Abstract
The emergence of the Web as a political campaigning tool has challenged social researchers to develop innovative methods of data capture that can account for unique aspects of web campaigning including personal websites, social media and campaign emails. This chapter sets out a mixed-methods methodology for measuring candidates’ online web campaigns by form and interactivity at the 2010 UK general election. The methodology uses a quantitative content analysis of both Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 campaigning materials and combines this with a qualitative analysis of email responses sent by the candidates themselves during the campaign. These three datasets can be used to provide different perspectives on supply-side online campaigning and can be used to compare whether drivers of engagement are the same or different for Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 types of campaigning. The purpose of this chapter is not to present any results from the study, but to highlight a proposed methodology for capturing data which is applicable to an area of study which is often overlooked — that is, candidate-level online campaigning. This methodology aims to improve upon past studies into these areas with an updated approach that is more appropriate for the development and expansion in online technology in political campaigning recent years.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bryman, A. (1984) ‘The Debate about Quantitative and Qualitative Research: A Question of Method or Epistemology’, The British Journal of Sociology, 35 (1), 76–92.
Castells, M. (2007) ‘Communication, Power, and Counterpower in the Network Society’, International Journal of Communication, 1, 238–266.
Coleman, S. and Ward, S.J. (2005) Spinning the Web: Online Campaigning During the 2005 General Election (London: Hansard Society).
Daily Telegraph. (2010) ‘General Election 2010: Liberal Democrats Surge after Nick Clegg’s TV Debate Performance’, available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/7597522/General-Election-2010-Liberal-Democrats-surge-after-Nick-Cleggs-TV-debate-performance.html, date accessed 16 April 2010.
Foot, K. and Schneider, S. (2000) ‘Online Action in Campaign 2000: An Exploratory Analysis of the U.S. Political Web Sphere’, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 46 (2), 222–244.
Foot, K. and Schneider, S. (2006) Web Campaigning (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press).
Gibson, R.K. and Römmele, A. (2006) ‘Down Periscope: the Search for High-Tech Campaigning at the Local Level in the 2002 German Federal Election’, Journal of E-Government, 2 (3), 85–111.
Gibson, R.K. and Ward, S.J. (2000) ‘A Proposed Methodology for Studying the Function and Effectiveness of Party and Candidate Web Sites’, Social Science Computer Review, 18, 301–319.
Gibson, R.K. and Ward, S.J. (2003) ‘On-line and On Message? Candidate Websites in the 2001 General Election’, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 5 (2), 188–205.
Gueorguieva, V. (2008) ‘Voters, MySpace, and YouTube: The Impact of Alternative Communication Channels on the 2006 Election Cycle and Beyond’, Social Science Computer Review, 26 (3), 288–300.
Gulati, J. and Williams, C. (2007) ‘Closing the Gap, Raising the Bar: Candidate Web Site Communication in the 2006 Campaigns for Congress’, Social Science Computer Review, 25, 443–465.
Jackson, N. (2003) ‘Vote Winner or a Nuisance: Email and British MPs’ Relationship with their Constituents’, paper presented at the UK Political Studies Association Conference, Leicester.
Jackson, N. (2008) ‘MPs and their e-Newsletters: Winning Votes by Promoting Constituency Service’, The Journal of Legislative Studies, 14 (4), 488–499.
Lilleker, D. and Jackson, N. (2009) ‘Building an Architecture of Participation? Political Parties and Web 2.0 in Britain’, Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 6 (3–4), 232–250.
Mann, C. and Stewart, F. (2000) Internet Communication and Qualitative Research(Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage).
Margolis, M. and Resnick, D. (1997) ‘Campaigning on the Internet: Parties and Candidates on the World Wide Web in the 1996 Primary Season’, The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, 2, 59–78.
Norris, P. (2003) ‘Preaching to the Converted: Pluralism, Participation and Party Websites’, Party Politics, 9 (1), 21–46.
O’Malley, L., Petterson, M. and Evans, M. (1999) Exploring Direct Marketing International (London: Thomson Business Press).
Stein, L. (2009) ‘Social Movement Web use in Theory and Practice: A Content Analysis of U.S. Movement Websites’, New Media Society, 11, 749–771.
Strandberg, K. (2009) ‘Online Campaigning: An Opening for the Outsiders? An Analysis of Finnish Parliamentary Candidates’ Websites in the 2003 Election Campaign’, New Media and Society, 11, 835–854.
Sudulich, L. and Wall, M. (2009) ‘Keeping Up with the Murphys? Candidate Cybercampaigning in the 2007 Irish General Election’, Parliamentary Affairs, 62 (3), 456–475
Ward, S.J. (2005) ‘The Internet and 2005 Election: Virtually Irrelevant?’, in A. Geddes and J. Tonge (eds.), The Nation Decides: The 2005 General Election(Basingstoke: Palgrave), pp. 188–206.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2014 Rosalynd Southern
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Southern, R. (2014). A Mixed-Methods Approach to Capturing Online Local Level Campaigns Data at the 2010 UK General Election. In: Cantijoch, M., Gibson, R., Ward, S. (eds) Analyzing Social Media Data and Web Networks. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137276773_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137276773_9
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-44680-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-27677-3
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political Science CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)