[Air-L] Researchers as new eyes on public data

[Charlie Balch]

In addition to the points that Louis made below, it is worth considering
that many people with a public internet presence are busy and receive
numerous Emails. I suspect that most requests to these busy people would
just be erased regardless of the potential participants desire or lack
thereof to be included in a study. The result would be a sample that is not
representative.

Charlie Balch

-----Original Message-----
Quoting Lois Ann Scheidt
I readily admit that I have an underlying belief that shows through all of
my discussion.  My belief is that by requiring "informed consent" 
for all social science research that we would limit researchers participant
pools to those that will volunteer for a study.  Again that takes me very
close to experimental research.  And while there is nothing at all wrong
with experimental research as a method, I don't believe it gets us to the
real hows and whys of human behavior.  I am an explanatory researcher,
without the ability to study "in the wild" I might as well pack up my toys
and go home.