The Use of Online Forum Data in the Study of Gaming Behavior

Résumé du livre

Online discussion forums are now being used by social scientists to collect research data. One area of study that has now utilized such discussion forums is the gaming studies field. This case study outlines the advantages, disadvantages, and other implications of using the Internet to collect data via online gaming forums. Drawing from experience of other Internet methodological studies carried out online and by reviewing the methodological literature examining online data collection, the main issues concerning data collected using the Internet via online gaming forums are discussed and reviewed. Drawing on studies carried out over the last decade by the authors, this case study also outlines some of the methodological and ethical issues associated with collecting data from online gaming and gambling forums. Although online data collection may raise concerns about the research participants' integrity and the quality of the data collected, it is concluded that this novel research method can provide new insights unavailable to other data collection methods.