Writing about www.BookCrossing.com

Text analysis and content analysis

Zarina — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:55:08 +0000

While working on my master’s project, one methodology method which was used is analyzing the website. Since both text analysis and content analysis can be quite confusing, I asked my research methodology supervisor to comment.

This is what he has replied to me:

Text analysis is key method in literature,mass comm related areas which emphasizes in keywords (i.e. Internet sites has keywords that enables smart search or desired search capabilities) while content analysis is as what we studied in research methodology, finding the content theme before proceeding to research.

Why BookCrossing? part two

Zarina — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:46:21 +0000

My background is in electrical engineering. Even though I love the technical part of the whole thing but I still am interested in the social science as well. What a better way to combine both (which also enables we to choose a wider field of study) by studying the social part of the Internet. On top of that, with www.BookCrossing.com I will still remain true to my love for books and reading.

I was asked this question yesterday. I answered that this is the middle path for both my interests. I don’t care much about having hands on experience but I love the searching of articles and the writing.

Internet research is a very young field of study. The Internet itself came into a way of life at the turn of the century. Due to the young age, there are many things that can be studied. New views of one particular study. It can either be from the very technical point of view or the social view. That is one of the most wonderous thing about studying Internet, in my opinion.

If you don’t have the passion to research your scope of study, there is no point on going through the process. Passion is what makes the world goes round (in all senses – just let your imagination go wild a minute). For me, I know I want to study BookCrossing when I was in the midst of the master’s program. It holds many secrets and questions waiting for researchers to unveil them. It’s just finding the right channel was the difficult part for me. Once I got through that, its a breeze.

The main issues to be focused on:

the design of the website (navigationability)
the communication between the members online
why the members willingly migrate the relationship from online to offline
formation of the relationships between the members

Networking – selling yourself

Zarina — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:53:05 +0000

My thesis supervisor (I have learned a lot from her) has advised to attend to local forum’s host by the local university to ‘sell’ yourself. At the moment, I have not look at that avenue. I am focusing on ‘selling’ myself on the global scene (that is writing articles for any academic journals).

Anyway, one of the tips given by an editor of journal is networking. Join in discussion groups of your related focus of study. If I am not mistaken, there is one such topic in the forum page of www.BookCrossing.com site (no, there is none but I have posted something to get it started). In addition, one of my pilot test participants has done her own master’s thesis on BookCrossing so I might as well ask around and do some networking on my own.

This is going to be fun.

Witing the article

Zarina — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:30:33 +0000

Fortunately that I am studying in Open University Malaysia for my Master’s, I have access to a few academic journals for a variety of fields.

There are many academic journals that covers my scope of study. In addition, there are guidelines for authors who wants to submit articles. I have narrowed down to a few which I feel is more appropriate to my channel for submission.

One of my supervisor (can’t remember which) says that from one master’s thesis, three different articles can be produced. I have one in mind which is more of an exploration study. I had planned for an article that uses the survey which I have done for my master’s thesis, but there are a few holes that can be attacked. And it is not one of my main concern.

For started, I will revisit my thesis to extract those that is pertinent to my exploration. There are a few new articles published earlier this year which I can make use of. Hopefully, sometime this year you will see my name in an academic journal *near you*.

Why BookCrossing? part one

Zarina — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:54:11 +0000

A particular question – WHY, is the dominant reason for a researcher to focus on her studies. It may be from the social study, studying juvenile crimes for instance. Or the existing studies on online communication on FaceBook.

Being an advocate of www.BookCrossing.com myself, I have always wondered how it is addictive.

From my own experience of the migration from an online relationship to offline is when another member (residing locally) contacted me for an exchange of books. I was excited because well, I get to read more books without purchasing new books. At that time, I was jogging in a public park on my way home. I set an appointment with her to exchange books at that public park. Until now, I have yet to meet up with her again (after the meeting, she has worked in a different country).

There are basically two classes of online communities. First, is those that encourages the members to expand their social network. Second, is those that helps members make decisions by comparing contribution on information, opinions, and recommendations from other members. Mainly both communities will remain online.

What if the relationship migrates to offline such as www.BookCrossing.com? BCers extend our postal address for others to send books to us. BCers go to meet up periodically.

An Introduction

Zarina — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:10:11 +0000

As an academician, you are expected to read a lot and write papers. It is not always that the papers will be published.

We need to collect lots of data – be it from case studies, surveys conducted, but we cannot overlook comments and opinions from others which also play a big part in the build up of the article. It may not be very useful in itself but it does help to create new ideas, ways of thinking, and knowing about something that we may never come across until somebody says “do you know about …”.

This blog is mainly intended for just this. In addition, it is my journal to jot down ideas which I may want to be discussed or not. It is not intended to discuss about the great world of BookCrossing. For that, you have to go to the website itself.

I will be attending by convocation this November after completing my Master’s of Multimedia Communication degree from Open University Malaysia. My project paper is titled: Paradox of www.BookCrossing.com: Willingly Contributing Online ‘Gifts’ and Migration from Online Interactions to Offline (Contributing Physical ‘Gifts’ and Meeting Face-to-Face).