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Associated Colleges of the South |
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Introduction
The proliferation of the Internet has opened new possibilities for social
science researchers. The past decade has seen the creation of a variety
of tools for Web-based survey and experimental work. This site was developed
with two goals in mind. First, to inform faculty and student researchers
of some tools available for using the Internet in research. This
is directed toward tools free to academics and frequently involve outsourcing
of some aspects of the study. This limits the burden of technical
problems on local IT departments and the researchers themselves.
Second, to provide faculty reasonable means to introduce students to Web-based
research tools and use these tools for instruction in research methods
courses. These include tools relevant for anything from simple survey
construction to complex experimental procedures.
This gives you an idea what this project is about. Let me briefly
address what it is not about. This is not a "How to use HTML
and the Internet" or "How to write HTML surveys". Knowing HTML will
be an asset to using many of the tools discussed on these pages, but it's
not a requirement. Also, this is not a comprehensive review of the
issues involved in conducting Web-based surveys and experiments.
These issues are discussed and references are provided, but I won't be
covering everything in detail. Rather, my goal is to provide adequate
information for you to pursue some of these resources and provide materials
for introducing them to your students. Let me add that my goal is
to provide the best resource possible, so feel free to contact
me with your ideas/suggestions/comments for improving the site.
Note: A number of citations are made and references for specific issues are provided throughout the web site. An overall bibliography is provided which encompasses all citations used throughout the web site. All references refer to this overall bibliography.
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* Information about issues and concerns related to Web-based surveys and experimental methodologies. * A bibliography of resources providing a general introduction to Web-based experimenting is provided. |
* Description of several Web-based tools. Emphasis is given to free, outsourced tools, though descriptions of other resources is given. |
* Sample projects for introducing students to Web-based survey tools. * Suggestions for using Web-based tools to demonstrate methodological
issues.
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Last updated: 8/3/03
Created by: Matthew
Weeks, Department of Psychology, Centenary
College of Louisiana.
* This project was funded by
an Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) Technology Fellowship awarded
to Matthew Weeks. All opinions expressed on this page are those of
the author and not the ACS or Centenary College.
* Special thanks to Ms. Danielle
Rushing of Centenary College for her valuable suggestions regarding layout
and content.