Rich variety of DA approaches applied in social media research: A systematic scoping review

2021 ◽  
pp. 175048132110437
Author(s):  
Réka Tamássy ◽  
Zsuzsanna Géring
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Rich Variety ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Complex Approach ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Social Media Research ◽  
Textual Material ◽  
Level Scale

Social media is an endless source of texts and images about almost everything. Accordingly, the number of analyses based on this source increases daily. Among the numerous methods social media can be analysed by, our attention focusses on discourse analysis (DA). DA is a complex approach which makes it possible to capture not only the linguistic characteristics of given texts, but also their socially constructive and socially constructed features. Therefore, we carried out a systematic examination of the articles at one of the largest academic databases, EBSCO available in 2019 which used DA in social media research. Our investigation studies not only the geographical distribution of this corpus, but the different self-proclaimed DA approaches. Furthermore, we developed a three-level scale in order to capture the methodological complexity of the collected articles. At one end of the scale there are those research papers where discourse appears only as a label for the textual material gathered, without further indication of any DA theories or methodologies. The other end, however, refers to those research projects which applied DA both in their theoretical and methodological frameworks, providing complex discourse analytical investigations of social media texts. This way we were able to demonstrate the wide array of DA perspectives employed in social media research.

scholarly journals At close quarters: Combatting Facebook design, features and temporalities in social research

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 205395171880231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Gangneux ◽  
Stevie Docherty
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
The Other ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Social Media Research

As researchers we often find ourselves grappling with social media platforms and data ‘at close quarters’. Although social media platforms were created for purposes other than academic research – which are apparent in their architecture and temporalities – they offer opportunities for researchers to repurpose them for the collection, generation and analysis of rich datasets. At the same time, this repurposing raises an evolving range of practical and methodological challenges at the small and large scale. We draw on our experiences and empirical data from two research projects, one using Facebook Community Pages and the other repurposing Facebook Activity Logs. This article reflects critically on the specific challenges we faced using these platform features, on their common roots, and the tactics we adopted in response. De Certeau’s distinction between strategy and tactics provides a useful framework for exploring these struggles as located in the practice of doing social research – which often ends up being tactical. This article argues that we have to collectively discuss, demystify and devise tactics to mitigate the strategies and temporalities deeply embedded in platforms, corresponding as far as possible to the temporalities and the aims of our research. Although combat at close quarters is inevitable in social media research, dialogue between researchers is more than ever needed to tip the scales in our favour.

scholarly journals ‘I feel the irritation and frustration all over the body’ Affective ambiguities in networked parenting culture

2021 ◽  
pp. 136787792110035
Author(s):  
Mari Lehto ◽  
Susanna Paasonen
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Research Data ◽  
The Body ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Working Through ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Social Media Research ◽  
Study Participants

This article investigates the affective power of social media by analysing everyday encounters with parenting content among mothers. Drawing on data composed of diaries of social media use and follow-up interviews with six women, we ask how our study participants make sense of their experiences of parenting content and the affective intensities connected to it. Despite the negativity involved in reading and participating in parenting discussions, the participants find themselves wanting to maintain the very connections that irritate them, or even evoke a sense of failure, as these also yield pleasure, joy and recognition. We suggest that the ambiguities addressed in our research data speak of something broader than the specific experiences of the women in question. We argue that they point to the necessity of focusing on, and working through affective ambiguity in social media research in order to gain fuller understanding the complex appeal of platforms and exchanges.

scholarly journals What people study when they study Tumblr

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 528-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose Attu ◽  
Melissa Terras
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Form ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Access To Data ◽  
Social Networking Website ◽  
Conference Papers ◽  
Published Research ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Since its launch in 2007, research has been carried out on the popular social networking website Tumblr. The purpose of this paper is to identify published Tumblr-based research, classify it to understand approaches and methods, and provide methodological recommendations for others. Design/methodology/approach Research regarding Tumblr was identified. Following a review of the literature, a classification scheme was adapted and applied, to understand research focus. Papers were quantitatively classified using open coded content analysis of method, subject, approach, and topic. Findings The majority of published work relating to Tumblr concentrates on conceptual issues, followed by aspects of the messages sent. This has evolved over time. Perceived benefits are the platform’s long-form text posts, ability to track tags, and the multimodal nature of the platform. Severe research limitations are caused by the lack of demographic, geo-spatial, and temporal metadata attached to individual posts, the limited Advanced Programming Interface, restricted access to data, and the large amounts of ephemeral posts on the site. Research limitations/implications This study focusses on Tumblr: the applicability of the approach to other media is not considered. The authors focus on published research and conference papers: there will be book content which was not found using the method. Tumblr as a platform has falling user numbers which may be of concern to researchers. Practical implications The authors identify practical barriers to research on the Tumblr platform including lack of metadata and access to big data, explaining why Tumblr is not as popular as Twitter in academic studies. Social implications This paper highlights the breadth of topics covered by social media researchers, which allows us to understand popular online platforms. Originality/value There has not yet been an overarching study to look at the methods and purpose of those who study Tumblr. The authors identify Tumblr-related research papers from the first appearing in 2011 July until 2015 July. The classification derived here provides a framework that can be used to analyse social media research, and in which to position Tumblr-related work, with recommendations on benefits and limitations of the platform for researchers.

scholarly journals Is It Time to Re-Evaluate the Ethics Governance of Social Media Research?

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 452-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Samuel ◽  
W. Ahmed ◽  
H. Kara ◽  
C. Jessop ◽  
S. Quinton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Research Ethics ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Ethics Committees ◽  
Research Ethics Committees ◽  
Media Ethics ◽  
Research Institution ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Social Media Research

This article reports on a U.K. workshop on social media research ethics held in May 2018. There were 10 expert speakers and an audience of researchers, research ethics committee members, and research institution representatives. Participants reviewed the current state of social media ethics, discussing well-rehearsed questions such as what needs consent in social media research, and how the public/private divide differs between virtual and real-life environments. The lack of answers to such questions was noted, along with the difficulties posed for ethical governance structures in general and the work of research ethics committees in particular. Discussions of these issues enabled the creation of two recommendations. The first is for research ethics committees and journal editors to add the category of ‘data subject research’ to the existing categories of ‘text research’ and ‘human subject research’. This would reflect the fact that social media research does not fall into either of the existing categories and so needs a category of its own. The second is that ethical issues should be considered at all stages of social media research, up to and including aftercare. This acknowledges that social media research throws up a large number of ethical issues throughout the process which, under current arrangements for ethical research governance, risks remaining unaddressed.

scholarly journals Navigating Big Data dilemmas: Feminist holistic reflexivity in social media research

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 205395171880773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Cooky ◽  
Jasmine R Linabary ◽  
Danielle J Corple
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Institutional Review Boards ◽  
Social Media Data ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Slow Adaptation ◽  
Private Research ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Social Media Research ◽  
Media Data

Social media offers an attractive site for Big Data research. Access to big social media data, however, is controlled by companies that privilege corporate, governmental, and private research firms. Additionally, Institutional Review Boards’ regulative practices and slow adaptation to emerging ethical dilemmas in online contexts creates challenges for Big Data researchers. We examine these challenges in the context of a feminist qualitative Big Data analysis of the hashtag event #WhyIStayed. We argue power, context, and subjugated knowledges must each be central considerations in conducting Big Data social media research. In doing so, this paper offers a feminist practice of holistic reflexivity in order to help social media researchers navigate and negotiate this terrain.

scholarly journals Kesantunan Mahasiswa Dalam Berbahasa Indonesia Di Media Sosial: Whatsapp, Facebook, Dan Instagram

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
Widya Tri Utomo ◽  
Andhika Djalu Sembada ◽  
Ricky Santoso Muharam
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Written Communication ◽  
Personal Writing ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Social Media Research ◽  
Word Selection

The research aims to analyze students' modesty in Indonesian on social media, so that students pay more attention to the modesty in Indonesian through social media. Research uses qualitative descriptive methods to describe complex social realities by describing, classifying, analyzing, and interpreting data according to its natural condition. Data collection techniques take from student conversation screenshoots from social media WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.The results showed, 1) there is still an ambiguous use of the word in written communication, 2) the use of the word "Sorry" to start a conversation on social media, 3) displeasure in giving greetings to lecturers, 4) the use of casual language (disrespectful) to lecturers, 5) indifference in word selection to lecturers through social media, and 6) insensitivity in giving opening greetings.Lecturers give direction to students through personal writing communication and provide examples of polite communication when chatting with students. The student's response after being given direction by the lecturer, has a positive impact. Students pay more attention to the civility of language when communicating with lecturers, either through written communication, or oral communication.

scholarly journals How changing API terms changed Instagram's domain? A bibliometric analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Hartman ◽  
Tereza Simova
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Application Programming ◽  
Key Topics ◽  
Media Research ◽  
Social Media Research

In 2018 Facebook blocked a public Application Programming Interfaces (API) that could be used to download data from Facebook and Instagram. Much uncertainty still exists about the effect on social media research due to changes in Instagram API conditions. The presented paper provides an overview of the Instagram domain in terms of a research area. The main focus of this research is on the comparison of the key topics before and after the change of the Instagram API terms (comparing Instagram's research domain before and after 2018). A partial goal was to find out how the change in the conditions of the Instagram API has changed the number of social media research itself. We used a bibliometric approach to map the domain of Instagram. The paper has identified key topics in the domain of Instagram. Between the years 2010 and 2018 the key topics were gender, behavior on social media, dissemination of information, and platform selection. After the change of Instagram API conditions, after 2018, the key topics were gratifications, body image, dissatisfaction, and basic Instagram topics. The paper has found that generally, there was no change in research topics, nor the number of papers published after the Instagram API condition. Further study should focus on establish the relationships between Instagram use and psychological well-being; investigate the motives for Instagram use a study the effect of Instagram API on research with the use of different methods; gaining a better understanding of social media consumer activity; establish whatever our key topics are relevant to other social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter or Tiktok); study Instagram domain on different citation databases (e.g., in Scopus). This paper has also raised important questions about whether the Instagram API should be or should not be open for research purposes.

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