Web Social Science: Concepts, Data and Tools for Social Scientists in the Digital Age
Ackland'sWeb Social Scienceis unique in being specifically designed for social science researchers.  Although written simply enough to be accessible to undergraduates, accomplished scholars are likely to appreciate it too.  Reading it taught me quite a lot about a subject I thought I knew rather well. (Paul Vogt 2014-02-26)A rare and timely entry to the growing body of quantitative Internet research. While most other works on the topic are written by and for scientists, this book represents a social science approach that is more accessible and applicable, with more attention to preparation, processing and interpretation of real-world data. Though primarily for readers in social science, business studies, policy analysts, and alike, the book blends traditional social science and emerging web science into a unique handbook of Internet research. (Jonathan J. H. Zhu 2014-02-26)Brings the art and science of building and applying innovative online research tools to students and faculty across the social sciences. (William H. Dutton 2014-02-26)Provides excellent chapters on how to study the Web from a social science research perspective. Although there are many books on theorizing the Internet and the Web, few tackle hands-on research issues. This two-part book (divided into a methods section and example studies) covers a wide range of research designs, tools and data types from many different social science perspectives (psychology, sociology, media studies, political studies and network science among others). Highly recommended for social science studies that want to use the Web to study social phenomena (the Web as a tool) and media studies that focus on the Web itself as a research object. (Maurice Vergeer 2014-02-26)This book combines the technical terms with the social science perspective and some important topics in daily life related to private life, organisational, political and economic activities. It is appropriate for scientists and students in different areas – social, engineering, economic – every area that uses web for informing, promoting, exerting social influence and conducting studies.(Stanislava Yordanova Stoyanova 2014-02-17)The benefit-and the challenge- of this ambitious volume is that the author considers not only how web data are providing new insights into existing social science research questions, but also how social science can contribute to an understanding of life in the digital era...Overall, Ackland has much to offer researchers seeking to conduct Web social science research: in both the methods section and a section composed of concrete, useful examples, he examines varied research designs, tools and data types from diverse social science perspectives. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and research/faculty. (A.I. Piper)