Theory Chapter 3

Question 1

What problems arises when conducting an online research?

Answer 1

Online research can involve a wide variety of settings which includes websites, emails, chat rooms, etc that are not directly addressed in existing ethical guidelines.

Question 2

What is passive research?

Answer 2

Researchers study the content of websites, chat rooms, etc where they may, or may not, identify themselves as participants

Question 3

What is an active research?

Answer 3

The researcher attempts to gather online information though online surveys, focus groups or types of experiments.

Question 4

Name an ethical problem created by passive research.

Answer 4

The researcher needs consent to analyze and quote online material and disguising the identities of participants.

Question 5

Name an ethical problem created by active research.

Answer 5

Participants need to sign a consent form which is virtually impossible to do it online so the researcher has to create a tick boxes where one can tick where appropriate.

Question 6

Name the types of unfair media research to respondents.

Answer 6

1. Voluntary participants: misrepresentation of an organization sponsoring the research or by exaggeration its purpose or importance.
2. Informed consent: respondents have the right to know what the study is all about without deception, concealment or debriefing after the experiment.
3. Protection of privacy: this problem arises when conducting a field observation and a survey research - anonymous is not equal to confidential.