Social networks

Background
On page 139 of The Influencing Machine, Brooke Gladstone begins a discussion of the role social networks play in our consumption and understanding of news and in our personal lives and mental health. She questions whether we truly have friends online or whether the internet is actually costing us meaningful connections with people. She also examines how the internet might be shortening our attention spans and our ability to understand and digest information.

 
Purpose
To build on these ideas, in this essay, your main goal will be to enter this conversation by telling the story of your experience with social networking and making a claim about the role of social networking in our lives. Is it possible to maintain relationships with others via the internet? Is it possible to have relationships with people we only know online? How do we judge people – both friends and professionals – based on their online presence and identity? In terms of the information we receive, how do social networks influence our consumption and understanding of news? How do news sources and organizations mold themselves to fit the online, democratic world of social media? Gladstone says that social media sites function as filters of information, but within those, how do we filter further to find what is worthwhile and trustworthy? Finally, how do we ourselves contribute to social networks, whether through creating original content or sharing articles?

Using your own experience with social networking as the foundation for this essay, you should make a specific claim about the use and value of social networks in our lives. You should focus on both the personal and professional sides of this issue (i.e. how you interact with your friends online and how you find and evaluate news sources). In other words, you should look at issues of varying significance. You should include research to support and develop your ideas in a meaningful way. You should assume you are writing to a wide audience here who is familiar with social networks.

Click here for more on this paper…….

Click here to have a similar paper done for you by one of our writers within the set deadline at a discounted…
Requirements
This essay should be 4-5 pages in length and employ three credible sources: The Influencing Machine and two others. When you conduct your research, really think in terms of what is relevant and timely to this discussion. The essay should use your narrative to make a clear point about the role and value of social networking in our society.

The essay will be evaluated based on the College Writing Program Grading Criteria rubric and the following criteria:

•&????;Does the essay have a clear thesis statement that focuses on the role and value of social media?
•&????;Does the essay consider both personal and professional use of the internet and specifically social networking sites?
•&????;Does the author use their social networking story as a continual narrative to hold the essay and ideas together?
•&????;Are there three credible (not necessarily scholarly) resources at work? (Gladstone plus two others)
•&????;Is the essay free of grammatical, typographical, and formatting errors?
•&????;Remember that the grade breakdown for essays is as follows:
o Rough Draft: 10%
o Peer Review: 10%
o Final Draft: 80%
o Both the rough draft and peer review will receive a grade of A (exceptionally prepared), C (somewhat prepared), or F (not prepared)

• Select two scholarly articles to use in your paper. For each article, write down the author information, date of publication, title of the article, the publication information (journal title), and the database from which you retrieved the article. You will need this information when you create your references for the sources.
  •    Begin the writing process. You are going to compare the points of view offered by these authors (the author of your textbook and the authors of the two articles you have selected) on your selected topic, and then offer your own point of view based upon your analysis of the readings.
  o    The Ashford Writing Center (AWC) offers assistance with the writing process. The AWC contains many tutorials and offers online guides for how to develop an academic paper. Click on the Writing Center link under “Learning Resources” in the left navigation of this course to visit the AWC.
  Criteria for Grading
  You will be graded on how well your paper meets the following criteria:
  Content
  •    How clearly you demonstrate your knowledge of your chosen topic.
  •    Frequent and appropriate use of examples from the textbook and selected articles to support your points.
  •    Appropriate inclusion of relevant quotes from the discussion forum activities.
  •    At least one paragraph for each of your three sources (the textbook and two scholarly articles) that includes an accurate summary of the points made by the author(s).
  •    At least one paragraph for each of your three sources showing your thoughtful analysis of the point of view introduced by the authors.
  •    At least two paragraphs illustrating how the authors of those three sources agree or disagree with one another about the topic.
  •    At least two paragraphs that reflect your own point of view and provide a conclusion about your chosen topic.