Communicative Approaches to Big Data: A Systematic Analysis of Web of Science Publications

Abstract

This study was designed as a literature review analysis of 62 journal articles that approach big data from a communicative perspective. The study allows researchers interested in the subject to gain an overview of the discussions revolving around big data, as well as the preferred theoretical approaches for big data analysis and the methodologies used. The articles included in the study were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. This method is suitable for literature studies since it allows for systematic coding and qualitative interpretations. The analysis revealed that the articles under examination were divided into two groups with 45 focused directly on big data and 17 indirectly analyzing big data. The articles in the first group generally problematized big data, whereas those in the second group analyzed a communication-based topic or problem using a large data set. This differentiation arises both from big data phenomenon being new in the field of communication and from numerous instrumental and cognitive difficulties and problems that researchers face in this field. This study fills an important gap in Turkish literature on the topic both in terms of its focus and conclusions drawn.

Keywords

• Big data
• communication studies
• social media
• data analysis
• ethics

Büyük Veriye İletişimsel Yaklaşımlar: Web of Science Yayınlarının Sistematik Bir Analizi

Abstract

Literatür incelemesi niteliğindeki bu çalışma büyük veriye iletişim perspektifinden yaklaşan 62 makaleyi analiz etmektedir. Çalışma bu haliyle konuya ilgi duyan araştırmacılara büyük veri etrafında dönen tartışmaları, büyük veri analizi için tercih edilen kuramsal yaklaşımları ve kullanılan yöntemleri bir arada görebilme olanağı tanımaktadır. Çalışma kapsamına dâhil edilen makaleler niteliksel içerik analiz tekniği kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Bu yöntem, sistematik kodlamaya ve nitel yoruma olanak tanıdığı için literatür çalışmaları için oldukça elverişlidir. Analiz, incelemeye konu olan makalelerin iki ayrı gruba ayrıldıklarını ortaya koymuştur. Buna göre ilk gruptaki 45 makale doğrudan büyük veriye odaklanıp onu sorunsallaştırırken; ikinci gruptaki 17 makale büyük veriyi dolaylı olarak ele almakta ve iletişim eksenli bir konuyu ya da sorunu büyük bir veri kümesiyle analiz etmektedir. Bu ayrışma hem büyük veri olgusunun iletişim alanına özgü çalışmalarda yeni oluşundan hem de araştırmacıların karşısına çıkan çok sayıda araçsal ve bilişsel zorluklardan, sorunlardan kaynaklanmaktadır. Bu ayrışma elde edilen bulguları da farklılaştırmıştır. Çalışma bu haliyle odaklandığı konu ve ulaştığı sonuçlar açısından Türkçe literatürde önemli bir boşluğu dolduracak niteliktedir.

Keywords

• Büyük veri
• iletişim çalışmaları
• sosyal medya
• veri analizi
• etik

Supporting Institution

Yazarlar bu çalışma için finansal destek almadığını beyan etmiştir.

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