Internet researchers are a diverse group, not only in their research foci, but also in their research methodologies, inquiry paradigms, and disciplinary affiliations. Yet, despite this diversity, one area of convergence is the complexity of the ethical issues encountered when

Internet researchers study the interactions of globally-dispersed, technology-connected people. Whether a researcher is working in communication, psychology, or writing studies, she still must decide how to resolve the numerous ethical questions that inevitably arise--in negotiating with IRBs, in interacting with human subjects, in using copyrighted material, in writing up a study. As Charles Ess and the AoIR Ethics Working Committee (2002) described, researchers doing Internet-based studies encounter distinctive ethical questions.

Researchers in a number of fields, including communication, psychology, sociology, technical communication, and writing and rhetoric have discussed some aspects of ethical issues in cyberspace (e.g., Bruckman, 2002; Buchanan, 2004; Cavanaugh, 1999; Ess, 2001; Frankel & Siang, 1999; Gurak & Silker, 1997; Johns, Chen, & Hall, 2003; Mann & Stewert, 2000; McKee & Porter, in press; Stern, 2003; Waskul & Douglass, 1996). In this panel the two presenters will build from and continue these previous discussions by reporting the results of their research project on ethical issues in Internet-based research. This research has two main components: (1) collecting published cases and interviewing Internet researchers about the ethical dilemmas so as to synthesize and chart the types of dilemmas faced; and (2) developing case-based heuristic tools to aid researchers in analyzing ethical dilemmas.

The two presentations will be followed by two respondents, the chair and former chair of the AoIR Ethics Working Committee, who will reflect upon the issues and heuristics raised.