September 8, 2008
CANDIDATE WEBSITE CODING
You will use the following instructions to code each House and/or Senate candidate website assigned to you. The instructions will ask you to enter codes for the front page, the fundraising area, the issues area, the biography area, the multimedia area, and any other major parts of the candidate's site. In each of these areas, you will code the written text separately from the videos and/or audios. You will also enter codes that apply to the site overall. Please be careful and go slowly.
BACKGROUND
Date: Enter the current date. NOTE this should be the date you CODE the site (and note the date that you enter the data.).
YourName: Enter your full name.
CandName: Enter the candidate’s full name as he/she calls him/herself on the site.
Office:Enter the number that corresponds to the office the candidate is pursuing. The codes are:
1=Senate
2=House
State:Enter the name of the state in which the candidate is running.
District:For U.S. House of Representatives candidates, enter the number of the district (e.g., Jesse Jackson Jr.=2, Dennis Kucinich=10; this is available on the sample sheet; also, At Large=AL). For U.S. Senate candidates, enter 0.
Party:Enter the number that corresponds to the candidate’s party. The codes are: 1=Republican
2=Democrat
3=Other (note that we will focus on major party candidates)
Unless otherwise noted, the codes apply only to the text on the site. We will state otherwise when we discuss explicit coding of videos and audios; in other words, do NOT code any video or audio content except when using the codes explicitly devoted to video and/or audio content. This applies to ALL coding throughout.
VARIABLES APPLIED TO SITE OVERALL
The variables described in this section apply over the entire site. That is, we are interested in if these items and/or features occur in the text on ANY PART of the website that you examine. Thus, you should look for them on the front-page, fundraising area, issue area, biography area, and any other major area you think is highly relevant (see above) (as explained though, this excludes videos and audios).
We would like you to code these afteryou code the specific information in the separate areas by going back and looking at all areas (e.g., front, fundraising, issues, biography) for each variable. In terms of data entry, they are entered last, after the codes for each specific area of the site.
We describe these codes first, however, so that you can keep them in mind as you look at the separate areas (e.g., you may want to make notes of these as you code each area). In other words, in your actual coding, you may want to skip to the biography, fundraising, and issue areas now.
These “overall” codes involve content and technical features. We describe each in turn.
CONTENT
Schedule:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a description of his/her schedule? This can include travel plans, speaking plans, fundraising trips, debates, etc. The codes are:
0=no schedule plans
1=schedule plans
Volunteer:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate solicit and provide information for potential campaign volunteers (other than in the form of donations)? The codes are:
0=does not solicit volunteers
1=solicits volunteers
NewInfo:On any part of the site that you examined, does it appear that the candidate ever adds updated information, or does it appear as if the site has not changed once it was initially launched? (This does not have to be constant updates; any ostensible update is sufficient.) The codes are:
0=appears to never change
1=appears to be updated information
Weblog: On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate/campaign have a ‘blog’ (i.e., weblog) of any type? (This does NOT include blogs set up by those other than the candidate/campaign such as the candidate’s spouse, children, specific friends, etc. If this is unclear, you can typically assume it is from the campaign—for example, a site set up by “Friends of the candidate” can be assumed to be from the campaign.) The codes are:
0=there are no candidate/campaign blogs
1=there is at least one candidate/campaign blog
NOTE that to code the following Blog codes, you will need to look at the blogs themselves. While we are not coding the content of the blogs, you will need to look at the whole blog to see, for example, if there are places to post comments etc. Thus, scroll through the blogs. Also, note that a blog need not be technically called a “blog.” Some candidates, for example, may call it a journal.
BlogPres:If there is a candidate/campaignblog on the site (weblog=1), how is information presented? Are blog entries simply text or do they include photographs, audio, and/or video? Indicate all that apply.
0=no blog
1=written text
2=pictures or photographs (‘photolog’)
3=audio files
4=video clips (‘vlogs’)
BlogPart: If there is a candidate/campaign blog on the site (weblog=1), can website visitors post to it or make comments? To code this, do not register on the campaign website to contribute to the blog. Use your best judgment to determine whether you think participating on the blog requires registration or authorization from the campaign.
