Social Media Versus Newspaper (Research Proposal Sample)

How does the source of information (social media versus newspaper) influences knowledge of current events?
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Research question
In relation to the underlying issue, the paper presents a research question to act as the blueprint that will guide the review of existing literature on the topic.
RQ: How does the source of information, in this case, social media and newspapers, influence knowledge of current events?
Based on the provided research question, it is possible to identify the major areas that the paper will touch. The areas include; 1. Social media versus traditional media 2. Influence of source on knowledge of current events 3. Censoring of social media content
Literature review
New media continues to evolve and morph, such that its status tomorrow is virtually unpredictable to most of the populace. The surge in the usage of new media stems from its ability to offer the user on-need access to information anytime, on any digitally enabled device, as well as an interactive user feedback (Stephens, et al, 2014). New forms of media subscribe to the democratization of the creation publishing, distribution and the consumption of media content (Parker, 2009). Typically, a distinguishing aspect of the new media relative to the traditional media is the digitization of contents into bits. Further, there is the dynamic aspect of content production that is applicable in real time, though the offerings are yet to gain substantial traction for standardization.
Social media versus traditional media
Studies agree that the use of the social media continues to be among the most common activity of the current generation (Parker, 2009; Patrick, 2009; Horton, 2008). A website that permits social interaction is regarded as a social media site inclusive of social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Weibo, Myspace among others. The sites offer the populace a portal for entertainment (Horton, J. (2008), communication and act as a source of information (Patrick, 2009). Consequently, they have grown exponentially in usage recently. With the advent of smartphones that offer internet connectivity and access to the social networking sites, scholarships argue that almost 75 percent of the world's populace own phones (King, et al, 2013). Further, Ceron, et al, (2014) suggest that over 25 percent of mobile owners use them for social media while another 54 percent use them for texting, and another segment use them for instant messaging. Qualman, (2010) agrees that a large part of the world's generations perceive social media sites for news alerts.
Hypothesis 1: More people are now dependent on social media as a source of information on current events.
Influence of source of knowledge about current events
According to Bayen, & Kuhlmann, (2011), how persons interact and consume information is mostly influenced by the source of the information. For instance, it is possible to trust the advice of a physician but not that of a hairdresser. As such, remembering the source of information is a vital element of the human memory (Cook, et al, 2003). Some studies have formulated a theoretical framework for source monitoring that provides two types of information that individuals apply in attributing memories to a source (Bayen, & Kuhlmann, 2011). Among the type of information source are the episodic contextual features encoded in memories. People may recall perceptual details such as the image of the individual that shared some information. The other type of source pertains general knowledge, schemas, beliefs stereotypes and plausibility (Ceron, et al, 2014).
Various empirical studies have proposed evidence that an information source that offers various patterns of information can easily influence an individual. In their study, Aurisicchio, et al, (2010) agreed that source modern day media have the advantage of combining graphics, motion pictures and interactive sessions with users. They compare the use of magazines and the Twitter site. In their study, Lloyd, et al, (2006) established that persons preferred Twitter to dailies (p=0.03). In as much as dailies are available for purchase, the fact that they offer no prompt feedback to the consumer puts them off. Another study concluded that in the long term, buying a printed form of a magazine is more costly than maintaining a smartphone (P=0.02) (Stephens, et al, 2014). Studies agree that social media sites such as Weibo, Facebook, and Twitter are rapidly taking over news agencies and magazines as the primary sources of information (Meraz, S. (2009; Fu, et al, 2013). The ability of the social media to offer real-time updates on the recent trends and development in all spheres of life offers them an upper hand. Most social media sites provide no restriction on the content shared, unlike magazines that offer limitations as per the audience (Horton, 2008). Scholarships have established that social media usage rises during important historical events (Ceron, et al, 2014). For instance, during elections, social media offers users updates on the performance of their candidates in real time at no cost. Unlike social media, magazines have to be written, edited, printed and distributed physically the following day or after a specified period. Social media offers consumers a chance to keep up with what others are doing in their line of work. They also offer current happenings in the tech world; further some social media sites such as Facebook and Weibo enable users to follow their interests with peers (Sullivan, 2014).
Hypothesis 2: The source of information affects knowledge acquisition.
Censoring of media content
Due to the uncensored and unrestricted nature of the content shared in most social media sites, debate ensues regarding the quality of the information consumed by users. Studies suggest that most of the content contained in printed media such as magazines and newspaper undergoes a series of stringent audit to ensure that the intended audience fits it for consumption (Lorentzen, 2014). Nevertheless, the coming of the social media has witnessed a sudden shift in the quality of the information shared across the populace. Nevertheless, debates arise regarding the originality of the information carried on some social media sites such as Weibo in China. With the closure of Facebook and Twitter in China, new social media sites had to abide by government restrictions on the type of information shared (Fu, et al, 2013). Of interest is the argument whether a censored media provides it consumers the benefits associated with social media. Lorentzen, (2014) argues that sensitive information, and complaints on current events conveyed by most sites are highly censored in most countries. Such sites, as per Fu, et al, (2013) lack the reliability offered by conventional sources of communication. It seems that rather being sources of information, such censored sites are nothing but channels of updating peers on the developments of one’s life.
Hypothesis 3: Censoring reduces the reliability of the information conveyed by a source.
Having analyzed the relevant literature to this, various issues stand out as critical in contributing more knowledge to this study, these includes
1 How censoring affects knowledge acquisition
2 The role of conventional media in broadcasting information
Summary and Conclusion
Social media continues to transform the lives of many globally, putting the world informed of current happenings in real time. The world is gradually experiencing a shift from traditional sources of information that provide them immediate feedback and continence. In as much as social media continues ...