Methodology

Site

I started my research on Facebook.  More specifically, my research is on a collection of individual pages on Facebook.  I thought about conducting research on other sites, and in all honesty, I wish I would have.  Or I should say, I wish I had chosen a different group to study.  However, that is not necessarily pertinent to this particular post.  I chose Facebook because I think it gives people, specifically adolescents/young adults, the ability to interact together and form identity groups and alliances.

Participants

The participants in my group are teenage girls between the ages of 16 and 18 years old.  There is one boy who participates in one conversation, but his comments will not take a large role in my research.  They all live in a small town (Palmer, Alaska—approximate population 5900 in 2010), and they attend the same high school.  All of the participants are friends, move in the same social circles, and most are members of the same extracurricular activities.  I chose this particular cohort because I thought it would yield a large amount of data that I could sift through to find exactly what I thought was important.  The problem thus far has been that the group of adolescents I’m studying are not active Facebook users; therefore, I had a difficult time finding adequate data.

Self

One participant is my niece (noted as MS in my data sets) and the others are her friends.  That being said, I play an interesting role.  I am an active Facebook user (less so now that we’re at the end of the semester), so I see the activities in which MS participates.  I am not friends with her friends, so I am only privy to the conversations in which she is included and among those, only the ones that are public.  At this time I have not had an issue with not being able to access information because of privacy issues.  

Data

My problem has been a lack of data.  Currently I have collected two main data sets.  The first was a meme that was posted on MS’ wall by a male friend.  Then a conversation ensued about the meme and the upcoming school year; this conversation included 5 participants.  The second data set was a video that was posted on MS’ wall and included far more participants, of which MS was not an active one.  The second data set gave more relevant information and that helped me to narrow my research.

Analysis

I analyzed my data in a broad sense in my first data set.  I looked at the number of specific occurrences of typographical anomalies, different and specific uses of a particular vernacular—mainly internet speak or text, the use of emoticons, and some additional numerical data.  My second data set included some more specific information, not only because the actual data set was larger (25 versus 43 comments).  I decided to pay attention to audience, specifically how the language of the participants changes depending on their audience.  The changes were more localized in the second data set because there were adults and other people from outside the original social group present.  I want to focus on how that change in language creates, or helps to create, an online identity for the participants.

Traditions

I plan on looking mostly at the Transforming Economic Conditions and Social Relationships tradition.  More specifically, Knobel and Lankshear’s article “Digital Literacy and Participation in Online Social Networking Spaces,” and Black and Steinkueler’s article “Literacy in Virtual Worlds” and their idea of affinity spaces.  I’ve also looked at the Transforming Identities tradition, particularly McLean’s article “A Space Called Home.”  This article is related to an immigrant adolescent girl and her use of instant messaging; however, I think the concept of identity can be applied to my research as well.  Thomas’ article “Digital Literacies of the Cybergirl” is another important article that I will look at because it looks at how women behave in online spaces and how those spaces can effect their identities.  As of now, the last tradition I will focus on is Transforming Reading and Writing, particularly Haas’ article “Young People’s Everyday Literacies” as well as Lam’s “Multiliteracies on Instant Messaging in Negotiating Local, Translocal, and Transnational Affiliations.”  For the literature review, I’ve located some specific journals—Journal of Sociolinguistics and American Speech—that I plan to use for my additional sources.

Revised Data Analysis #2

I collected my second set of data from a Facebook thread.  This data set was collected from my niece’s timeline.  Similarly to the last data set, she was tagged in the post.  However, this particular post was a personal video rather than a meme.  Like the previous post, this one was school related as well.  One of my niece’s friends made a video about the most influential teacher she had in high school.  She chose the music teacher at her high school, and then she tagged all the other students who were in the same program.  My niece did not comment on this particular post, but there were many other people who did.

My second set of data is slightly different from the first set in the sense that it includes far more items to research.  For that reason I have not included the actual thread in this post, it would just take up too much room.  I will, however, forward a copy of the thread to each of the people in my group so they are aware of what I researched.  There are also some adult influences in this post that were not there in the first data set.  Also, there was much more data to sift through.  I focused specifically on the difference in the language used in the presence of adults, even if it is in an online community.  My first data set focused on the changes in typographical differences in comments, the use of internet speak or lingo, the use of emoticons, and different uses of vernacular.  

