafted without digital code - most importantly: machine-executable digital code - in mind, and vice versa. Is it a coincidence that, in their poetical appropriation of low-level Internet codes, codeworks ended up aesthetically resembling concrete poetry? And, apart from aesthetic resemblances, how do computer programs relate to literature? Join us in discussion to examine these questions and more on -empyre-. Subscribe at: http://www.subtle.net/empyre -------------

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Annual Volume 2: Submission Deadline is October 31
by Mia Consalvo 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

Final Call: If you presented a paper at AoIR 4.0 in Toronto and have not sent that paper to the archive, and wish your paper to be considered for inclusion in the Internet Research Annual Volume 2, you need to send a completed version of the paper to Mia Consalvo at consalvo(a)ohio.edu by October 31, 2003. Here are some basic guidelines for submissions: *Suggested length: No more than 5000 words, INCLUDING references, tables, and notes. *Format: MS Word, sent electronically to Mia at consalvo(a)ohio.edu *Style: APA style will be required for all accepted papers, but submissions can be in another style, provided author is willing to make the change later. *Publication history: Papers submitted for consideration in the Annual must have been presented at the AoIR 2003 conference in Toronto, Ontario. However, they must not have been published in any other outlet. *Decisions: All papers received by October 31 will be considered, and final decisions about inclusion will be made by January 15, 2004. Thanks! Mia -- Mia Consalvo, Ph.D. 213 RTVC School of Telecommunications 9 South College Street Ohio University Athens, OH 45701 (740) 597-1521 consalvo(a)ohio.edu

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RE: Online Dating services
by Fernando Polo 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

Ulla, Just before reading your request for help, I was having a look at this article in MSNBC News: http://export.msnbc.com/news/806278.asp?cp1=1 The only problem is that it could be a bit old (I couldn't find the date). You will also find a lot of resources about dating communities (including interviews with founders, and a lot of related news links) in the Online Community Report (www.ocreport.com) Dig in the archives, and you will find useful info. Hope this helps. Fernando Polo Partner DiceLaRed S.A. _____________________________ www.dicelared.com Gral. Martínez Campos, 25 28010 Madrid Tel/Fax +34 914 453 721 Móv +34 677 934 999 fernando.polo(a)dicelared.com _________________________ --__--__-- Message: 1 From: "Ulla Bunz" <bunz(a)scils.rutgers.edu> To: "Air List" <air-l(a)aoir.org> Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 13:45:08 -0500 Subject: [Air-l] request for help: online dating services Reply-To: air-l(a)aoir.org I'm requesting help to track down a *popular press* article (preferably online, but not necessary) that reviews the current trends and/or issues about online dating. I'm NOT looking for something that reads essentially like an advertisement for any one of the numerous online services. I'm hoping to find something like a Wired article, or along those lines, on how dating and relationship forming have been changed/influenced by the current surge toward online dating services. Responses on or off list (bunz(a)scils.rutgers.edu) are appreciated. Thanks, Ulla ---------------------------------------------------- Ulla Bunz Assistant Professor Department of Communication Rutgers University 4 Huntington Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Email: bunz(a)scils.rutgers.edu ----------------------------------------------------

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AoIR-MEET: Invitation to join the planning for AoIR 5.0
by K.S.O-Riordan＠sussex.ac.uk 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

AoIR-MEET INVITATION: AoIR 2004 CONFERENCE (5.0) IN THE UK The Association of Internet Researchers will meet on September 19-22, 2004, for AoIR: 5.0, at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK (www.sussex.ac.uk) AoIR is an international organisation and has tried to vary the locations of its meetings to allow a wide membership to attend. This is the second meeting in Europe and the first time in the UK! The planning that goes into the conference is critical to its success, along with the environment, and most importantly, the people involved. The AoIR is committed to planning conferences from the ground up and I would like to take this opportunity to ask people to participate. I¹d encourage members to take part in the planning process as well as volunteering on the ground where possible. If you are interested in helping to plan this conference, please subscribe to air-meet, the list of the conference planning committee. Those on the air-meet list will shortly be discussing the final conference theme and title, a draft Call For Papers, and preferred keynote speakers. To join the conference planning list go to: http://aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-meet The conference team at the University of Sussex have booked capacity for a three-day conference with 9 streams. We have held on-campus accommodation for delegates and intend to build in pre-conference workshops and round tables, in partnership with the programme chair and the air-meet as the planning develops. The University of Sussex is an interdisciplinary academic environment and has always been open to a variety of different groups. It has many partnerships with local organisations, is architecturally renown, located in a beautiful setting and has world famous library collections and research centres. The City of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of the UK is an attractive, internationally oriented city with transport links via rail, air, sea and road. It has a rich history in the arts, film, education and politics. The University of Sussex is just outside Brighton on the edge of the South Downs. I very much look forward to seeing AoIR 5.0 here. All the best Dr. Kate O'Riordan Lecturer in Continuing Education (Media Studies) Centre for Continuing Education Sussex Institute Essex House University of Sussex Falmer Brighton BN1 9QQ Tel: 01273 877774 Email: k.s.o-riordan(a)sussex.ac.uk Web: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/qlff7

