Paper: Internet and Social Media Use as a
Resource Among Homeless Youth
Eric Rice, Anamika Barman-Adhikari (2013)Journal
of Computer-Mediated Communication
1.Which
quantitative method or methods are used in the paper? Which are the
benefits and limitations of using these methods?
This paper uses a form of survey with
relative questions. First a convenience sample of 201 homeless youth was
recruited. Then every participants answered survey items pertaining to Internet
and social networking technology use, demographics, sex and drug risk taking
behaviors, living situation, service utilization, and mental health during the
self-interview. Through collecting data and conducting analyses which is based
on statistical
software package SASTM , the statistics are presented in detailed
description.
One of the benefit is that collecting data directly from the
research subjects approach most authentic situation. The other one is that all
the data are collected in the tables which clearly present a broad overview of
the result. While the limitations are also existed. First, these data are
self-reports and youth maybe over or under representing their actual use of the
internet. Second, these data are drawn from a convenience sample, and are
subject to the biases of such a sampling strategy. Third is that no data is for
media literacy or media competence of these youth. Fourth, this data was
collected as a part of a large study and did not collect detailed data linking
specific relationships to specific types of communication via specific media.
2. What did you learn about
quantitative methods from reading the paper?
Through reading this paper, I learnt how to make a scientific
research survey, in specific classifying the participants and construct
sustainable questions which are related to research topics. In addition, the
limitation of the group of interviewees should be taken considered during the
recruitment.
3. Which
are the main methodological problems of the study? How could the use of the
quantitative method or methods have been improved?
The research data is based on
self-interview so that reliability risks may exist. The result which stands for
personal experiences of subjects lack of empirical data. Maybe taking a long-time observation as the experiment after the
interview and recording their daily internet using details will enhance the
accuracy of presented data.
Drumming in
Immersive Virtual Reality written by Konstantina Kilteni, Ilias Bergstrom, and
Mel Slater is a great example of scientific research method. What I learnt from the text include preparation for the test,
experimental procedure and even the data analysis. The paper gives some
descriptions of key concepts in the research which is meaningful for getting a
better understanding. Then relating to previous literatures is also significant
and strength the reliability of the research. After reading this paper, I got
some ideas about how to create an effective method.
Question:
From Wikipedia, Quantitative research is
generally made using scientific
method, which can include:
·
The generation of models, theories and hypotheses.
·
The development of instruments and methods for
measurement
·
Experimental control and manipulation of variables.
·
Collection of empirical data
·
Modeling and analysis of data
Quantitative methods can be used to verify which of such
hypotheses are true.Qualitative methods might be used to understand the
meaning of the conclusions produced by quantitative methods.
2. Which are the benefits and limitations of
using qualitative methods?
Qualitative methods are usually base on quantitative methods and
investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when, or
who. qualitative researcher holds that
understanding comes from exploring the totality of the situation often
has access to large reams of "hard data", and begins with
propositions proceeding in a scientific and empirical way throughout the
research process. But it can be concentrated only on the particular
cases to produce useful information and and any more general conclusions are
only hypotheses.
