Green Search : Studying Online Environmental Information. A Research Design

Haider, Jutta

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/47359 Copy

Description

Title

Green Search : Studying Online Environmental Information. A Research Design

Author(s)

Haider, Jutta

Issue Date

2014-03-01

Keyword(s)

• search engines
• information practices
• socio-technical
• mixed method
• environmental information

Abstract

Presentation of the design of a research project in its initial stages. The project Green Search investigates shaping of environmental information, including information on problems and proposed solutions, through their representation in search engine results, in social media tools, and in mobile applications dedicated to environmentally friendly living and consumption and how this is experienced by people using these tools. The project is situated in a socio-technical framework, which sees technology and society as mutually dependent and co-constructed. The following four research questions, organized in two interlinked parts, guide the study: Part I: Configurations - How are specific environmental issues with bearing on everyday life practices configured through web search and recommendation services and in mobile applications facilitating environmentally friendly living? In which ways do users judge mediated personal recommendations (through social media), search engine results and information from dedicated mobile applications for environmentally friendly living? Part II: Trust - How is trust attributed to the information retrieved/received on environmental issues with bearing on everyday life practices, specifically considering how different sources are seen to relate to each other? Which interests, organizations or link relations are perceived as trustworthy and how is this motivated? This is investigated in relation to two thematic areas: food and the home. The presented project uses a mixed method approach, with qualitative methods (focus group interviews) being supplemented with quantitative elements (web analyses).

Publisher

iSchools

Series/Report Name or Number

iConference 2014 Proceedings

Type of Resource

text

Language

english

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/47359

DOI

https://doi.org/10.9776/14324

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2014 is held by the authors of individual items in the proceedings. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

Owning Collections