Blog 21: Independent Component 2

LITERAL

(a) I, Mariah Caputo, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

(b) "Catfish: The TV Show › Watch Video." Catfish: The TV Show Full Episodes. MTV, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. http://www.mtv.com/shows/catfish/video.jhtml?filter=fulleps

(c) IC Hour Log

(d) I have completed interviewing people who have had online connections, while creating a blog on a popular blog site, Tumblr, and networking in order to post their stories once I reach a particular follower count.  

INTERPRETIVE

My work demonstrates 30 hours of work primarily the significant parts of interviewing, maintaining the blog, and watching other people's stories via the MTV television show Catfish. 

Interviewing I used my iPhone to record interviews I did with people. Two of the three interviews I was able to conduct were face-to-face and people I knew, while the third interview was via skype with a person who I recently met through networking on tumblr. Despite only had been capable of interviewing three people, it was time consuming to transcript 15-20 minute interviews. 

Interview 1

Interview 2

Interview 3

Blog maintenance I used the popular social network site for teen blogs, Tumblr, to execute my project. I created it and put my efforts to make it aesthetically pleasing and fit what a "tumblr famous" blog would be like. I spent a large amount of time customizing and writing the appropriate sections, while contacting fellow seniors to help me with promoting my blog and designing a logo for it. Aside from aesthetics, I was dedicated to networking. I took the time to explore the tags on Tumblr to follow blogs and send a greeting to every LDR, follow4follow, promo4promo, etc. blog and gained followers that introduced myself and asked if they would be willing to help with my project. I did not reblog or create many original posts, due to the fact I was concerned with putting my name out there first by communicating with people to make friends in this unfamiliar community versus reblogging pictures that did not promise follower counts.
California Chocolate
Scripted asks 

Background research Aside from interviewing, I looked towards already existing projects to find inspiration on what types of questions I should ask people as well as how to present myself. This step was critical to my IC because if I had not watched the MTV series of Catfish then my understanding of the subject would not be as in depth as it is now. Of the 11 episodes, I watched 7 episodes and took notes and reaction observations.
MTV Catfish
Previous blogs

APPLIED

My independent component made my answer, that Americans' identities have been the most affected of the three effects social media has had on us. real. This independent component allowed me to see my project in a journalistic angle and conduct interviews with real people, not articles. I feel that the most expert people in the field, are the ones whose lives have been changed by social media and the ones who are an expert in its use, not anything less or more. 

For example, in my second interview, the interviewee had given the example of how they had experienced themselves a person they were romantically involved with not being who they said they were. This event in this person's life helped them explain to me better understand my research I have compiled up until this point about identity by clearly connecting the two together. 

Another example of how my IC helped was watching Catfish. This show was not entertainment for me, but a view of how far people can go to be someone they are not. By seeing the process the TV cast commits to each person on the show, it helped me prove my answer on how hugely social media has impacted us from how we use it to operate and create false personas. 

And finally, by creating a tumblr blog, it helped prove my answer that the way we interact with other Americans (or people, really) has changed because of social media. By actually doing the process that people who want to become "tumblr famous" (a blogger with more than 5,000 followers), I discovered that it takes time, but mostly luck to achieve it. I realized how essential it was to network with others through any possible forum of communication, thus why I spent so much more time messaging blogs instead of reblogging photos, another practice a person who is not there for a follower count but to express themselves. 

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

•              I want to do a project called “iAmerican.” iAmerican will be a month-long process of interviewing people each day, writing their “stories” on a separate BlogSpot, and uploading a photograph of them on Instagram while networking to grow this project. Their stories will be answering questions that are geared to reveal a little of themselves, or how they perceive other people.
•         30 hours of work will be met by: writing a minimum of 500 words per story, uploading photos, maintaining both Instagram and BlogSpot accounts, interviewing random people, editing stories, networking (by following, promoting, etc.), logging, promoting my BlogSpot, and having stories peer reviewed.
•         iAmerican is relevant and related to my essential question, because it gives face to the average American as well as promotes the activity of being social. iAmerican is aimed to both support the ideas of American interaction with “ourselves” and with “others.” Unlike my first independent component, it is narrowing its scope on the wider world, to Americans online and offline. I hope to experience both the face-to-face and virtual contact that social media brings, as well as do something, maybe a little, inspirational. 

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

Left to Right: cover of book. Picture of the ONE building, business administration, not mapped on the CalPoly college map... 

LITERAL

(a) I, Riah Caputo, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

(b) McIntyre, Lisa. The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts of Sociology. 4th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Humanities, 2007. Print.

Principles of Sociology, SOC 201-02, TuesThrus. Dr. Dennis Loo.
ddloo@csupomona.edu, Ph: 869-3892

(c) Independent Component 1 hour log 

(d) I completed the first four weeks of Sociology 201-01, while reading the required material for the class, The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts of Sociology.

Click here to see both lecture notes and book notes! 

INTERPRETIVE

McIntyre’s core concepts of sociology are essential to understand in order for me to comprehend and analysis the way humans interact within society. My component was a daily thing, each night, five nights a week, I have read and notated the concepts McIntyre provides in an easy read for class. Therefore, by reading a minimum a hour a day, I have accumulated six hours per week, in an attempt to study and pass Dr. Loo’s sociology class at CalPoly Pomona.

