A Framework for Using Social Media for Qualitative Research

• In Event: 34.079 - Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: 34.079-5 - Critical Perspectives on Digital Tools in Qualitative Research

Abstract

Social media have become an integral part of individuals’ daily lives and, as a result, an increasingly popular aspect of qualitative inquiry. Social media provide methodological opportunities and challenges. And yet, the new technologies include a dynamic array of forms and functions. The purpose of the text is to introduce an evolving framework for using social media for qualitative research. Incorporating theoretical and practical examples, the paper describes five uses: Social media as method, site, document, cultural filter, and object of study. The goal is to contribute to an evolving dialogue about the affordances and constraints of social media for qualitative research.

Author

• Randall F. Clemens, Saint John's University