Computer Mediated Research is research that is mediated by computers...
I guess what I think is Computer Mediated Research is inquiry in which computers serve as a go-between in data collection or in linking participants and researchers. Although, computers could also serve as the delivery for research (such as in Kairos). When I was in a Computer Mediated Reporting class that sort of just meant Googling stuff and looking at weird Web sites in class.
Computer mediated research - some question-examples:
Looking at blogs to determine literacy practices of a certain discourse community - computer mediated research?
Using Skype to interview participants - computer mediated research?
Entering online communities, such as WOW, to perform ethnography - computer mediated research?
So, does that mean that research using survey monkey makes it computer mediated?
Does that mean research in a journal that ALSO has an online component is computer mediated?
Does it mean that if I use e-mail to set up meeting times with my participants its computer mediated research?
Ok, ok. Computer mediated research is research that could not be conducted if it were not for technological intervention. But that seems pretty extreme. Computer as the mediator seems to indicate that the computer is not the site of the research - but instead, the computer allows the research to happen. Ok. I'm going with it. Computer mediated research is research that could not be conducted without technological intervention.
