Methodology Minute – Online Ethnographies
Do You Interact Differently In a Virtual Environment?
What If You Could Create A New Iden(ty
What Transferrable Skills Can ParGcipants Learn In
Online Worlds?
How Are They Similar And How Are They Different From Face To Face Environments?
From the First MUD in 1979 to WoW in 2004, What Virtual
Worlds Will be Available in 2020?
Large CollaboraGve CommuniGes (Environments With Millions of
Users) Online RelaGonships and Friendships
(Including Marriages)
Highly Complex Economies (Virtual to Real Currency Exchange)
Methods
Strengths Weaknesses
1. Less restricGons when sharing online experiences due to increased anonymity.
2. Extensive data is gathered automaGcally / silently by the online system.
3. Chat logs, forum data are easy for the researcher to record.
4. Does not require long distance travelling. Low costs studies
1. May be difficult to obtain parGcipants’ demographical data.
2. System data / analyGcs may include extensive noise limiGng the usability
3. Difficulty gauging non-‐verbal cues in text-‐centric environments.
4. CommunicaGon difficulGes due to technological limitaGons. (E.g. Different connecGvity and typing levels)