Research in Times of Corona

Though the current situation imposes important restrictions on all of us, and is certainly a big problem to many researchers, it can also give important opportunities.

Doing research and carrying out data collection without physical contact with our research subjects is not something new – already for many years there have been efforts to develop and use data collection methods that were without physical contact and research has been carried out with these methods, conceptualizing a difference between researcher generated data and naturally occurring data.
These specialized types of data collection can also have methodological advantages, e.g. collecting already existing data in a “non-reactive” way. See for example the discussion about the distinction between enacted, elicited, and extant data (Salmons, 2016). Or also the discussion about the distinction between designed and organic data (e.g. Groves, 2011). Though we have to acknowledge that unfortunately they will not fit every type of research project.

From another angle, there has been a lot of work in developing databases for secondary data – following the idea of “open data” (see for example Sage Publishing).



On these webpages, we will continuously – as work in progress – provide information and links to resources and literature that can hopefully help adapt researchers to the current situation and related restrictions.