(We kindly ask you to forward this email to other researchers in your network) *** Apologies for cross-postings *** *CfP RC33 Session: **Advances in survey-based methodology of online communities research* Call for Papers 9th International Conference on Social Science Methodology (RC33) (11-16 September 2016, Leicester, UK) Session on ************* Advances in survey-based methodology of online communities research ************* organized by Gregor Petrič, Andraž Petrovčič, Sara Atanasova and Katja Lozar Manfreda Session information URL: http://goo.gl/l37mfV Abstract submission URL: https://goo.gl/FHGEdZ Deadline for abstract submissions: *21 January 2016* ************* Aims and scope of the session ************* Online communities have attracted much scientific and media attention in recent years as they have progressively entered various domains of society – from education, marketing, health, religion, politics to social movements and everyday life. Supported by various web platforms and applications, online communities are social aggregations where people interact with others and share common interests, goals and purposes of everyday conversations, exchange of information, social support or other resources, learn, play or just to be with each other. They can range from small-knit groups to global networks with millions of participants. Therefore, online communities as objects of research pose a number of analytical and methodological challenges. While recent focus seems to be predominantly on the methods, which are specific for these phenomena – e.g., big data approaches and virtual ethnography – an important portion of research is still survey-based. However, little attention has been given to the methodological challenges in conducting survey research of online communities and possibilities to integrate this method with other data collection techniques. Thus, the proposed session aims to address these issues by providing a forum to present and discuss challenges, approaches, and activities in survey-based research of online communities. The session invites proposals that explore various methodological issues in survey-based research of online communities. On the one hand, it is open to discussions of measurement issues, development of new measurement instruments, design and implementation of survey recruitment techniques, questions of data quality related to unit and item non-response and non-coverage errors, sampling of online community participants, and use of incentives, strategies and methods for surveying participants in special online domains such as online support groups, online health-related communities or Facebook groups. On the other hand, studies need not to be limited only to survey methodology, but can also address mixed methods research, where survey is one of the methods in mixed methods design. Such studies are welcome to address advantages and issues of using mixed methods, challenges when choosing and using a (particular) mixed methods design, issues in combining various paradigmatic approaches, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, data collection techniques, data analysis and interpretation and also discussions on quality and ethical considerations. *************** Abstract submission procedure *************** 1. Please visit the abstract submission website: https://goo.gl/FHGEdZ 2. Complete the form in full. You may wish to cut and paste your abstract into the Abstract field from another document. 3. Select the following names of the session organisers: “Gregor Petric et al” To check you are submitting to the correct session, you might want to view a table of sessions and session convenors by clicking the link entitled ‘View the list of sessions and session convenors’. Once complete, click submit. ************** Further information and session organizer contact e-mail ************** Conference information and timeline: https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/sociology/research/rc33-conference Contact information of session organizers: Gregor Petrič, gregor.petric@fdv.uni-lj.si