Internet-mediated research (IMR) is the research conducted through the medium of the Internet.
In the medical field, it pertains to the practice of gathering
medical, biomedical or health related research data via the
internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a ''internetworking, network of networks'' that consists ...
directly from research subjects. The subject, uses a
web browser
A web browser is application software for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on ...
to view and respond to questionnaires that are included in an approved medical research protocol. Other fields such as geography also use IMR as a research tool.
The primary Internet-mediated research is classified into three main types: online questionnaires, virtual interviews, and virtual ethnographies.
There is also the case of secondary Internet research, which involves the use of the Internet in the location of secondary information sources such as journal databases, newspapers, and digital archives, among others. Some sources, however, exclude this type in their conceptualization of IMR.
In a traditional medical research study, the
principal investigator
In many countries, the term principal investigator (PI) refers to the holder of an independent grant and the lead researcher for the grant project, usually in the sciences, such as a laboratory study or a clinical trial. The phrase is also often us ...
, Research Coordinator, or other study staff conducts an interview with the research subject and records the information on a paper or electronic
case report form A case report form (or CRF) is a paper or electronic questionnaire specifically used in clinical trial research. The case report form is the tool used by the sponsor of the clinical trial to collect data from each participating patient. All data on ...
. Using IMR, the research subject instead responds to a questionnaire without the guidance of a research staff member, often performing the action at a time and place disassociated with the research clinic, using only a computer connected to the internet and a standard browser.
Recently, the medical community has begun to study whether there are differences between IMR data and traditionally collected data.
References
{{reflist
External links
Ethics Guidelines for Internet-mediated ResearchMethodological Issues in Internet-Mediated Research: A Randomized Comparison of Internet Versus Mailed QuestionnairesInternet Mediated Research: A Critical Reflection upon the Practice of Using Instant Messenger for Higher Educational Research InterviewingQualitative Approaches in Internet-Mediated Research: Opportunities, Issues, Possibilities
Epidemiology