SOC 201-02, Introduction to Sociology, Dr. Loo, is a key part of my senior project, due to the fact that I cannot complete my project if I do not have understanding of it. Dr. Loo’s lectures encompass McIntrye’s summarization of classic and modern sociological concepts. Sociology is the foundation of my topic, because I am studying a source of media that makes people social. Without dedicating four hours a week to this sociology class from 3-5, I would not have the key understanding nor the guidance I need for my senior project.

STUDY/READING TIME: 18 HOURS (3 WEEKS, 6 PER WEEK)

CLASS TIME: 12 HOURS (3 WEEKS, 4 PER WEEK)

TOTAL: 30:30 HOURS 

APPLIED

Sociology 201-02 and, the required book for the class, The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts of Sociology, I have decided to approach my topic through a sociological perspective, which includes specific sociological concepts.

For example, the first chapter of The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts of Sociology, I applied my knowledge of the basic sociological theories set forth by the first sociologist into my project.

For example, throughout the many sociologists that were presented in The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts of Sociology, Emile Durkheim described the phenomenon that is happening in my topic. Durkheim’s sociological theory, solidarity and the idea of a collective conscious, is the driving force of my topic because the foundation of my topic relies on society being ‘social’ and there to be a shared value and belief system.

In addition to discovering a way to identify sociologists (specifically, The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts of Sociology) that I may study from, enrolling into Sociology 201-02 has greatly deepen my understanding of my topic’s foundation. For example, during 1/24/13 lecture class day four, we talked specifically about social norms and what shapes them. This lecture alone provided me an understanding that I taught during my 30 minute presentation about how social norms are broadcasted and how we act and know the things we do – through the media.

With a combination of reading the required text for SOC 202 and building a relationship with my professor (whom I arranged my third interview with), I am learning and understanding the relationship between sociology and social media. This relationship is crucial for me to learn, because I must apply this knowledge to future answers.  

Independent Component Update

Beginning with Lisa McIntyre's The Practical Skeptic: Core Concepts of Sociology, fourth edition, I plan to explore the sociological concepts and inner-workings of social media networking and explore the following with sociological perspectives:

• What makes social media networking work in society?
• Why does society appeal to social media networking?
• How does social media networking relate to communication. socialization, and isolation of the human being?
• When can social media networking create a successful media campaign? Specifically to promote social change. 
• Sociology and the internet. 

Combined with the current class I am enrolled in at CalPoly, SOC 201 taught by Professor Loo, I will explore the aforementioned concepts and apply it to my senior project. 

Blog 10: Senior Project Update

• What are you currently doing in your independent component? 

For my independent component, I am going to create a Twitter and Instagram for iPoly's drama club that will be advised by Mr. Hogan. I will fill in a required amount of tweets and pictures per meeting, record all meetings, and socialize with the club. 

• What is a recent piece of research (article, interview, or audio-visual) that have you reviewed you would say was significant in helping you understand where to go next in your senior project?  The piece of research should be something you reviewed in November.  Please explain what you learned and where are you going next because of this piece of research.

Rebecca, MacKinnon. "Let's take Back the Internet!" TED: Ideas worth spreading. TED, July 2011. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. 

TED: Let's Take Back the Internet!

This article provided me insight on the direction I should go with my topic since it is very huge and endless. MacKinnon's lecture on internet freedom inspired me to talk about the social change, issues, and aspects of social media and the implications of the future with social media networking and use. 

• Provide evidence from your independent component or the piece of research as something you recently did.  For example, a photo of something you working on for your independent component or your notes from the video you watched. 

I presented this business plan to Mr. Hogan and plan to create a twitter and instagram account next week after our meeting together during lunch. 

Independent Component: Business Plan

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

(1) Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.

Although I am not really sure what I am doing for service learning for my senior project still, if I were to complete an independent study to showcase the impact on social media on the public, I would devise a plan to use it as a tool to do so in my community. I would begin with joining a club, such as the Drama Club at school, and create a business plan for the club to allow me to create new sources of media such as Twitter or Instagram to keep our school community updated. I would compare the history with drama turnouts in the past from plays or other functions with the effect of my independent study may have on the club. 

(2) Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.

I would create a log for my adviser, Mr. Hogan, and work alongside the other media publicist to log a specific amount of time I dedicate to update these social mediums throughout the day. It'll be evident through the number of tweets or pictures I upload, while doing other internet activities such as maintaining these sites as well as getting connected with the school body. Although it does not sound like  I complete hours through tweets or pictures, I will attend meetings for drama club and take notes on what they do, document their meetings through pictures and tweets on funny things or important announcements, and be a messenger if needed.

(3) How does your independent study component relate to your working EQ?  

My working EQ will involve with the social impact of social media on change and  progressivity (I just made up that word to describe the act of being progressive!) By using Drama Club to complete my independent study component, I will able to document and notice the impact these social media sites could have on the club as well as help define the correlation between social media networking and the public.