Internet usage in Social Science Research: A Study of University of Kashmir (J&K)

The internet considered as the electronic mobile library in cyberspace provides an almost universal infrastructure for accessing the information with almost global reach. The statistics reveal that most Internet users in India are aged between 15 -34 years; thus this age group encompasses Indian higher education students who are normally of ages between 19 and 34 years. Internet and online communication have proliferated since the early 1990’s and the positive implications of this achievement are clearly witnessed in the field of research. Internet is being brought into more and more usage by researchers and it plays indispensable role in the scientific world. Advances in computer technology have enabled the Internet to serve as a platform not merely to seek information, but also to exchange ideas and knowledge with other users, and obtain expert opinions via email, teleconferencing, chatting and other avenues. Internet also plays a significant role in the presentation and publication of research. In the process of data collection, internet proves more economical in terms of time and money and it can reach large stock of population very easily no matter at what distance people are surfing the internet.The present study was conducted at University of Kashmir in the State of Jammu and Kashmir where from a sample of 100 research scholars was selected through random sampling method from different departments in the faculty of social sciences. Surveys were conducted to get information by in-depth interviews/discussions, focus group discussions, questionnaires and observations. The variables selected were use of internet, frequency of internet use, place of internet access, purpose of using internet and impact of internet on research.