3.1 Approaches for collecting and producing netnographic material

3.1.14 New stories for Europe II
Learning Scenario Part II: New stories for Europe - collecting and producing material

In this unit, you have encountered various examples of methods for collecting and producing netnographic material. Drawing on your work as part of Unit I and Unit II, it is time for you to attend to the data-collection procedures you have tested or intend to employ while writing New stories for Europe.

You may now choose to develop one of the suggested topics of inquiry presented in Unit I and Unit II. or to flesh out your own research topic (for example, based on the initial research question you formulated in 3.1.1). To offer some inspiration, we will now return to two of the four themes we introduced in Unit I and showcase some possible approaches to collecting and producing material for your netnographic project. Click through the dialogue cards below to learn more.


Work with one of these examples and develop your understanding of the topic and different approaches for producing netnographic material. What are the different kinds of digital interactions that you encounter in this example? What do you think would be a suitable way to learn more about the social phenomenon highlighted in the example? Continue working with this example, or return to the theme and topic you selected in Unit 1.

Now, use the knowledge gained from this third unit to describe your field and how you can conduct fieldwork with selected suitable approaches. What active and/or passive strategies have you found useful? What insights have been made, and what is still waiting to be discovered in your field of study? Will you focus on doing community-based Netnography, or consociality-based Netnography, on providing interesting material for your research project? (At this point, you may want to revisit 3.1.5 and 3.1.6 to consider your options.)

Reflect on these questions and keep making notes in your field journal to support your analytical thinking and to create an important record for your netnographic inquiry. Revise your netnographic research question (see 3.1.1) and create a brief research plan for collecting material based on your research interest and what you feel comfortable doing. We advise you to revisit Unit II. (on research ethics). In particular, you should go through the branching scenario on page 2.1.5 again to test the research ethics of your current research project before conducting fieldwork and collecting material.

When you are ready to proceed, begin to collect your netnographic material. Be sure to record your reflections on the process of data collection in your field journal and take field notes while you immerse yourself in the field you have chosen to study.