Theme 3: Research and theory

Part 1:

I chose a research journal named Journal of computer-mediated communication (JCMC) which had an impact factor of 2.019. The journal focused on computer-mediated communication through different mediums, like internet and wireless techniques. The journal has published articles since 1995 and contains everything from literature surveys to original articles.

The paper i later on decided to read was an article called The benefits of Facebook “friends:” Social capital and college students that was published by Nicole B. Ellison in 2007. The paper is about a study that was made in order to understand the relationship between a SNS (Social Network Sites), in this case the social platform Facebook, and social capital. There are three different aspects of social capital who are examined through the text; bridging, bonding and maintain social capital. The article focuses, unlike most of the press coverage, on the good outputs from Facebook such as increased well-being and the positive aspects of an offline to online relationship. The author states 6 different hypotheses which are quite similar to each other. Ellison starts with one hypothesis and discusses it whereupon the next hypothesis is delivered. This pattern is repeated, and even if i do like the way to really discuss and examine hypotheses, i find it a bit unclear which of them that is the definitive one.

Before the research is published, Nicole is presenting a sample of background information such as literature reviews and a short description of Facebook that makes it easier for the reader to put the later on examined research in context. The research method that is used is letting a couple of students at Michigan State University (MSU) answer an online survey. Out of 800 people asked, only 286 of them decided to complete the survey, even though they were rewarded with 5$ after finishing it. I would like to criticize the collection of information because it only includes one community, MSU in this case. The way a college student answers questions about SNS is not the same as asking a 13-year old or a 40-year old mother. Therefore, when the author states that there’s a positive relationship between Facebook use and to maintain/create social capital after going through the research, we have to be aware of that this is just a fact for this target group (even though it might be similar to other).

The data that is collected from the survey is represented in a several different tables and diagrams. Nicole is using a lot of different symbols and terms from the mathematical statics that i consider as a shrewd move for those who have studied statics, but for the others it’s close to impossible to understand it. I do also miss better presentations and structure of the tables. For example, you could read about one finding that the author has made but the table/figure connected to this is presented 3 pages later which causes some frustration and confusion.  

Part 2:

1. Briefly explain to a first year university student what theory is, and what theory is not.

There is no specific recipe or correct answer of what theory actually is and you will get different definitions depending on if you ask a natural scientist or a social scientist for example, even though they all are based on the same conception. Theory is essentially about the connection among phenomena which it tries to express and explain. Since people often, according to Sutton and Staw, are mixing up the meaning of theory it is easier to explain what it is not. Theory is not hypotheses, collecting of data, references, diagram and empirical patterns. They are on the other hand used as tools in order to support theory.

2. Describe the major theory or theories that are used in your selected paper. Which theory type (see Table 2 in Gregor) can the theory or theories be characterized as?

According to Gregor’s table and the article i chose i would say that is can be characterized as number 3, Prediction. The reason why i think so is because the author introduces six different hypotheses in the beginning which are supposed to be supported from the answers of the survey (the theory has testable propositions). Hence, i think the article and the theory itself do not have well-developed justificatory explanations by the easy reason that the survey contained few participants, only one community was examined and they only tested one SNS.

3. Which are the benefits and limitations of using the selected theory or theories?

I think it’s hard to get the most superior understanding in this case (III) when we don't use any why and how-explanation. The good thing though is that the hypotheses whom are stated actually are supported by a survey.