Analyze uses of your mobile phone that connect you to other people

INFO202: Social Aspects of Information Technology Fall 2018

Second Short Paper: Analyzing Your Use of Mobile Phones Due Date: October 14, 2017 (midnight)

1. Topic. In this paper you will analyze uses of your mobile phone that connect you to other people. In looking at these uses as a sociotechnical system, you will want to consider the aspects of your mobile phone use that relate to your individual choices, those that are enabled or constrained by the technology, and those that relate to social aspects such as law or social mores. In this paper you will use either the concept of media ideology (Gershon) or the concept of self-expansion (Hoffner, et al.). You must discuss and cite at least two class readings.

2. Analysis and Use of Concepts from Class.

a. Media Ideology Papers. Identify and discuss your media ideology for two different uses of mobile phone media, including an explanation of where your ideologies comes from and how they relate to your other media ideologies.

b. Self-Expansion Papers. Identify and discuss two communication-oriented uses of your mobile phone: one that increases self-expansion, and one that decreases self-expansion.

In both types of papers, a discussion of the influence of your race, ethnicity, culture, or gender on your cell phone use will strengthen your analysis (Soriano, Graham and Choi). Baym’s concepts (discussed in lecture) will also be useful in your analysis.

3. Write-Up. (5 pages) Although you are using material from your own life, this paper is in the form of a social science report, not a memoir or creative essay. Therefore, it should include the following:

Introduction. (1 paragraphs) In this style of paper, an introduction provides a “road map” for the rest of the paper. It should include a thesis statement that tells us what you will be arguing in this paper. (A thesis statement expresses your main point; in this case, it will likely include an identification of your media ideology and a statement about your use of your phone.) Avoid sweeping generalizations like “mobile phones have transformed the way we connect with each other.” Your introduction may introduce terms, however, you should wait to define these terms until the main body of the paper.

Analysis. (4 pages) This is the main body of the paper, and should include specific examples from your own use of mobile phone media, along with analyses of what these examples illustrate, using concepts from the lectures and readings. You do not want to make general statements about society; instead you should specifically analyze the evidence from your own life. However, you should situate your own experiences within their social and technological context.

Use of Class Materials. Each concept you introduce from lectures or readings should be carefully defined. You are required to: (a) summarize the main point of the relevant reading/lecture, (b) include a direct quote from the source of the concept, followed by (c) an explanation in your own words. Then you will (d) describe your example and (e) illustrate how the concept you have selected helps explain this example.

Citation. You must include citations in your work in APA style.

Conclusion. (1 paragraph) Your conclusion should not introduce new material. You should summarize your discussion and state the conclusion you have reached (which should be substantially similar to your thesis statement in the introduction).