COM89 UC Santa Barbara Uses and Gratification Theory Research Paper This Research Paper Must be taken seriously. Must use proper Grammar and present a Col

COM89 UC Santa Barbara Uses and Gratification Theory Research Paper This Research Paper Must be taken seriously.

Must use proper Grammar and present a College level paper.

OUTLINE, ARTICLE, & INSTRUCTIONS PDF ARE ATTACHED.

Story/Current Event: Wikipedia Isn’t Officially a Social Network. But the Harassment Can Get Ugly. – The New York Times

Communication Theory: Uses and Gratification Theory

In a 5-8 page paper, you will:

Identify, review, and apply a specific communication theory to the people, events, or issues that are involved in the news story.
Describe how at least two empirical studies about that theory relate to your discussion.

Consider which news story to focus on. You will ultimately need to choose one news story.

Choose at least two empirical research articles that use the same theory. Both studies must use the one theory you’re going to apply in your paper. These two sources must be empirical studies published in scholarly journals.

1. Malik, A., Dhir, A., & Nieminen, M. (2016). Uses and gratifications of digital photo sharing on Facebook. Telematics and Informatics, 33(1), 129-138.

2. Quan-Haase, A., & Young, A. L. (2010). Uses and gratifications of social media: A comparison of Facebook and instant messaging. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 30(5), 350-361.

Remember that you will need to accurately summarize the articles in terms of theory and results.

You’re also strongly encouraged to find additional sources that could help you provide depth and richness to the points you make in your paper. Such additional sources might be other articles, book chapters, or textbooks that give you helpful information about the theory.

