ABSTRACT

The recent increase in digitally available data, tools, and processing power is fostering the use of computational methods to the study of communication. This special issue discusses the validity of using big data in communication science and showcases a number of new methods and applications in the fields of text and network analysis. Computational methods have the potential to greatly enhance the scientific study of communication because they allow us to move towards collaborative large-N studies of actual behavior in its social context. This requires us to develop new skills and infrastructure and meet the challenges of open, valid, reliable, and ethical “big data” research. By bringing together a number of leading scholars in one issue, we contribute to the increasing development and adaptation of computational methods in communication science.

摘要

数字可用数据，工具和处理能力的最新增长正在促进将计算方法用于通信研究。本期专刊讨论了在通讯科学中使用大数据的有效性，并展示了文本和网络分析领域的许多新方法和应用。计算方法具有极大地增强交流科学研究的潜力，因为它们使我们能够朝着在其社会背景下对实际行为进行大型协作研究的方向发展。这要求我们开发新的技能和基础架构，并应对开放，有效，可靠和符合道德的“大数据”研究的挑战。通过在一个问题上汇集众多领先学者，我们为通信科学中计算方法的不断发展和适应做出了贡献。