Is netnography a method or methodology? In some literature, netnography is described as a methodology, while in others it is called a method. For instance 1) Netnography as a qualitative, interpretive research methodology which adapts ethnography to study online communities. 2)Netnography as a method designed to study online communities and culture. I understand netnography as a methodology. Kindly share your idea.
There is very little consensus about the use of the terms method or methodology in qualitative research. Ethnography is a good example because qualitative research books often treat it as a method, but many anthropologists think of it as a broader approach to studying culture.
So, if you will be working within a community of anthropologists, then netnography would simply specify whether that methodology is applied. But most of the rest of the world would be happy to treat ethnography as a method. Indeed, in my home field of sociology, almost exactly the same fieldwork procedures are labelled participant observation, and treated as one of several methods in qualitative research.
FYI, my personal preference is to reduce method-ology to its root words and thus interpret it as the study of methods and how they are used, but I admit that this is not a common interpretation.
Amritha - David is correct. The interchangeable use of methodology and method in all research is a common phenomenon. For me method/design is the 'doing' middle parts of research process i.e. sampling and settings, ethics process, data collection and data analysis. Methodology is the overall process - and particulalrly the initial processes that underpin adopted methods i.e. research ideas, lit review, formulation of questions - theoretical/philosophical frameworks (if adopted) etc. I would agree with you - that, personally, I view netnography as a methodology.
The attached chapter (while focusing on nursing and midwifery - but the principles are generic) in the parts on research process and design - may assist.
David L Morgan and Dean Whitehead - thanks for your inputs.
This gives me some direction to draft the methodology chapter.
As others have pointed out, the terms "method" and "methodology" are closely related and it is not unusual to see them used interchangeably. I think that Methodology is the step-by-step description of the process, whereas Method is a broader description pf the approach.
Maybe you could say something like Netography is "an approach that adapts ethnography to the qualitative analysis of online discourse." Then describe the step-by-step process you used for data collection and analysis, in order to answer your research questions.
Methodology is the study of methods. It would be more convenient to say digital ethnography to netnography
Michael - sorry to disagree - I see it the other way around. Fabian makes a good point. For methodology to be the study of methods, it needs to be the broader concept.
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