Thanks for the interest in my draft review! I had a look over it last night and I think it needs a little more work before I distribute it... and at least knowing there are a bunch of people interested in it will push me into getting it done quicker. Stay tuned! However in the meantime, here is are some tips I put together from the review and the key references I used. I found Kazmer & Xie especially useful. As previously mentioned, I was interested in qualitative synchronous online interviewing so this excluded the automated online interviewing system described by Stieger. Though, I definitely think the automated system you describe would have application in my field of drug/alcohol studies - given they took so well to the format. Patricia Lange, I will have to take a look at your study as I never ended up reading it in my review. Ways in which the researcher can optimise the effectiveness of synchronous online interviews include: * Ensuring that the computer literacy, typing speed and access to a reliable and fast internet connection and computer equipment are adequate for both parties; * Disclosing personal information to encourage reciprocation and the development of stronger rapport; * Using culturally-appropriate textual and graphical representations of body language to convey richer meaning and decrease misunderstandings; * Using the automatically generated transcript to quote the interviewee's previous statements to enable follow-up, and encouraging the interviewee to do the same; * When deciding exactly when to send the next message, being aware of status alerts and commonly used abbreviations indicating absence from the conversation, and giving adequate time for the interviewee to think, type and send their response; and * Allowing much more time to complete an online interview than would be allocated for a face-to-face interview of equivalent depth and breadth. Key refs: Al-Saggaf, Y., & Williamson, K. (2004). Online communities in Saudi Arabia: Evaluating the impact on culture through online semi-structured interviews. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 5(3). Bowker, N., & Tuffin, K. (2004). Using the online medium for discursive research about people with disabilities. Social Science Computer Review, 22, 228-241. Davis, M., Bolding, G., Hart, G., Sherr, L., & Elford, J. (2004). Reflecting on the experience of interviewing online: Perspectives from the Internet and HIV study in London. AIDS Care, 16, 944-952. Dunkels, E., & Enochsson, A. (2007). Interviews with young people using online chat. In M. Quigley (Ed.), Encyclopedia of information ethics and security (pp. 403-410). Hersley: Idea Group Reference. Hewson, C. (2007). Gathering data on the Internet: Qualitative approaches and possibilities for mixed methods research. In A. N. Joinson, K. McKenna, T. Postmes & U.-D. Reips (Eds.), Oxford handbook of internet psychology (pp. 405-428). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Illingworth, N. (2001). The Internet matters: Exploring the use of the Internet as a research tool. Sociological Research Online, 6(2). Kazmer, M. M., & Xie, B. (2008). Qualitative interviewing in internet studies: Playing with the media, playing with the method. Information, Communication and Society, 11, 257-278. Matthews, J., & Cramer, E. P. (2008). Using technology to enhance qualitative research with hidden populations. The Qualitative Report, 13, 301-315. O'Connor, H. (2006). Online interviews. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/interviews/intcontents.htm O'Connor, H., & Madge, C. (2001). Cyber-mothers: Online synchronous interviewing using conferencing software. Sociological Research Online, 5(4). Opdenakker, R. (2006). Advantages and disadvantages of four interview techniques in qualitative research. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 7(4). Voida, A., Mynatt, E. D., Erickson, T., & Kellogg, W. A. (2004, April 24–29). Interviewing over instant messaging. Paper presented at the CHI 2004, Vienna, Austria. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/~amyvoida/interviewingOverIM-chi04.pdf ------------------------------ Monica J. Barratt, B.Sc.Psych PhD Student @ the National Drug Research Institute 7/19-35 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Victoria 3070, Australia Phone: +61 3 9412 9902; Fax: +61 3 9412 9912 E-mail: monica.barratt@postgrad.curtin.edu.au Web: http://db.ndri.curtin.edu.au/staff.asp?persid=650