Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract This is a methodological paper which addresses advantages and limitations of three survey methods, including online, cluster online and offline methods in a study of Facebook users in Iran.  This paper indicates that regardless of online or offline methods the analytical results will be the same.  The evidence for such claim has been provided by a study that was conducted among Facebook users in Tehran during 2011 and 2012.besides, the paper claims that applying either one of these three methods for collecting data will result in similar findings.  This will also not undermine the validity and reliability of the measuring tools.   We have used Strauss’s approach to social research where he and Corbin urge the researchers to use methods to their discretion.  We used various methods to collect data and analyze it and we came to the conclusion that if a reverse sampling method is used in online survey, its results will be similar to the result of offline and cluster sampling research methods.

Abstract