ABSTRACT
In this chapter we unpack three key assumptions underlying any analysis of online talk: Assumptions about whether the object of interest is a group or individual construct, whether language primarily functions to represent an individual’s interior life or construct the social world, and whether knowledge claims are meant to be generalizable or rooted in a local, possibly unique, context. Understanding these assumptions as foundational to the research design will ensure trustworthy and valid findings. We argue that in order to create a meaningful research study to understand online talk, each of these assumptions must be congruent with the subsequent design decisions.