I looked at the some of the same things in my second data set.  For instance, I found that there were just as many uses of emoticons in the second data set; however, the internet speak and use of vernacular was significantly curbed.  Not that it is particularly interesting, but I did find that the high school students changed the way they use language when they are around adults.  I do think it is interesting that it still happens online.  I will continue to look at the specific differences in vernacular used by the group of participants.  The more I look at both sets of data, I do think that will be the most useful piece of data that I have encountered thus far.

I found the second data set to be more important to my research in some ways and more difficult in others.  At this time, I have decided to look specifically at how the use of language was different in the second data set, presumably because there were adults present from the beginning of the post.  The original poster included some teachers and adults in her post, which changed the entire tone of the conversation from the first data set I analyzed.  For instance, there are eleven instances of reminiscences about humorous quotes that the teacher had said in class, usually to gain the attention of someone who was 

I found the readings for this week to be particularly relevant to my research.  Although the reading by McLean focuses on a hybrid cultural identity of an adolescent girl; I still think it important because it does speak to identity on social networking sites.  I also found the article by Jacobs to be enlightening.  It focuses specifically on IMs, and although it’s somewhat outdated, it still pertains to my research.  The article focuses on AIM, but that gave way to Yahoo chat, and then MSN messenger, and finally now Facebook chat is the biggest thing in IMing.  I believe some of the readings we will discuss on the 24th will be relevant as well.

I would also like to apologize. I didn't realize that I hadn't actually published this post.

Data Analysis #2

I collected my second set of data from a Facebook thread.  This data set was collected from my niece’s timeline.  Similarly to the last data set, she was tagged in the post.  However, this particular post was a personal video rather than a meme.  Like the previous post, this one was school related as well.  One of my niece’s friends made a video about her most influential teacher in high school.  She chose the music teacher at her high school, and then she tagged all the other students who were in the same program.  My niece did not comment on this particular post, but there were far more other people that did.

My second set of data is slightly different from the first set in the sense that it includes far more items to research.  For that reason I have not included the actual thread in this post, it would just take up too much room.  I will, however, forward a copy of the thread to each of the people in my group so they are aware of what I researched.  There are also some adult influences in this post that were not there in the first data set.  Also, there was much more data to sift through.  I focused specifically on the difference in the language used in the presence of adults, even if it is in an online community.  My first data set focused on the changes in typographical differences in comments, the use of internet speak or lingo, the use of emoticons, and different uses of vernacular.  

I looked at the some of the same things in my second data set.  For instance, I found that there were just as many uses of emoticons in the second data set; however, the internet speak and use of vernacular was significantly curbed.  Not that it is particularly interesting, but I did find that the high school students changed the way they use language when they are around adults.  I do think it is interesting that it still happens online.  I will continue to look at the specific differences in vernacular used by the group of participants.  The more I look at both sets of data, I do think that will be the most useful piece of data that I have encountered thus far.

I found the readings for this week to be particularly relevant to my research.  Although the reading by McLean focuses on a hybrid cultural identity of an adolescent girl; I still think it important because it does speak to identity on social networking sites.  I also found the article by Jacobs to be enlightening.  It focuses specifically on IMs, and although it’s somewhat outdated, it still pertains to my research.  The article focuses on AIM, but that gave way to Yahoo chat, and then MSN messenger, and finally now Facebook chat is the biggest thing in IMing.  I believe some of the readings we will discuss on the 24th will be relevant as well.

Data Analysis #1

I collected my data from Facebook, specifically from a thread on my niece’s page.  I had a difficult time finding an amount of data that I felt would work for my purposes.  I ended up using a thread from July 30, 2013.  The thread started as a meme posted on my niece’s wall with three other individuals.  The thread then elicited 25 comments, which I felt would be enough to study for this particular assignment.  Although, I do hope that I will be able to find a larger data set for our next analysis.  The comments are from the individuals tagged in the post, but was also liked by other individuals as well.

