According to a study from Norman, United States, "While scholars have made great strides in formulating theories and measuring public attention, ''most important problem'' and media-based indicators are less than ideal measures. In order to address this shortcoming, this article borrows from health-care epidemiology to measure public attention based on Internet search trends."
"In doing so, it reviews the innovative ways in which scientists have used search activity to track the spread of infectious disease, discusses the ease and flexibility with which search data can be gathered, and then subjects a Google-based search measure to a series of validity tests. In particular, the analysis subjects the proposed measure to a battery of visual and statistical tests for convergent validity by comparing it with the most commonly used media-based measure of public attention-issue coverage in the New York Times. Across a range of policy issues (health care, global warming, and terrorism), the proposed measure demonstrates convergent validity," wrote J.T. Ripberger and colleagues, University of Oklahoma.
The researchers concluded: "The article concludes by posing a series of important questions that the new measure will allow researchers to address."
Ripberger and colleagues published the results of their research in Policy Studies Journal (Capturing Curiosity: Using Internet Search Trends to Measure Public Attentiveness. Policy Studies Journal, 2011;39(2):239-259).
For additional information, contact J.T. Ripberger, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, United States.
The publisher of the Policy Studies Journal can be contacted at: Wiley-Blackwell, Commerce Place, 350 Main St., Malden 02148, MA, USA.
Keywords: City:Norman, State:Oklahoma, Country:United States, Region:North and Central America, Political Science
This article was prepared by Politics & Government Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Politics & Government Week via VerticalNews.com.
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