Experience with New Tools and Infrastructures of Research: An Exploratory Study of Distance From, and Attitudes Toward, e-Research

e-Research initiatives have been launched around the world, but have they captured the imagination of researchers across the disciplines? This paper reports on a web-based survey designed to gauge awareness of and support for e-Research initiatives. Early adoption and interest in e-Research practices represent a wide range of methodological traditions, but those most interested in e-Research tend to be among a cohort of more recent graduates of doctoral programmes. However, greater certainty and support is driven largely by proximity to e-Research. This finding reinforces the value of efforts to engage more social scientists and other researchers in e-Research, such as through demonstrations, training or other ways of providing hands-on involvement. Doctoral and early career training might be the most fruitful arenas for engagement.