Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the Internet

As Internet research grows in popularity, attention to the ethics of studying online content is crucial to ensuring ethical diligence and appropriateness. Over recent years, ethical guidelines and recommendations have emerged to advise researchers and institutional review boards on best practices. H...

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Main Authors: Meridith C. Burles, Jill M. G. Bally
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2018-07-01
Series:International Journal of Qualitative Methods
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406918788203
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spelling doaj-855eb699b39f4f6a9c00180a07ee2cb92020-11-25T03:17:51ZengSAGE PublishingInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods1609-40692018-07-011710.1177/1609406918788203Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the InternetMeridith C. Burles0Jill M. G. Bally1 College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, CanadaAs Internet research grows in popularity, attention to the ethics of studying online content is crucial to ensuring ethical diligence and appropriateness. Over recent years, ethical guidelines and recommendations have emerged to advise researchers and institutional review boards on best practices. However, these guidelines are sometimes irrelevant, overly rigid, or lack recognition of the contingent nature of ethical decision-making in qualitative research. Furthermore, varied ethical stances and practices are evident in existing literature. This article explores key ethical issues for qualitative research involving online content, with a focus on the unobtrusive study of personal narratives shared via the Internet. Principles of informed consent and confidentiality are examined in depth alongside practical and methodological considerations for unobtrusive qualitative research. This critical exploration contributes to ongoing discussion of ethical conduct of Internet research and promotes ethically aware yet flexible approaches to online qualitative research and creative methodological efforts to overcoming ethical challenges.https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406918788203
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Meridith C. Burles
Jill M. G. Bally
spellingShingle Meridith C. Burles
Jill M. G. Bally
Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the Internet
International Journal of Qualitative Methods
author_facet Meridith C. Burles
Jill M. G. Bally
author_sort Meridith C. Burles
title Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the Internet
title_short Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the Internet
title_full Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the Internet
title_fullStr Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the Internet
title_full_unstemmed Ethical, Practical, and Methodological Considerations for Unobtrusive Qualitative Research About Personal Narratives Shared on the Internet
title_sort ethical, practical, and methodological considerations for unobtrusive qualitative research about personal narratives shared on the internet
publisher SAGE Publishing
series International Journal of Qualitative Methods
issn 1609-4069
publishDate 2018-07-01
description As Internet research grows in popularity, attention to the ethics of studying online content is crucial to ensuring ethical diligence and appropriateness. Over recent years, ethical guidelines and recommendations have emerged to advise researchers and institutional review boards on best practices. However, these guidelines are sometimes irrelevant, overly rigid, or lack recognition of the contingent nature of ethical decision-making in qualitative research. Furthermore, varied ethical stances and practices are evident in existing literature. This article explores key ethical issues for qualitative research involving online content, with a focus on the unobtrusive study of personal narratives shared via the Internet. Principles of informed consent and confidentiality are examined in depth alongside practical and methodological considerations for unobtrusive qualitative research. This critical exploration contributes to ongoing discussion of ethical conduct of Internet research and promotes ethically aware yet flexible approaches to online qualitative research and creative methodological efforts to overcoming ethical challenges.
url https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406918788203
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