The data set includes comments from five people, one male and four female.  I originally was hesitant to use this because it does include a male participant.  However, I was unable to find any other data set that would work.  I won’t be focusing much on the male participant, but it does provide some context that is important to the conversation.  My research focus relates to how teenage girls use language on Facebook and how it helps to create their online identity.  This particular thread helps me with that because it includes multiple aspects of digital literacy that I can use.  For instance, I’ve noticed the following—typographical differences between comments, the use of internet speak or lingo, the use of emoticons, different uses of vernacular, and some numerical data.  

As an outsider, there are some issues that I could not possibly understand.  The original meme is a comic strip-like picture, and I wonder if that particular picture is an inside joke, or is it just something that the original poster thought was funny?  Interestingly, while our group was talking about this data set and reading it aloud, someone not affiliated with the group was listening and immediately recognized the language as that of a teenage girl.  I’ve been wondering if this is something else that I can look at as well.  I think it would be interesting to see if others can recognize the same thing in the data set.

I’m particularly interested in the readings by the New London Group and their work the pedagogy of multiliteracies.  Even though their article is somewhat out of date in terms of technology, I do think it is still relevant.  I also think Brian Street’s article on New Literacy Studies will be interesting in terms of literacy events and practice.  I think the use of Facebook is definitely a literacy practice.  Street’s article also discusses how children’s experience with NLS are important.  I’m intrigued by the ideas of how the intersection of home and school in terms of Facebook plays out within my research.  Since all of the participants go to the same school and their entire thread discussing the upcoming school year, I think this is an important distinction.  I think the most important reading for my research will be the second article from Knobel and Lankshear.  This particular article focused expressly on Facebook, and although the data from the article is somewhat out of date, I do think it will be important. 

 

Online Community

I’ve decided to research the role of language on identity in teenage girls.  I have a niece who is a junior in high school.  I plan to observe her and her some of friends on Facebook.  I’m hoping to be able to determine how much of this specific group’s identity is linked to their actions and language online.  Does it restrict their language or allow more freedom?  Do they write differently online than they would speak to those same friends in person or on the phone?  I’m still trying to flush out exactly what that will entail, but I think with some additional thought and information I will be able to figure it out.  

The majority of the participants will be in the age range of 14-18 years old.  I’ve put together some information for the parents of the participants.  The parents will have the information about the research as well as the opportunity to not allow their child to participate.  The interests of the participants will vary within the group, however, I think they will have overlapping interests with my niece who is part of many different groups in her high school.  Most of the girls will attend Palmer High School and be part of some of the same social circles.

I will play an interesting role in the research.  I will have to friend the participants (aside from my niece who I’m already friends with on Facebook) and then I will focus on observation.  But the problem then arises that because I am also friends with the participants we are linked, so to speak.  In that sense, the research cannot be completely objective.  I don’t think this will be a problem, but it is something to think about when I compile the research at the end of the semester.

I think Facebook is an interesting site because it allows people to speak openly and frequently with people without seeing them in person.  Interestingly, people that are within the same social circle and see one another everyday, still communicate on Facebook on a regular basis.  I’m focusing strictly on young women, mostly because I think focusing on both sexes will be too much for this particular project.  That being said, I think I might be able to use this as a possible thesis topic and expand it to potentially include other groups of people.

Introduction

I'm a first-year graduate student and a first-year teaching assistant at UAA.  I'm also the Communications Manager for the 2014 Pacific Rim conference on literature and rhetoric.  I received my BA in English with an emphasis in education from UAA in December 2012.  I completed my undergraduate capstone research on "A Stylistic Analysis of American Gothic Short Fiction".  I focused on short stories from Edgar Allan Poe, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Stephen King, and Joyce Carol Oates and how the previous two writers encouraged and affected the latter two. 

I'm currently trying to narrow down my topics for my graduate thesis.  So far I've considered ways to incorporate digital literacies, social media, or a combination of the two into a composition classroom.  I've also thought about studying ways to make the college composition more accessible to ELL students.  I have a background in technical writing and I might incorporate that into my graduate thesis in some form.  After I receive my MA from UAA I hope to continue on and receive a PhD.  I would love to complete my education on the east coast; however, I don't know if that will work out as I hope.