You do NOT need an abstract for this paper. The paper should be typed 5-8 pages, double-spaced, page-numbered, with 1″ margins and Times New Roman 12-point font. Please use APA formatting throughout the paper. 1
Liam Giat
Comm 89
TA: Roselia Mendez Murillo
5/16/19
Paper Landmark 3: Research Paper Outline
Section I. Introduction
A. Definition
1. The uses and gratification theory focuses on how and why people actively seek out
specific media to satisfy their specific needs. The theory shows how individuals use the
media to achieve personal satisfaction or gratification, where their own needs are fulfilled
in one way or another.
B. What the Theory is about
2. The theory explains how and why people use the media as opposed to what the media
does to them. It uses an audience-centered approach where media users are deemed to
have power over the use of their media tools rather than being passive consumers of
media content. Some of the needs that users seek to fulfil by using media tools are based
on needs such as cognitive, affective, and personal integrative, social integrative and
tension free needs. For instance, users may use media platforms for entertainment,
socialization or leisure purposes.
3. Thesis Statement:
The Theory of Uses and Gratification will be evaluated in regards to the
Wikipedia article. Two empirical studies will aid with understanding exactly what the
uses and gratification theory is and how it is presented throughout article.
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Section II. Subject Story/Event
Event:
In an article published in the New York Times, the author reviewed the use of
Wikipedia as a platform for harassment for editors who have different opinions regarding
sensitive topics such as LGBT (Jacobs, 2019). The informational website which is used
by millions has been turned into a platform of socialization as opposed to the intended
purpose of providing information and facts. Wikipedia allowing editors/users to alter
content on Wikipedia pages, has resulted in users using the platform for personal attacks
based on issues such as gender and sexual orientation. Notably, the author focuses mostly
on LGBT based attacks that have been perpetrated using the platform (Jacobs, 2019).
Section III. Empirical Research on the Uses and Gratification Theory
Study 1:
The uses and gratification theory has been widely used to study behavioral
patterns of users of different media platforms. For example, different users prefer
social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter for different purposes. For
different users, every social media platform serves for different needs and
gratifications. For example, in one empirical study, the researchers sought to carry out
a comparative study on the different forms of gratification that users got from using
either Facebook or instant messaging (Quan-Haase & Young, 2010). The study looked
to investigate what needs were satisfied by the two media platforms. Using surveys
and interviews conducted among undergraduate students, the researchers found that
Facebook fulfilled needs related to social information, passing time, affection, fashion,
and problem sharing. On the other hand, instant messaging provided fulfillment for
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needs based on the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships
(Quan-Haase & Young, 2010).
Study 2:
In another study, the authors focused on the photo sharing aspect on Facebook as
a social media platform, with the aim of investigating the user gratification achieved
through this activity (Malik, Dhir & Nieminen, 2016). The study used an online survey
where 368 respondents were involved. Gratification and satisfaction related with sharing
of photos on Facebook was associated with needs such as affection, information sharing,
disclosure, social influence and attention seeking (Malik et al., 2016). Factors that
determine individual scope of needs include gender, age and social circles.
Section IV. Application in the Subject Article
In this section of the research paper, the principle of the uses and gratification
theory will be used to evaluate the nature of needs fulfilled by users of the Wikipedia
platform. An evaluation of the needs and gratifications that perpetrators of harassment
seek to achieve will be discussed.
Section V. Conclusion
Point 1. This section will summarize the research paper with the general understanding
of the uses and gratification theory being outlined.
Point 2. The fashion in which the theory merges between the subject article and
empirical studies will also be summarized.
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Section VI. References
Jacobs, J. (2019). Wikipedia Isn’t Officially a Social Network. But the Harassment Can Get
Ugly. Retrieved from New York Times.
Malik, A., Dhir, A., & Nieminen, M. (2016). Uses and gratifications of digital photo sharing on
Facebook. Telematics and Informatics, 33(1), 129-138.
Quan-Haase, A., & Young, A. L. (2010). Uses and gratifications of social media: A comparison
of Facebook and instant messaging. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 30(5),
350-361.
COMMUNICATION 89 RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS
The purpose of this assignment is to:
1. Increase your knowledge of how theory explains communication phenomena.
2. Challenge you to apply theoretical ideas to real life events/experiences.
3. Help you learn how theory is tested and shaped through empirical research.
4. Develop your skills for doing library and database research in the social sciences.
5. Improve your ability to read and understand original research articles in scholarly journals.
OVERVIEW
Your TA will present you with one or more recent news stories about current events. You need to
choose one of these stories. In a 5-8 page paper, you will:
1. Identify, review, and apply a specific communication theory to the people, events, or issues
that are involved in the news story.
2. Describe how at least two empirical studies about that theory relate to your discussion.
SPECIFICS – PART I: BACKGROUND WORK
Step 1
Consider which news story to focus on. You will ultimately need to choose one news story of the
two or three that your TA assigns to you. Each TA will have a different set of stories, so you can
only choose from the ones your own TA assigns to your section.
Step 2
Brainstorm communication topics. You will utilize one theory to explain something that is going
on in the news story. However, it’s likely the case that you don’t know many theories yet (at least,
not by name). So, in order to find a theory, first read the news stories several times and think of
any topics related to communication (in general) that you see. This could include various topics,
such as conflict resolution, ingroup/outgroup interaction, media effects, agenda setting,
