079 - Policy and Research Workshop. Scraping the Web: Promises and Pitfalls of "Alternative" Data Sources on Career Outcomes

Session Submission Type: Workshop

Abstract

The proliferation of online professional networking platforms means that millions of individuals post details of their educational and employment backgrounds online. For the social scientist researching various aspects of educational outcomes, work and careers, or social networks, this information becomes potentially rich data for analysis. But how does one go about collecting (“scraping”) and analyzing such data, and what might they tell us? This workshop will discuss specific examples of data collection from online sources and the advantages, disadvantages, and ethical questions raised by each. Attendees should come prepared to join the discussion with specific questions or examples from their own work.

Sub Unit

• Research/Policy Workshop

Session Organizer

• John W. Curtis, American Sociological Association

Leader

• John W. Curtis, American Sociological Association

Panelists

• Hannah Brueckner, New York University-Abu Dhabi

• Monica Gaughan, Arizona State University