Defining e-research in social work: a review of strategies and challenges

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted social work researchers for whom fieldwork is the crux of data collection. Resilient as humankind is, researchers must innovate to look at society and communities digitally. This review paper explores e-research as an option for social researchers. It summarises and synthesizes existing literature on digital research in social work. What is e-research? What is the position of the researcher in this context? What are some of the strategies and challenges in conducting research online? The paper throws light on these questions. This review article reveals the methods that can be adapted to merge technology with research in the social work domain. It also lays out the challenges of e-research. We propose a synthesized definition of e-research in social work and conclude that there is tremendous value in using technology and doing research online if done ethically.