The internet is a compelling tool for research, enabling efficient, cost-effective data collection and facilitating access to large samples and new populations. This book presents a state-of-the-art guide to the internet as a tool for conducting research in the social and behavioural sciences using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches.

New to this edition:

• Fully re-written to reflect the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies
• Expanded coverage of web surveys for data collection
• Unobtrusive methods to harvest data from online archives and documents
• New practical tools and resources, where to find them, and how to keep up-to-date with new developments as they emerge
• New chapter on research ethics and discussion of ethical practicalities throughout

Guiding the reader through the theoretical, ethical and practical issues of using the internet in research, this is an essential resource for researchers wishing to assess how the latest techniques, tools and methods in internet-mediated research may support and expand research in their own field.