Survey on the users of organic research online

An online survey on science communication on research in organic food and farming is launched in the near future among the newsletter subscribers of organic research. The aim of the survey is to get a better understanding of the users and their use of online communication on organic research.

By Signe Herbers Poulsen, PhD Scholar

The survey is part of the research project “Internet Communication and Organic Research Network” (2005-2008) that is a cooperation between the Institute of Information and Media Studies at Aarhus University (DK) and the Danish Research Centre of Organic Food and Farming (DARCOF). The objective is to examine how the Internet medium is and can be used to support transnational communication and cooperation among actors from different national cultures of knowledge. The project explores the Internet’s potentials to facilitate transnational research networks and to develop new methods to support and strengthen science communication between researchers and stakeholders.

The research project is based on a case study of communication in organic research networks. The first part of the project is exploring the users and their use of international communication and dissemination of organic research on the Internet. An online questionnaire survey is launched to study the users – who they are, in what way they are using online communication and what their needs and interests are in information on organic research.

In addition the survey aims to test two hypotheses. Initial analysis of web statistics and newsletter subscribers has indicated that 1) there seems to be a link between the national research networks that the users are a part of and the online services they visit to get information and knowledge on organic research, and 2) it seems to be difficult to communicate online with stakeholders outside the research world as most of the current users of the online services are employed within the research system.

A description of the survey and a link to the online questionnaire is sent out by e-mail to the subscribers of newsletters of QLIF and Core Organic in the near future. We hope that as many of you will participate in the survey as it is an important contribute to the development and improvement of transnational science communication online.

Contact information

Signe Herbers Poulsen, PhD Scholar

Danish Research Centre for Organic Food and Farming (DARCOF)
Research Centre Foulum
P.O. Box 50
8830 Tjele
Tel.: + 45 89 99 16 81
Fax: + 45 89 99 16 73

E-mail to Signe Herbers Poulsen