Social Media Research at the NCRM RMF 2014

1. Challenges and Opportunities of Using
Social Media for Social Science Research
Wednesday 9th July
9.15am-12.45pm
Convenor:
Kandy Woodfield, Director of Learning
NatCen Social Research

2. Our panel
 Blurring the boundaries: a network of researchers using social media –
Kelsey Beninger, NatCen Social Research
 Social media and prediction - Dr Luke Sloan & Dr Matthew Williams,
Cardiff University, COSMOS team
 Using social media to curate a collaborative social research hub -
Donna Peach, Huddersfield University
 Tea and coffee break
 Myths & mythologies - Jamie Bartlett & Carl Miller, Demos
 From Flickr to Snapchat – Dr Farida Vis, Sheffield University

3. Blurring the boundaries?
Innovation
Collaboration
Inspiration
Fresh thinking New social media, new social science?
 Network of methodological innovation
 Funded by NCRM, May 2012-May 2013
 500+ members worldwide
 Open membership, all welcome
 Interdisciplinary
 Peer network, member led

4. Aims of the network
Innovation
Collaboration
Inspiration
Fresh thinking
 On & off line community of practice
 Forge links between academics, practitioners &
disciplines
 Catalyse debate
 Address challenges social media present for social
science research
 Share approaches, tools & experiences of using social
media Identify good practice
 Co-created content & guidance to be shared with the
wider community

5. What do we do
Innovation
Collaboration
Inspiration
Fresh thinkingNetwork activities across a range
of platforms:
 Twitter: @NSMNSS, #NSMNSS – tweets, twitter chats, Q&As
 Blogs: http://nsmnss.blogspot.co.uk/ - we welcome contributors –
contact us @NSMNSS or via the blog
 You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NSMNSS - presentations
from events
 Face to face events – knowledge exchange seminars, conferences,
webinars

6. 6
Blurring the boundaries:
findings from a network of
researchers using social
media
Kelsey Beninger
NatCen Social Research

7. What have we learnt? I
 Social media being used in most soc sci disciplines
 Research innovation & ground breaking use of
technologies
 Great examples of multi-disciplinary research using
social media
 Silos & divides do still exist and are counter-productive to
moving social media methodology(ies) forward
 No single methodology for social media research – many
approaches, many tools, different epistemological stances

8. What have we learnt? II
Persisting uncertainty about whether we are ‘getting it
right’
 Ethical dilemmas - lack of consistent, relevant guidance
 What are the political, ethical, legal issues?
 Do we understand the digital world well enough to make
these choices?
 Lack of research with users of social media platforms or
engagement with platform providers

9. What have we learnt? III
‘Getting it right’ is also about methodological quality:
 What is a robust sample from Twitter or Facebook?
 Need to develop methodological courage and confidence to
defend the method
Scepticism and cynicism persist
 Digital literacy & methodological skills gaps
 Lack of experience and understanding in institutions, ethics
boards and funders

10. 10
Context
Social Media provides new opportunities
 Recent studies:
 NatCen: www.natcen.ac.uk/our-research/research/
research-using-social-media-users-views/
 NSMNSS: nsmnss.blogspot.co.uk

11. Challenges
Recruitment & data collection
Researcher identity & wellbeing
Analysis & presentation of data

12. Recruitment & Data Collection
Recruitment
 Participant’s views: scepticism,
acceptance and ambiguity.
 Digital identities
 Digital risks for participants
 Exclusion of particular groups
Informed consent
1. Morally and legally required
2. Promote trust
3. Verify user views haven’t changed
4. To publish photos or imagery
Data Collection
 Ownership and expectations

13. Researcher identity & wellbeing
 Your digital identity
 Impact on research outcomes
 Managing communication w participants
 Credibility and transparency

14. Analysis and presentation of data
Analysis
 Third Party Software
 How much is too much?
 Validity and representativeness
 People behave differently online and offline
 Exaggerated views
 Impulsive comments
 Inaccurate profiles
Presentation
 Traceability of participant data
 Short & long term implications for participants

15. Recommendations
 Is SM the right
methodology for your
research Q?
 Don’t make assumptions
 Review case studies &
existing research
Recruitment:
 Transparency in materials
 Explicit about privacy terms of
the platform used
Collecting/generating data:
 Consider implications of legally
permitted vs. intellectual
property
 Acknowledge limits of
accessing different user types
 Reporting results:
 Test traceability of data, and
paraphrase or remove handle
 Reasonably seek consent for
use of verbatim/sensitive
content

16. Thank you!
Questions?
kelsey.beninger@natcen.ac.uk
nsmnss@natcen.ac.uk