0=no blog or visitors cannot post to the blog
1=visitors can post comments that go directly to the blog
2=visitors can post comments only after they have registered or been authorized by the campaign
3=unsure (i.e., it is clear you cannot directly post but you cannot tell if you could post after registering or being authorized)
BlogPartType:If visitors can post to the candidate/campaign blog, what kinds of
information can they post? Include all that apply. To code this, do not register on the campaign website to contribute to the blog.
0=no blog or visitors cannot post to the blog
1=visitors can post written entries or comments
2=visitors can post pictures
3=visitors can post audio files
4=visitors can post video clips
5=visitors can post other information; please describe
6=unsure because could not determine whether posting is possible (i.e., BlogPart=3)
BlogVis:Is there an opportunity for website visitors to do their own blogging by either creating their own individual blog on the candidate’s site or by connecting their existing blog to the candidate’s/campaign’s blog? Indicate all that apply.
0=no blog or opportunity for visitors to do their own blogging
1=visitors can establish their own individual blog, connected to the candidate’s blog
2=visitors can connect their own existing blog to the candidate’s blog (e.g., through a link)
BlogDist:If there is a candidate/campaignblog on the site (weblog=1), can visitors electronically distribute the blog entries/posts to others?
0=no blog or visitors cannot distribute the blog entries/posts
1=visitors can distribute the blog entries/posts (e.g., via email, links)
OtherBlog: On any part of the site that you examined, is there a ‘blog’ (i.e., weblog) that is not set-up by the candidate/campaign but rather comes from another source such as the candidate’s spouse, children, friends, etc.? The codes are:
0=there are no other blogs
1=there is at least other type of blog (please describe)
RELATIONSHIP WITH USER
Quiz:On any part of the site that you examined, was there a quiz in which you could participate? The codes are:
0=no quiz
1=quiz
Personal:On any part of the site that you examined, could you personalize the information, such that you would receive information that may differ from what another web visitor would receive (even if this would lead you to some other page; you don’t need to examine this other page, but note its presence)? For example, you might enter your zip code and receive voting information, or something else specific to you (or people like you) such as information about an issue you care about. (Note this does not apply to information for general groups such as senior citizens.) The codes are:
0=no personalized information at all
1=personalized information
Arrange:On any part of the site that you examined, could you arrange information on a page so that it is presented differently (so that the particular user can view the information in a different way)? An example would be moving a graphic to a different part of the screen, or changing the positioning of stories. (This does not include allowing people to have their own personalized page on the site.) The codes are:
0=no opportunities to arrange anything
1=can arrange something (at least one thing)
PersPage:On any part of the site that you examined, can you create your own personalized page? (If there is no evidence you can do this, assume you cannot). The codes are:
0=no opportunities to create personalized page
1=can create a personalized page
AddQual:On any part of the site that you examined, could you potentially provide additional content to the websitein the form of writing out youropinions (qualitatively) that others could then potentially see posted on the site? Note that this is different from commenting on a blog or chatting in a chatroom(i.e., ‘Blog’=1 does not necessarily mean that AddQual=1). Here we are asking if you can submit something in writing that may or may not be added to the site. For example, the website might ask you to write what you think about the candidate or an issue, that then could (but may not) appear on the site for others to see (e.g., like an Amazon book review; so you would have to see that they actually include others’ opinions/endorsements somewhere). The codes are:
0=no possibility to add content qualitatively
1=possibility to add content qualitatively
AddQuant:On any part of the site that you examined, could you potentially provide additional content to the webpage in the form of casting a vote, answering a public opinion survey with fixed answers, or some other information that would then be added to the website in the form of a “vote total” of some sort (quantitatively)? For example, the website might ask you to vote for a position on an issue and then your vote could potentially appear in a “vote total” tally on the site (you would have to see such a tally somewhere). A quiz where onlyyou see the results does not count. The codes are:
0=no possibility to add content quantitatively
1=possibility to add content quantitatively
MEDIA TYPE/ACTIONS
Blink:On any part of the site that you examined, was there anything (e.g., a banner) that blinked? If there was any blinking text/graphics, it may have been that it was ongoing regardless of what the user does – for example, the text blinks and the user cannot do anything to start it or stop it. Alternatively, it may be that the user controls the movement – for example, the user clicks on something to start the blinking or has to move the mouse over something to start the movement (i.e., it requires user input) (Note that if an image or text changes by cycling through images or text, this is not blinking; see below codes for these.) With this in mind, code the following:
0=no blinking on the site
1=blinking of one or more items that is always out of the control of the user (i.e., it blinks regardless of what the user does)
2=blinking of one or more items that is always in the control of the user (i.e., it only blinks if the user starts it)
3=blinking of one or more items, some of which is in the control of the user and other of which is not in the control of the user. (Note that this could be either some blinking items are in user control and others are not, and/or a single blinking item that initially blinks, but then further blinking requires user input.)