nonverbal communication, technology and interpersonal relationships, selective attention to
media, emotion, and persuasion. These are just a few of the many topics you might find. If you’ve
taken Comm 1, you can also think back to any topics you remember from that class. The
communication topics you find can help you determine which theory to use in your paper.
Helpful Tip: You will do multiple exercises in your discussion section to help you with this
step. Be sure to attend your discussion section and complete the exercises and
“landmark” assignments.
Step 3
Use the literature to help you find possible theories. There are several ways to find a good theory
for this paper. You can look through the textbook and articles posted on GauchoSpace to see if
any of the theories sound promising. But be careful not to just pick the first theory you see or
limit yourself only to the theories from class—there are a lot more theories out there! Also, some
of the theories in the textbook will not work well for this assignment. More recently-developed
theories might be especially applicable to your paper.
Once you have some good topics/terms/concepts in mind, scour the research literature for
empirical studies (as well as other sources) that focus on your topic of interest. You can search
for a particular theory name if you already have a theory in mind (e.g., Social Cognitive Theory,
Groupthink, Elaboration Likelihood Model), but again, this can be limiting, because the studies
do not always mention the theory in their title or abstract. It often works better to type in phrases
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or terms that you’re focusing on (e.g., “media role models”). The one theory that you ultimately
choose should inform/explain/address the news story in some way.
Helpful Tip: Be sure to download and save the articles you read while you’re doing your
research. Save the articles as PDFs. It’s easy to forget where you found an article. Saving
downloaded articles can save you a lot of time in the long run.
Step 4
Focus on one particular theory. The studies you find probably will discuss several different
theories. Typically, theories are discussed in the first section of each article (i.e., the introduction
or literature review). Sometimes researchers very clearly identify theory names (e.g., “using the
framework of Attachment Theory . . .”), while others allude to their use of theoretical principles
(e.g., “research on attachment styles suggests that . . .”). So you may have to dig a little, consult
the textbook, or do some additional research to see if you can figure out what theory the authors
are using. But more importantly, you need to pick the one theory that you think has something
valuable, insightful, or interesting to say about the issues, events or people involved in the news
story.
Step 5
Choose at least two empirical research articles that use the same theory. Both studies must use
the one theory you’re going to apply in your paper. These two sources must be empirical studies
published in scholarly journals.
Note: An “empirical study” reports the results of actual research using data collected from
surveys, experiments, content analysis or other types of methods. A good clue that an article is
empirical is if you can find the Method section that reports the participants and/or forms of
measurement as well as a Results section that reports the findings and data analysis.
Remember that you will need to accurately summarize the articles in terms of theory and results.
Make sure to carefully read and take notes on the articles.
You’re also strongly encouraged to find additional sources that could help you provide depth and
richness to the points you make in your paper. Such additional sources might be other articles,
book chapters, or textbooks that give you helpful information about the theory.
Helpful Tip: Get started early and be flexible. You may have to search the library’s
databases several times to get a good selection of articles. Try several different ways of
approaching the topics you see in your news story and search for a variety of research
articles. If you cannot find good articles on one issue or topic, try another.
SPECIFICS – PART II: ORGANIZING THE PAPER INTO THE FOUR MAJOR SECTIONS
1. Introduction
Write a comprehensive introduction that informs the reader of the main ideas in the paper with a
clear thesis statement and preview. Try to make your introduction both informative and
engaging. Be sure to identify the communication issue/topic that arises from the people or
events in the story and the theory that will help to explain it. It is possible that your introduction
will require more than one paragraph.
2. Application
Apply one theory to something important that is going on with the events and/or people in the
news story. In addition, briefly describe the theory itself. To do this, you’ll need to draw upon the
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textbook and additional sources you find. Discuss how this theory and its terms/concepts would
explain or apply to the events in the story. Be as specific, thorough, and thoughtful as possible.
How does this theory provide a new understanding of these events, people, or behaviors? What
aspects of the events or behaviors does the theory explain well, and why? In what ways might the
theory fall short in helping to understand these events/behaviors? Be sure to support your
arguments. Draw upon your research sources wherever appropriate.
3. Review
Review how researchers have used the theory in at least two empirical studies. For each study,
explain how researchers used the theory to inform their study. For example, did the researchers
test a particular aspect of the theory? Was the study an application of some of the theory’s
concepts under new conditions or with different participant populations? Was the theory used
merely to help the researchers define variables? Briefly summarize each study (e.g., what they
did, what they found, etc.) and describe any major results that relate to the theory. How do the
studies relate to your discussion of your news story?
4. Connect
Tie together the different parts of your paper. This is NOT just a conclusion paragraph (although
of course you need one of those, too). You need to make connections between your application
of theory to the news story and the empirical research you found. Some tying together should be
done “as you go along” in the paper (e.g., to provide good transitions between issues or to note
an interesting connection between a finding and something you said earlier), but you will also
need to draw some larger conclusions and insights about the different issues you’ve raised. How
does your use of the theory to explain the news article fit together with or differ from the
