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Virtual Methods provides concrete advice for all stages of the research process. Anyone planning a research project involving the Internet will find this book an essential guide. Can offline and online observations be combined? Are online interviews able to produce high quality data? How does a researcher sort through the vast mass of material available? From hyperlink analysis to the sex industry online, case studies sensitively highlight the difficulties researchers face, point out the opportunities to be seized, and offer practical solutions. Through the discussion of case studies using the internet and Hine's own insightful coments, Virtual Methods significantly adds to the accumulation of professional knowledge. Mike O'Donnell, Times Higher Education Supplement A welcome resource for scholars studying online communities from the perspectives of sociology, communication, media studies, and other fields. Susan Keith, Resource Centre for Cyberculture Studies