Possibilities of hyperlink application in spatial research

Abstract

The main aim of the paper is to show the selected ways of analysing, the possible interpretations and expectations concerning the analyses of hyperlinks in spatial research. The connections existing in cyberspace for selected self-government websites of Lower Silesia were shown to illustrate the issue. The analyses were conducted for selected websites of self-government units at all levels functioning in Lower Silesia. The paper presents two approaches to the analysis of hyperlinks: analysis of outlinks and inlinks. The presented results allow us to identify some regularities regarding the functioning of connections in cyberspace versus the connections in the real world. From the perspective of self-government websites it can be concluded that the connections in cyberspace reflect the real connections. In the majority of the analysed cases there is a clear connection with the actual scope of activity. The remaining relationships with administrative cities reflect the significance of these cities for the functioning of self-government units in the social, economic, legal, and administrative conditions. Based on the conducted analyses it can be concluded that the study of hyperlinks may be useful in understanding the relationships between geographical space and cyberspace. They may form a new, interesting field of spatial research. We also found some challenges in the study of hyperlinks' spatial aspects: the identification of consistent criteria for determining the websites' ‘location in space’, the possibility of interpreting the research results and the dynamics of the Internet.