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Futures in Methods

Mobile methods

Joseph Bayer
Ohio State University

Communication researchers are increasingly seeing the potential of data collection methods that are 'more mobile' -- i.e., more naturalistic, more immediate, and more intensive. This growth in digital and ecological tools is relevant to a widening spectrum of research areas, raising challenging questions about the role of in situ methods for the discipline at-large. Moreover, the accessibility of ecologically valid data sources creates new opportunities and obstacles for study design. This working group will grapple with the future of mobile measurement for Communication research, with special attention to the design of studies that collect multiple data streams in parallel (e.g., digital traces and experience sampling surveys). Key questions include: 1) Should mobile designs become more central to Communication research as a whole? 2) How can we systematize the different types of study designs that collect mobile data streams? 3) What are the best practices (and worst problems) that emerge with these different types of designs? Our goal is to develop a typology of mobile methods designs, as well as outline key recommendations and risks that accompany each type of design.