Research in digital communication: a reflection on methods for social network analysis

Authors

  • Mara Magalhães aculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0217-4541
  • Lidia Marôpo Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal e Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (CICS.NOVA), Lisboa, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4687-7628

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58050/comunicando.v5i1.197

Keywords:

Social networks, Digital communication, Methods, Facebook, Twitter

Abstract

This paper discusses methods used for research on social networks (especially Facebook and Twitter). We exemplify how they were used and the data generated by them. Through an exploratory analysis, nine articles published in reference journals in Portuguese and English between 2007 and 2014 are used to illustrate these methods. We found the following methods: digital methods, social network analysis (SNA), (computer-mediated) discourse analysis, (virtual) ethnography and interviews. The goal is to stimulate a plural reflection on the different methodological solutions for research on social networks in the digital space.

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Published

2016-07-30

How to Cite

Magalhães, M. ., & Marôpo, L. . (2016). Research in digital communication: a reflection on methods for social network analysis. Revista Comunicando, 5(1), 86–103. https://doi.org/10.58050/comunicando.v5i1.197

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2016): Come and bring a problem... Research: Resources and Theoretical-Methodological Solutions

Section

Articles

License

The authors retain the copyright, but grant Revista Comunicando the right of first publication. The work will be licensed under a Creative Commons License - Attribution 4.0 International.