Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014
As social scientists increasingly employ data from online sources, it is important that we acknowledge both the advantages an limitations of this research. The latter have received comparatively little public attention. In this comment, I argue that a recent article by Anderson and colleagues: 1) in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Society for Sociological Science
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Sociological Science |
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| Online Access: | https://sociologicalscience.com/download/volume-2/january/comment-rejoinder/SocSci_v2_20to31.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819206838953967616 |
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| author | Kevin Lewis |
| author_facet | Kevin Lewis |
| author_sort | Kevin Lewis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As social scientists increasingly employ data from online sources, it is important that we acknowledge both the advantages an limitations of this research. The latter have received comparatively little public attention. In this comment, I argue that a recent article by Anderson and colleagues: 1) inadequately describes the study sample; 2) inadequately describes how the website operates; and 3) inadequately develops the paper’s central measures — such that it is difficult to evaluate the generalizability, veracity, and importance of their claims and impossible to replicate their findings. These limitations are not unique to the Anderson et al. article; rather, they point to a set of concerns that all researchers in this growing and important line of study need to address if our work is to have enduring impact. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T05:13:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-afb02b98a2cf437fadecab5f399b8a29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2330-6696 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T05:13:58Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Society for Sociological Science |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sociological Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-afb02b98a2cf437fadecab5f399b8a292022-12-21T17:58:53ZengSociety for Sociological ScienceSociological Science2330-66962015-01-0122203110.15195/v2.a2Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014Kevin Lewis0University of California, San DiegoAs social scientists increasingly employ data from online sources, it is important that we acknowledge both the advantages an limitations of this research. The latter have received comparatively little public attention. In this comment, I argue that a recent article by Anderson and colleagues: 1) inadequately describes the study sample; 2) inadequately describes how the website operates; and 3) inadequately develops the paper’s central measures — such that it is difficult to evaluate the generalizability, veracity, and importance of their claims and impossible to replicate their findings. These limitations are not unique to the Anderson et al. article; rather, they point to a set of concerns that all researchers in this growing and important line of study need to address if our work is to have enduring impact.https://sociologicalscience.com/download/volume-2/january/comment-rejoinder/SocSci_v2_20to31.pdfpolitical ideologyracial preferenceshomogamyhomophilyonline datingcomputational social science |
| spellingShingle | Kevin Lewis Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014 Sociological Science political ideology racial preferences homogamy homophily online dating computational social science |
| title | Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014 |
| title_full | Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014 |
| title_fullStr | Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014 |
| title_short | Studying Online Behavior: Comment on Anderson et al. 2014 |
| title_sort | studying online behavior comment on anderson et al 2014 |
| topic | political ideology racial preferences homogamy homophily online dating computational social science |
| url | https://sociologicalscience.com/download/volume-2/january/comment-rejoinder/SocSci_v2_20to31.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kevinlewis studyingonlinebehaviorcommentonandersonetal2014 |