Essay Planning

Essay Planning

1. Context

   • Duffet (2013) argues that online communities are positive and can actually can help build social skills, as they "offer their members a sense of belonging in an otherwise lonely world."
   • Egenfeldt-Nielsen (2011) also argues that online gaming can equip them with educational values, saying that "you can learn new things by participating in these communities and appreciating and negotiating what counts as knowledge, skills and attitudes."
   • Kei (2010) looks at the gaming community online as a research group. They say that individual communities are: "consisted of geographically separated individuals who would naturally group themselves into small clusters to work together or work individually on some issues of interest."
   • Christopher (date needed) notes that gaming can, however, have negative effects on those who participate. They argue that "relationships with friends and family members may suffer if [they are] spending more time gaming than he is talking to or going out with loved ones."
   • Booth (2018) notes that "Fans and gamers do more than just couch-surf. Popular culture demands an increasing degree of participation via social media and platforms." Therefore, arguing that it can make them more sociable.
   • Kowert and Quandt (2015) say that gaming communities online can "promote communication, social networking and peer support." They also say that "communities, or 'social capital' have been associated with both physical health and subjective well-being."

2. Online Observation as a Research Method

   • Merriam and Tisdell (2015) argue that online observation is "highlighly subjective and therefore [an] unreliable nature of human perception." However, they also argue that, despite the subjective nature of the research, it can also allow them to have a better understanding of their research group. "As an outsider an observer will notice things that have become routine to the participants themselves, things that may lead to understanding the context."
   • Fielding et al. (2008) argue that online observations can lead to problems of citation - obviously the source might not be accessible to those who may want to check for verification - "the researcher's goal then is to cite online sources so that they can be re-accessed for both verification."
   • Theobald and Neundorfer (2010 - source from other work by Birò et al. (2012)) has a long table list of the pros and cons of online observations. One of the big pros they write about being that "through virtual presence of the researcher, the participants are influenced than through "real" presence." Thus, meaning they will be less intimidated and will likely be less likely to watch what they say - it will give them confidence. However, they also argue that online observations can mean that "the real identity of the observed people can often not be secured."
   • Nørskov and Rask (2011) argue that there can be problems of becoming too attached when observing and participating with the research group. "The informant may become "too much of an observer" and the researcher may over-identify with the informant, lose perspective, and thus "go native."
   • Salmons (2015) speaks of participant observations - the one I'm going to do - giving a good explanation of it being a method to "collect data that includes extant and elicited types of data as well as the researchers' own field notes on reflections, experiences or interactions with other participants... Participant observers can conduct formal or informal interviews with other participants."
   • Albrechtslund (2010) notes another problem of online observations being that participants are not bound solely to the one website. "The object of study is not necessarily found to a particular place or site on the web>' This can thus mean that they aren't going to be properly observed - they may have different groups on different gaming sites that they have different relationships with, but won't be observed on.

3. Ethical Considerations

   • Farrimond (2012) says that covert online observation is a possibility but "it violates the principle of informed consent and may invade the privacy of those being studied." Thus, it's better to be overt, and be honest to not deceive those being studied.
   • Rubin and Babbie (2009) note that one problem with online observations where the subject is aware they are being watched is the Hawthorne effect. They say, "observation in which the participant is keenly aware of being observed and thus may be predisposed to behave in socially desirable ways."
   • Hammersley and Traianou (2012) note that some people may share information online that they want to keep private - need to ensure that subjects know what they say is going to get used. Say that, "there is a tendency for the internet to encourage disclosure of information which, via the other media, would be regarded as too personal or private to reveal in public."
   • Mauthner et al. (2002) argue that "it is up to the researcher's discretion to decide how much and what to reveal about themselves." (Can be used to build on a comment about becoming too attached to the group - and how not revealing too much about myself may allow me to stay distant and professional rather than connecting with the group.
   • Gregory (2003) notes how important it is to ensure you get consent from participants. "[it is a] requirement of fully informed voluntary consent on the part of the individuals concerned."
   • Mauthner et al (2002) also say that "one way of building ethical relationships with.... communities is too be as transparent as possible." Therefore, alternatively to other points, gaining a good rapport with participants is important and can be achieved by being open about yourself.
   • (Unknown source - need to find it online) noting that sometimes participants can become uncomfortable is asked questions that are personal or triggering. They say that, "sometimes the topic itself may be intrinsically distressing, such as answering a questionnaire on divorce and separation or for opinions on a traumatic historical event. Asking people standard questions about where they live, or who they live with, about their workk or lack of it, can all prompt reflection on the part of participants who may find questions intrusive or distressing."