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Internet Research Ethics materials online
by Charles Ess ＠ ITU 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

Dear AoIR-ists If anyone is interested in taking a peak, in the name of open source ethics (smile) I've put up a simple web site affiliated with my course on Internet Research Ethics here at IT-University, Copenhagen: http://www.itu.dk/~chess//IREthics/IREthicsOV.html There are only two links - one to the syllabus, which contains the course organization, schedule, and bibliography, and the second to the web version of the 1st day's lecture. The course has been well received (always a relief) - but I'd be very happy for critical suggestions for additions and improvement. On a different matter: I've been delighted to hear from a couple of individuals this week that the AoIR ethics document is being used at their institutions - if you've been meaning to write me with the same sort of information, please do so! Cheers and all best wishes, Charles Ess Visiting Professor (fall, '03) Department of Digital Aesthetics and Communication (DIAC) The IT University of Copenhagen Glentevej 67 DK-2400 Copenhagen NV Telephone: +45 38 16 89 63 Mobile: +45 22 46 06 35 Fascimile: +45 38 16 88 99 Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies Drury University 900 N. Benton Ave. Springfield, MO 65802 USA voice: 417-873-7230 fax: 417-873-7435 homepage: <www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html> Co-chair, CATaC '04: <it.murdoch.edu.au/catac>

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request for help: online dating services
by Ulla Bunz 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

I'm requesting help to track down a *popular press* article (preferably online, but not necessary) that reviews the current trends and/or issues about online dating. I'm NOT looking for something that reads essentially like an advertisement for any one of the numerous online services. I'm hoping to find something like a Wired article, or along those lines, on how dating and relationship forming have been changed/influenced by the current surge toward online dating services. Responses on or off list (bunz(a)scils.rutgers.edu) are appreciated. Thanks, Ulla ---------------------------------------------------- Ulla Bunz Assistant Professor Department of Communication Rutgers University 4 Huntington Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Email: bunz(a)scils.rutgers.edu ----------------------------------------------------

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New research project
by W.Lusoli 30 Oct '03

30 Oct '03

Dear all - Just a short intro to a new research project we're running at ESRI, Salford, UK: Parliamentary representation in the Internet age. The research looks into parliamentarians' use of internet based technologies in the UK and Australia. In particular, we are examining the role of new technologies in shaping the work of MPs and the nature of parliamentary representation. The project is wide ranging, as we are looking at a number of complementary issues, and does involve a range of research activities and methodologies: . Regular analyses of parliamentary/MPs websites to assess the function of such sites (over the next two years); . Postal surveys of parliamentarians to gauge the attitude toward, and importance of, Internet communication and online participation; . Interviews with MPs to understand Internet communication strategies, and their associated benefits and problems; . Public opinion survey to evaluate citizen awareness, usage and problems of Internet communication with representatives; . Focus group assessment of the design and content of parliamentary websites. And much, much more... ;) We are right now doing MPs interviews, and the first responses are encouraging. You can find more info at http://www.ipop.org.uk If you have an interest in the topic, or are doing similar research, please do get in touch, we'd be happy to hear from you. Best regards, Wainer (on behalf of the team) PS Also take a look at the updated links section, quite a few new things included. -------------------------- Wainer Lusoli Researcher @ ESRI University of Salford http://www.ipop.org.uk w.lusoli(a)salford.ac.uk +44 (0)161 2955654 --------------------------

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