TextMove:On any part of the site that you examined, was there any text that moved in any way other than blinking (e.g., streaming text down the screen, or text “flying” onto the screen)? The codes are:
0=no other text movement anywhere (aside from blinking)
1=other text movement (at least one piece of text that moves either in or out of user control)
BackMove:On any part of the site you examined, did the background change colors, without your control? (Note this does not include changes in photos or graphics; see GraphMove for that.) The codes are:
0=no changing colors
1=changing colors
Photo:On any part of the site that you examined, was there a photo(s) of anything? The codes are:
0=no photos
1=photo(s) (at least one photo)
Graphic:On any part of the site that you examined, were there any graphics – other than a photo or a video (e.g., a drawing, a flag)? The codes are:
0=no graphics other than a photo and/or video
1=graphic(s) (at least one other type of graphic)
GraphMove:On any part of the site that you examined, were there any graphics or photos that moved in any way other than blinking (e.g., graphics that moved positions)? (Note this would include cycling through images.) If there was a graphic or photo that moved, was it in the control of the user (see Blink code descriptions)? If there simply were no graphics or photos, leave this blank. Note that if a graphic or photo moves but only when the screen is refreshed (e.g., a new picture comes up), this does not count as moving. The codes are:
0=no other graphic/photo movement (aside from blinking)
1=other graphic/photo movement (at least one that moves) that is always out of the control of the user
2=other graphic/photo movement that is always in the control of the user
3=other graphic/photo movement, some of which is in the control of the user and other of which is not in the control of the user
LINKS
PartyLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to his/her party’s website (either local or national party; this could be on a sidebar or embedded within text)? The codes are:
0=no party link
1=party link (at least in one place)
PresLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to the official White House website? The codes are:
0=no White House link
1=White House link
McCainLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to the official presidential campaign website of John McCain? The codes are:
0=no link to McCain’s presidential campaign website
1=link to McCain’s presidential campaign website
ObamaLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to the official presidential campaign website of Barack Obama? The codes are:
0=no link to Obama’s presidential campaign website
1=link to Obama’s presidential campaign website
NewsLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to an external news website (i.e., not just a news article imported onto the candidate’s site)? The codes are:
0=no news website link
1=news website link
RegistLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to a location where the voter can obtain registration/polling information (e.g., the secretary of state’s website)? The codes are:
0=no voter registration information link
1=voter registration information link
SocNetLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to a social networking site? (If there is any apparent way to get to a social networking site, code it as being included—for example, if the site links to videos on YouTube, code YouTube.) Enter the codes that apply (separated by semi-colons).
1=Facebook
2=MySpace
3=YouTube
4=Flickr
5=Digg
6=Twitter
7=Eventful
8=LinkedIn
9=BlackPlanet
10=Faithbase
11=Eons
12=Glee
13=MiGente
14=MiBatanga
15=AsianAve
16=DNCPartyBuilder
17=RNCPartyBuilder (i.e., MyGOP)
18=Other (Please list)
LinkUp:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate explicitly provide an opportunity to link his/her site to the visitor’s own website (e.g., put a “John Doe for Senate” link in the form of a button, other icon, or banner on the visitor’s personal site)?
0=no link-up opportunity
1=link-up opportunity
OtherLink:On any part of the site that you examined, does the candidate include a link to anything other than his/her party, presidential candidate, news, voter registration information, or social networking sites (e.g., other government websites, interest group websites, voter assistance websites, official congressional websites, and so on)? Note that this only refers to sites external to the candidate’s own site – and not links to other parts of the candidate’s own site (e.g., from the front-page to an issues area or page). Also, these links could be in a sidebar or within the text of some information. If there are external links, count them and enter the number. Note that if there is a ‘webring’ (i.e., one external link that then seems to access many other external links), just count this as one. The codes are: