Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
The first step I undertook in my research was to construct a lotus diagram. This provided the perfect way for me to explore the concept of social media, and the
subtopics involved. I found this technique to be very beneficial, as it encouraged me to think deeper about the numerous aspects revolving the topic.
Due to my deep interest and extensive use of social media, it was the topic I chose to explore. I wanted to know how specific users gained followers, and why
they did so. I was also contemplating researching such things as the benefits and disadvantages of social media, or to delve into a specific social media
platform to research.
I forgot to incorporate the capabilities I was planning on exploring within my mind map, however I was originally thinking I would focus on the Information and
Communication Technology capability due to the technology required for social media use. However, I ended up changing my capability to The Critical &
Creative Thinking Capability, due to my realisation that I would need to design a survey to access information. Accessing, organising, using, and evaluating
information are all critical key points for the capability, which would be the basis of my research.
Source Reference Source Analysis
"6 Research-Backed The research has been posted on an online business magazine, called Fast Company. It has been re-blogged from a site
Ways To Get More called Buffer, which was clearly referenced on the site. Links have been provided when studies and statistics have been
Followers On Any mentioned, however the site only has moderate accuracy as no bibliography is included. Opinionated statements are backed
Social Media". Fast up with evidence. The site has not been created to persuade, but more so to inform. Information does not seem to have been
Company. N.p., omitted and as the site does not attempt to persuade, the site is likely to not be biased. The original author Kevan Lee has
2014. Web. 16 July many online followers, which is what the website aims to influence, however he does not have many credentials, meaning the
2016. site is only moderately credible. The provided information is recent, from the past two years. The research is easy to navigate,
read and understand, and is therefore suitable for the topic. I used this site as it gave me an insight to research-backed ways
from social media influencers on how to gain followers online.
"Benefits Of Twitter The information comes from a government verified page, meaning it is a referred and reliable source, with high accuracy. It is
For Business | slightly difficult to distinguish fact from opinion from the information, however the site is created to inform not to persuade.
Queensland Information doesnt appear to be purposely omitted, therefore it is likely to be not biased. No authorised author is mentioned,
Government". however on a government website this would be inappropriate. Other sites have not been credited, however the information
Business.qld.gov.au. given appears to be a primary source, therefore it can be concluded as credible. The information has been very recently
N.p., 2016. Web. 20 reviewed (past couple of months) and is easy to read and understand, however there is not much information on the page. The
July 2016. information is suitable for the topic.
Edit: When I chose this source, it was before I had decided to focus on Instagram, which is why the site focuses on the benefits
of Twitter for business. After I had refined this question, I probably wouldnt have chosen this source.
"3101.0 - Australian The information comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which is Australias official statistical agency of the
Demographic Government. Their information source is primary, and the information has been verified. It provides high quality, objective and
Statistics, Dec responsive statistics with high accuracy. The site has been created to provide the community with the demographic statistics
2015". Abs.gov.au. of Australia. Facts can easily be distinguished from opinion, as the information is purely statistical, and is therefore not biased.
N.p., 2016. Web. 3 The Government of Australia is responsible for the site, and the information is consequently accurate. An author's name has not
Aug. 2016. been provided, however this information is omitted as it is not suitable for the site. Many other sites have referred to the
Australian Bureau of Statistics, and it is therefore credible. The information is recent from the past year, and is very easy to
read and understand. The information is sufficient, and suitable for my topic as it provides me with demographic information.
Edit: As I was originally focusing on societies demographics, this information was suitable. However, once I refined my
question, the numerous demographics were no longer necessary as I only focused on one.
"Engage Instagram The information comes from a website called tapinfluence, which is created by consumers for consumers. There appears to be
Features | Boost no verification that the given information on the site is correct, however the statements and tips provided are purely opinions
Your Influence | from those who have experience in the industry, therefore the site is moderately accurate. The site has been created to inform
Tapinfluence". Instagram users of how to gain more followers, and how to increase your influence on the site. The page is heavily biased as
TapInfluence. N.p., evidence is not provided, therefore stating opinion, as opposed to fact. The author of the page is Julianna Vorhaus, who does
2014. Web. 10 Aug. not appear to have any credentials. However, the site is run and moderated by a strong team of social media influencers, who
2016. all in turn have a long list of history in the business, therefore the page is moderately credible. The information is relatively
recent (past two years) however due to the ever-changing online world, the information is slightly outdated. However, it is easy
to read, and gives users simple steps to follow. As the site gives information as to how to gain followers, it is therefore suitable
to my topic. The information on the site helped me to understand the features of Instagram, to assist me in my knowledge of the
platform.
Seligson, H. (2016). The information comes from online magazine The Atlantic. The article features statistics that come from a site that measures
Why Are More internet traffic, called ComScore. Upon research on the ComScore website, it has been found that the statistics are accurate,
Women Than Men as the ComScore tag is propagated throughout Instagram to measure the traffic. The site has been created to inform, not
on Instagram?. persuade, and the information given in the magazine article is mostly statistics, in which case there is little bias. The article
[online] The Atlantic. however, has been written by a female, and refers to personal experiences where she has been known to use Instagram more
[Accessed 20 Sep. than her husband - however the personal experiences are backed up with evidence given in the statistics. Further research on
2016]. ComScore has revealed that the statistics used are in fact accurate, and almost every other site online shows that more men
than women are on Instagram, meaning that the site is credible. Additionally, the information given is very recent, and explains
how ComScore works in detail. The information is very suitable to the topic, and is easy to read. The information given helped
me to compare the results of my survey with the statistics on Instagram.
Initially, I decided to focus on The Information and Communication Technology Capability. This was prior to me changing my question to specifically target
Instagram and the age demographic for 14-18 year olds. However, due to refinement of the question and realisation that I will be analysing and evaluating
primary information gained from survey responses, I decided to change capabilities.
As technology is inevitably closely related to social media, critically analysing the limitations and impacts of present technologies is relevant to
my research question. Limitations such as risks and disadvantages are evident amongst technology, which is of utmost importance for users
understanding. Understanding these disadvantages, and how social media can be detrimental to users health is also an implication of the
technology available. By constructing a survey and distributing through social media to gain responses, the knowledge gained from the
capability to these methods in order to collect and process the data.
Chosen Capability: The Critical & Creative Thinking Capability. Due to the nature of my research, I believe this capability was the best fit.
However, as creativity is a major element of Instagram, I decided to choose the Critical & Creative Thinking Capability instead. This creativity
is utilised for users to express themselves with their interests and viewpoints, often attracting followers with similar mindsets. As social media
as a whole is an innovative outlet, the understanding of the nature of innovation is also recognised. The critical element of my project is
understanding how social media users must be aware of possible manipulation from the online marketing aspects. The knowledge of how
Instagram can be used in marketing for business is an example of the transfer of knowledge into new contexts. As the data was collected for
the survey I constructed, the information was critically analysed through the use of Excel and comparisons to secondary sources. This analysis
helped me to understand exactly what my data meant, and therefore how to recognise key findings.
Following the teacher led workshops in class, I have pages of notes which will be critical towards the construction of my survey, which
demonstrates my ability to apply new skills and knowledge gained. The construction of my questions in both my interview and survey and
highlighting of key findings demonstrated how I was able to pose questions while identifying and clarifying information. Analysis of sources to
test for accuracy, bias, credibility and suitability were utilised to further clarify information.
The annotations used throughout my folio are examples of metacognition, which show myself thinking about my thinking processes.
Before I had begun my research project, I had not given much of a thought as to how I could develop my capabilities by conducting a survey
and analysing data. When I first begun, I didnt know much about conducting surveys, or where to begin if I were to construct one. I had no
idea about what questions I would include, or even what websites to use. However, as I have delved deeper into my research, I have definitely
developed a stronger sense of research skills from conducting my survey. I now know that it is essential to be ethically considerate, by
including such things as non-binary options within the gender category. It is also crucial to include a page informing respondents of their
rights and anonymity. My research analytical skills have also been refined, as I used Excel to categorise and graph my data to display my key
findings. Due to receiving some negative comments through the anonymity of my survey also, I have become more aware of the implications
involved with such methods of research.
Planning of Research
In order to answer my research project question, I will need to undertake specific research processes which will be most helpful in order to
gain the most sufficient data within the time frame. Not every research method will be suitable, and therefore I must consider the advantages
and disadvantages of each method.
To obtain primary information that is easily accessible, I plan to construct a survey on Survey Monkey to administer easily online. This will be a
cost efficient method, that I will share with my Facebook friends who are within the 14-18-year-old demographic. The method is also time-
efficient, meaning that it will be suitable for the time allocated to complete my research project. This method will hopefully allow myself to draw
conclusions from the sample size, to obtain key findings. To ensure credible and reliable data, survey respondents will be notified of their
anonymity, to allow respondents to feel more open with their answers. A possible implication of this method is that I may not be able to gain as
large a sample size as I would like, in order for my data to be as reliable as possible.
An interview with Instagram user Brooke Upton will additionally be undertaken, to obtain primary information. As she has 10, 000 followers,
she will hopefully be able to give an insight on both the subject of follower gain as well as social media marketing, in regards to her personal
opinions and perceptions. The only possible implication is that Brooke may not have time to complete my interview questions.
To cross-reference my information, I will look on the internet for secondary sources that will display similar data to my primary information.
Looking for information online is beneficial due to ease of access and low cost in acquiring information. It is important to consider that not all
sources are reliable, and to be able to distinguish the credible sources from those that arent so.
