Section outline

  • Course Overview

    We go online to communicate, participate in classes and meetings, and find sources in the library. How can we use these tools to collect data for scholarly research? This course gives an overview of types of data and ways to find and generate them online, and encourages evaluation of your own research.

    Learning Outcomes

    This course will help you to:

    1. Compare different approaches to online data collection and evaluate which works best for your research design
    2. Assess research problems, questions and scope of the study to determine the kind of data to collect
    3. Identify existing data availability, options and limitations to help find and use online data that is ethically sound and appropriate to your study
    4. Develop a sampling strategy to recruit suitable research participants and take appropriate steps to establish credibility, build trust, and verify consent  
    5. Evaluate the different methods, technology and ways of interacting with online participant research, and how to apply these to your research
    6. Prepare for high quality online research by thinking through the research design thoroughly and building the necessary skills to carry it out


    • Course Instructor: Dr. Janet Salmons

      • Course Resources

        You will need to access certain files and resources throughout the course to get the most out of the activities. You can find them all here. 

      • Video Transcripts

        You can access all video transcripts here.

      • Pre-Course Self Assessment

        Before you dive into this course, spend a few moments reflecting on your familiarity with the topic and your current level of skills confidence. 

        You will then re-visit the same questions in our Post-Course Self Assessment and reflect on how the course has helped you develop in confidence and grow your skills. 

        • Module One: What Types of Data Collection Can I Conduct Online?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Compare different approaches to online data collection
          2. Evaluate which approach works best for your own research design

        • Module Two: How do I Choose the Online Data Collection That Fits My Research?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Assess your research problems, questions, and scope of the study to determine the kind of data you need to collect

        • Module Three: How Can I Find and Get Permission to Use Data That Exists Online?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Identify existing data availability, options and limitations
          2. Apply these strategies to help find and use online data that is ethically sound and appropriate to your study

        • Module Four: How Can I Find and Gain Consent From Participants Online?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Understand the steps needed to develop a sampling strategy to recruit suitable research participants
          2. Take the appropriate steps to establish credibility, build trust, and verify participant consent

        • Module Five: How Can I Interact With Participants Online?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Evaluate the different methods, technology, and ways of interacting with online participant research
          2. Apply participant  interaction  techniques to your research

        • Module Six: How Do I Prepare to Start My Online Research?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Prepare for high quality online research by thinking through your research design thoroughly and building the skills you need to carry it out

        • References and Glossary of Key Terms

          In addition to the glossary you’ll find woven throughout the course, you can find the full glossary collated in one place here.

        • Post-Course Self Assessment

          Now you’ve completed the course, spend a few moments reflecting on where your familiarity with the topics and your confidence skills levels are at now. 

          Has the course helped you develop new skills and grow your confidence?

          You'll need to complete the Post-Course Self Assessment in order to download your certificate. If you didn't do the Pre-Course Self Assessment before starting the course, please go to the top of the page and reflect on your familiarity with the topic and your level of skills confidence before you started the course.

          • Completion: Certificate

            Completing all modules (plus the pre and post-course assessments) will unlock the course certificate, which you can then download here. Your course certificate will only be made available once you have completed all these sections.

            If you have difficulty accessing your certificate, please contact the Sage support team at: onlinesupport@sagepub.co.uk. You can also check out this FAQ page which may be helpful.

            • Give Feedback About This Course

              Did you enjoy the course? Please take two minutes to share your feedback. We use learner feedback in future course updates and developments to provide an excellent learning experience.

            • Accessibility

              We have high standards of accessibility on Sage Campus and as of May/June 2024 all activities within this course are keyboard and screen reader compatible. For more details on accessibility standards, please see the Sage Campus Accessibility Guide.

              For those using assistive technology, please note that within this course:

              • Tab components: JAWS and NVDA behave slightly differently. For NVDA to keep reading, it is best to exit focus mode and go back to browse mode. 
              • Matching: JAWS does not read out question label on dropdown focus. 

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