An Overview of Doing a Triangulation of Perspective on Digital Communities
Abstract
Purpose – In this article, I explore how to do a triangulation of perspective on the practice of communities in which developers take part in the production of software and hardware designs. I explain the combination of three different data collection and analysis methods such as virtual ethnography, social network analysis and critical discourse analysis. The paper aims to show how an ethnographic method integrate into the digital field in which face to face communication does not play a key role in digital communities.
Design/methodology/approach – Free open-source communities are chosen as samples for case study to explain how a virtual ethnography, which is supported by social network analysis and critical discourse analysis, apply for online communities.
Findings – This article provides information to the researcher about the opportunities and challenges of virtual ethnography in the research process. Digital archive enables the researcher to collect data even though s/he is not over there when discussions are done. Without face-to-face communication, it is possible to do virtual ethnography on the internet. The paper shows that digital platforms are important places to collect data for virtual ethnography, social network analysis and critical discourse analysis. The paper also illustrates how to manage combined research methods in the digital field.
Originality/value – This paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of combined research methods in digital research. It also explains in detail how virtual ethnography adapts to online communities, in which there is no face-to-face communication.
Keywords: virtual ethnography, social network analysis, critical discourse analysis
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Cite
Alışkan, Y. (2023). An Overview of Doing a Triangulation of Perspective on Digital Communities. Turkish Journal of Qualitative Research, 3(2), 36-47