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Internet-Based Delphi Research: Case Based Discussion

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Abstract

The interactive capacity of the Internet offers benefits that are intimately linked with contemporary research innovation in the natural resource and environmental studies domains. However, e-research methodologies, such as the e-Delphi technique, have yet to undergo critical review. This study advances methodological discourse on the e-Delphi technique by critically assessing an e-Delphi case study. The analysis suggests that the benefits of using e-Delphi are noteworthy but the authors acknowledge that researchers are likely to face challenges that could potentially compromise research validity and reliability. To ensure that these issues are sufficiently considered when planning and designing an e-Delphi, important facets of the technique are discussed and recommendations are offered to help the environmental researcher avoid potential pitfalls associated with coordinating e-Delphi research.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Robert Swett and Dr. Stephen Holland from the University of Florida; and Dr. Alisa Coffin from the Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center—United States Geological Survey for their help and support with the research project. The project described herein was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number G11AC20428 from the United States Geological Survey. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USGS. This work was supported, in part, by the NIH (NCATS) CTSA awards to the University of Florida UL1TR000064 and KL2TR000065.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tourism, Recreation, and Sport Management, University of Florida, PO Box 118208, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Zachary Douglas Cole & Holly M. Donohoe

  2. Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Michael L. Stellefson

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  1. Zachary Douglas Cole
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  2. Holly M. Donohoe
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  3. Michael L. Stellefson
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Correspondence to Zachary Douglas Cole.

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Cole, Z.D., Donohoe, H.M. & Stellefson, M.L. Internet-Based Delphi Research: Case Based Discussion. Environmental Management 51, 511–523 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-0005-5

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