researchers’ use of the theory? What should we now think about this theory in light of your
analysis of the news story and the research?
REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES
Format
The paper should be 5-8 pages of text (not counting title page and references). You do NOT need
an abstract for this paper. The paper should be typed, double-spaced, page-numbered, with 1″
margins and Times New Roman 12-point font. Please use APA formatting throughout the paper.
Note that Word’s default settings are usually wrong for this assignment (margins too big, font too
small, extra line spaces inserted after paragraphs, etc.), so you’ll need to change these settings.
Include a title page with your name and your TA’s name/section clearly identified. All papers
should also have proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Problematic writing mechanics
hinder the clarity of your ideas and the strength of the arguments, and will therefore detract from
the paper score.
APA Style Citations and Plagiarism
Since this assignment requires you to make good use of the thoughts, writings, and work of
others, proper citations are essential. Your paper must follow APA style (not MLA) for in-text
citations and for your reference list. You will find some guidelines for APA style on GauchoSpace.
You will also have an APA style exercise in section. Plagiarism will result minimally in a zero
grade, and will likely also result in a failing grade in the course and further disciplinary action. Be
especially carefully not to “borrow” from another student’s paper, as this is also plagiarism
(whether or not specific words have been changed). In short, do your own work. You must also be
sure to write your paper on one of the exact news stories that your TA assigns to you. If you write
about a story not assigned to your section, your paper will receive a zero grade.
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Turning in Papers – Submit to GauchoSpace
All papers must be submitted electronically to GauchoSpace. Go to the Research Paper
Instructions and Paper Upload tab. In addition to GauchoSpace submission, it is possible that
the TA of your section will have additional paper submission requirements. Please follow any
additional guidelines outlined by your TA.
Papers must be submitted online prior to the start of class on the specified date. Late papers are
marked down 5 points per day late (see syllabus for additional details). Double check to make
sure you uploaded the correct file! We can only grade what you submit. Be sure not to
accidentally submit an older draft or the wrong file. Again, we can only grade what you submit.
Always keep a copy of your paper on hand for your records as well. In cases of serious
emergency, you must notify your TA and Dr. Merolla as soon as possible, and we will proceed
from there depending on the severity and verifiability of the emergency.
GRADING CRITERIA
Your score will be based on how well your paper, compared to other students’ papers, shows: 1.
depth of analysis in using course concepts and outside research, 2. effectiveness at articulating and
supporting arguments, 3. accurate and thorough understanding of course material and outside
research, 4. University-level writing and organization, and 5. adherence to the instructions.
Note that we do not deduct points from your paper, but rather you earn points for writing with clearer
understanding and for making better, stronger, more insightful arguments than other papers do. It’s
often unclear what a truly excellent paper will look like until we read the papers that are turned in.
We anticipate that “average” papers will receive the equivalent of about a B-/C+ grade. The papers
that tend to end up in that top range are the ones that apply the theory and discuss the research not
only with accuracy, but also with depth, insight, and strong organization.
GETTING HELP ON YOUR PAPER
A good paper begins with good thinking, followed by a good outline, followed by good writing. A great
paper goes through several revisions before being turned in. Be sure you give yourself sufficient time
to think about, outline, write, and revise your paper.
Your TA will devote time in section to help you understand and do well on the assignment, so it’s
important to attend section. You’re also encouraged to see your TA or Dr. Merolla in office hours. But
neither your TA nor Dr. Merolla can just tell you what to write to get a good grade. When you come in,
it’s a good idea to bring your outline or some notes regarding your ideas.
You may also get writing help from Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS), although please
note that the tutors at CLAS, while helpful with general writing skills, might not know the specific
course material nor the assignment. They also do not necessarily know the high caliber of papers
that we usually see in this course. Thus, it’s plausible that they could tell you that your paper is
“fine,” when for our class that could mean “average.”
Rough drafts: You’re welcome to bring a rough draft to office hours and ask questions about any part
of it. But, in the case of paper drafts, you must choose only one or two paragraphs of the draft to
have us go over with you in detail for writing style and/or content issues.
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4/8/2019
Wikipedia Isn’t Of?cially a Social Network. But the Harassment Can Get Ugly. – The New York Times
Wikipedia Isn’t Of?cially a
Social Network. But the
Harassment Can Get Ugly.
By Julia Jacobs
April 8, 2019
In Wikipedia’s 18 years of existence, it has become a ?xture in our lives: It ascends to the top of
Google’s search results and provides answers to the questions we ask Alexa and Siri.
For Wikipedia’s editing community, the website is even more. It is a kind of social network where
users debate the minutiae of history and modern life, climb the editorial hierarchy and even meet
friends and romantic partners.
It is also a place where editors can experience relentless harassment. In 2016, Pax Ahimsa
Gethen, a trans male Wikipedian, was persistently hit with personal attacks over several months.
Mx. Gethen, 49, who uses the pronouns “they” and “them,” said the anonymous harasser posted
that they were “insufferable” and “unloved,” that they belonged in an internment camp and that
they should kill themself.
Mx. Gethen said the user also publicly posted their deadname, the name they used before
transitioning.
“It was devastating to me because of the personal nature of it,” Mx. Gethen said.
Unlike at social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, the people who handle reports of
harassment on Wikipedia are largely unpaid volunteers.
In response to complaints about pervasiv…
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