I
chose “Evolving Mobile Media: Uses and Conceptualizations
of the Mobile Internet”
by Humphreys. L, Von Pape. T and Karnowski,
V, as my paper using qualitative methods. They have conducted 30 minute
semi-structured interviews with 21 students, 11 from USA (6 female & 5
male) and 10 from Germany (5 female & 5 male) whom all used smartphones.
The researchers wanted to find out the students conceptualize the mobile
Internet as expressed through metacommunication, when where and how they use it
and what cultural differences there might be between the Americans and the
Germans.
Since they could get more information from each participant they didn’t need as many participants as they would have had if they used a quantitative method. Their method allowed them to stray a bit of script, which allowed them to ask follow-up questions and get deeper understanding.
The sample in this study was quite small and contained only university students and because of this might not be generalizable to a broader population of Americans or Germans. Their questions were not formulated to get to know the participants’ frequency or length of time using the mobile Internet. Maybe they could’ve reached out to the same students and asked those questions if they noticed this error early. I don’t think just asking these new questions to the same students after a certain amount of time is a good idea since the students mobile internet habits might have changed since they answered the questions the first time.
People also tend to misjudge certain details in their media use. If the participants had kept a logbook for a week or two to record their use, this error might have been eliminated to a certain degree.
Since they could get more information from each participant they didn’t need as many participants as they would have had if they used a quantitative method. Their method allowed them to stray a bit of script, which allowed them to ask follow-up questions and get deeper understanding.
The sample in this study was quite small and contained only university students and because of this might not be generalizable to a broader population of Americans or Germans. Their questions were not formulated to get to know the participants’ frequency or length of time using the mobile Internet. Maybe they could’ve reached out to the same students and asked those questions if they noticed this error early. I don’t think just asking these new questions to the same students after a certain amount of time is a good idea since the students mobile internet habits might have changed since they answered the questions the first time.
People also tend to misjudge certain details in their media use. If the participants had kept a logbook for a week or two to record their use, this error might have been eliminated to a certain degree.
A qualitative research
method is often used when the researcher wishes to seek deeper understanding of
something. They might have performed a quantitative study and now they want to
understand their results better.
There are different types of qualitative research methods. One of them is the case study strategy (case studies can be quantitative also). A case study is explanatory, exploratory, descriptive, collective or instrumental and it focuses on understanding the dynamic settings within single settings. One or multiple cases can be used. In the article I read “The Interaction Between Mass Media and the Internet in Non-Democratic States: The Case of China” by Tang.L & Sampson.H they looked into how people on the Internet can influence traditional media by comparing three different cases. After comparing these three cases from 2009 they conclude that netizens (citizens of the Internet) in China has a role in creating public opinion and influence the traditional media and political elite.
So by comparing these existing cases with each other they could see a pattern between them and therefor strengthen their hypothesis.
There are different types of qualitative research methods. One of them is the case study strategy (case studies can be quantitative also). A case study is explanatory, exploratory, descriptive, collective or instrumental and it focuses on understanding the dynamic settings within single settings. One or multiple cases can be used. In the article I read “The Interaction Between Mass Media and the Internet in Non-Democratic States: The Case of China” by Tang.L & Sampson.H they looked into how people on the Internet can influence traditional media by comparing three different cases. After comparing these three cases from 2009 they conclude that netizens (citizens of the Internet) in China has a role in creating public opinion and influence the traditional media and political elite.
So by comparing these existing cases with each other they could see a pattern between them and therefor strengthen their hypothesis.
They start of with
introducing what they want to find out. They look into earlier studies to gain
knowledge of what has been done earlier. Then they explain the current status
of mass media in China. The Communist Party dictates the rules and journalists
has to risk their jobs and sometimes freedom if they print stories that might
upset the Communist Party. After a short summary of the status of mass media
they turn to the online resistance movement that dare to oppose the Party.
They select their cases from an another article “2009 Report on the Analysis of Public Opinions on the Internet” by Zhu et al (2009) that listed the top 20 Internet incidents in 2009 that provoked strongest public opinions. They chose three of the case and collected data from news stories on web portals, encyclopedias, bulletin boards and three major Chinese websites about these cases.
Each case was presented and described the course of action in each case.
They sharpen their hypothesis with the data collected and with prior studies and ends with the conclusion that not all cases are as clear as the three chosen ones, but the others still represent the testing of a potential erosion of state control and in long-term make some socio-political changes.
They select their cases from an another article “2009 Report on the Analysis of Public Opinions on the Internet” by Zhu et al (2009) that listed the top 20 Internet incidents in 2009 that provoked strongest public opinions. They chose three of the case and collected data from news stories on web portals, encyclopedias, bulletin boards and three major Chinese websites about these cases.
Each case was presented and described the course of action in each case.
They sharpen their hypothesis with the data collected and with prior studies and ends with the conclusion that not all cases are as clear as the three chosen ones, but the others still represent the testing of a potential erosion of state control and in long-term make some socio-political changes.
Hej Martin!
SvaraRaderaWhen you talk about mixing different methodologies I noticed you describe the order as first quantitative and then qualitative research.
From the course I got the concept that usually qualitative are conducted first when less is known about the phenomenon we are studying and then usually a qualitative follows.
I am not entirely sure of this, which benefits do you think your way has comparing to the one I suggested?