Re:Dissertation on cyberspace

Anne,

You must be in the very early stages if you are thinking about such a broad topic for a dissertation. (Either that or universities n the UK differ in expectations so much that someone from the U.S. cannot advise you.)

Start with a very narrow research question that interests you A GREAT DEAL. Then let the question determine the appropriate research design and analysis methods.

You must be VERY interested in your dissertation topic, because by the time you complete it you will be THOROUGHLY SICK of it. If you are only "sort of" interested in the study, you will find it difficult to carry it through to completion.

The problem with examining the question of a virtual community in cypberspace is the quantification of data. You might manage some sort of qualitative research design limited to a few sites, such as an analysis of the postings at Behavior Online. This approach will require a lot of work.

When you get to the point of choosing your research measures, pay a lot of attention to them. The value of your data will depend on the quality of the measures (validity, reliability, etc.). But don't pick an instrument and then find a research question to use it with. The question needs to come first, and guide the choice of all other methods, including measures.

This is very general, but that is all I can offer in this setting.

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