The research question I have chosen to undertake is: How does societys LINK TO POWERPOINT:
demographics influence the likelihood of follower gain on Instagram? https://docs.google.com/a/asms.sa.edu.au/presentation/d/1dMSBDhWk
mcYIwwxpLBr_y8bWw4fv5tfOGd1so9d0NWs/edit?usp=drive_web
My research will involve me conducting a survey across various demographics, to
determine what kinds of Instagram accounts the demographics are most likely to Feedback from Panel Presentation:
follow and why. I knew I wanted to research something to do with social media, as I was happy with the way my panel presentation went, and believe that
it is a big part of my everyday life and I am very interested in the science behind I gained insightful feedback in regards to my research project. The
social media follower gain. As I am often asked how I gain followers on social panellists were happy with my choice of topic, stating that it was
media and am unable to give an answer, I decided to conduct research to see if relevant and interesting, and praised me on my mind map and lotus
there was any science behind it. As I originally began my research with the broad diagram. However, they also stated that referring to societies
topic of social media, I created a lotus diagram surrounding the numerous aspects demographics was too broad, and I was advised to further refine my
of the topic, including the sub-topic of follower gain. Due to my interest, I decided to question, and to perhaps focus on a specific age demographic instead.
delve further into my research, and chose the question of What influences social Upon gaining this feedback, I proceeded to change my question to
media follower gain? I then created a mind-map which showed the aspects of What influences the likelihood of follower gain on Instagram for
follower gain, to research the topic more. It didnt take long before I realised how those that fit into the 14-18-year-old demographic?
broad this question was, and that I would need to refine it. I started by choosing a
social media platform to focus on specifically, and decided on Instagram. After Edit: My achievements have aligned well with my goals, as I was able
speaking with my teacher, she pointed out that I would need to focus on the to construct a survey and send it out to my Facebook friends easily.
demographics, as the numerous social demographics inevitably tend to follow However, since the feedback I received from my panel presentations
different accounts on social media. resulted in me refining my topic, my final results were more specific,
focusing on one demographic rather than multiple. I followed the plan
I plan to construct a magazine article for my research outcome, as it will be a fun that I had proposed, and was therefore able to determine which
and suitable way for me to present my findings. As consumer magazines often accounts the Instagram users in the 14-18-year-old demographic were
feature articles relating to social media, this is the type of magazine I will have in most likely to follow.
mind as I create my article. It will be based around the type of Instagram accounts
that the magazines audience will be most likely to follow, due to their demographic.
I further broadened my knowledge on the fact that Some of the knowledge I gained from the workshops are as follows:
not all sources are reliable, and that I must be aware
Understanding what is reasonable for survey respondents to
of their quality. I have improved my techniques by
know before they take the survey
looking at the original sources of information given
Be clear, using common language
within each of the websites, to check them for
State what the information is being used for, and confirm their
reliability and accuracy.
anonymity
Only ask questions that will provide vital information
Include both open and closed questions, for qualitative and
quantitative information
Using numerous sources
Further analysis (What influences follower gain on Instagram for those that fit into the age demographic of 14-18 year olds)
My survey proved to be highly useful in finding out what influences follower gain, as I was able to gain the information from an adequate number of
respondents that fit into the age demographic. I had much more responses from females as opposed to males, however my research beyond my survey has
shown that females are more active on Instagram than males, which correlates well with my data. Although my data was biased due to the age demographic
and the audience whom I sent the survey out to, this bias was welcome as it was the data I was seeking to find. As I have a sufficient number of responses, I
am able to make relatively conclusive results from my findings. My research has given the indication for numerous aspects of the influences of follower gain,
including that fashion and celebrities are the highest most likely to follow accounts voted by respondents. When accounts post content that incorporates
these categories, users within the demographic are more likely to follow that account.
Reflection
I believe the survey I conducted gave me substantial information required for my research. I had examples of both quantitative and qualitative data within my
survey, which respondents answered. Asking questions that were open ended allowed respondents to express their own thoughts and opinions, without the
guidelines of multiple choice. The survey enabled me to see the elements that Instagram users took into consideration upon following another account. Skills
were also developed in relation to my chosen capability of The Critical & Creative Thinking Capability. After conducting my survey, I was accessing,
organising, using, and evaluating the information collected. To assist me in the collection of my data, I used Excel to sort out and graph my information.
David Wicks from Social Media Today has stated the importance of social
How can this media for business, as it opens up numerous opportunities for marketing.
information be used A higher following count equals higher visibility on social media, which
means that more products are sold. As can be seen in my findings,
in a real world businesses selling products online through Instagram will be most
successful when selling items related to fashion, beauty, or feature
sense? celebrities. Other benefits of social media for business are as follows:
Competition
Online presence
Not only does social media provide customers with an insight It is essential to use social media with its rising success, in
into your product or business, it is also a great tool to obtain a order to keep up with the competitors in the business.
deeper knowledge on the market and potential competition.
Finding customers
As social media comes with such features as key words and
Importance of getting social hashtags, it makes it much easier for customers to find
businesses and vice versa.
As social media platforms let users know what is popular, it is
vital for todays success in business. Social skills and the ability Affordability
to communicate online are skills that are extremely useful once
developed. As social media does not require an extensive budget, it is a
cost effective way for any business to manage their advertising
and product-selling.
Instagrams
Statistics 2016