Working with Social MediaFinger Exercise 3

due (digitally) before class on March 5th

HSBC ICBC

Why and What...

Getting Started: Twitter

As our readings for this week have probably made very clear to you, social media has a distinctive space in digital rhetoric, and varioussocial media sites are increasingly relied upon in pedagogy and even scholarly writing. Our third finger exercise is therefore geared towardshelping you build social media skills while also honing your research prowess, so you can then use those skills more intentionally andcritically.

You have several options, working in different social media spaces. You don't need to do ALL of these. Choose one that challenges you toconsider a new space, or to find new ways of using a familiar space. Read on to learn more!

A hashtag is word or a phrase prefixed with the pound sign (#). It’s a cataloging tool; it is a means of locating messages or groupinginformation.

Option 1: Analyze a hashtag. Follow that hashtag for a few hours or a day or two days or three days. See if you can trace itsorigins. If you can’t, then simply go as far back as Twitter will allow (Twitter will only allow 90 days). See if the hashtagis trending. Look at what is going on in the world at the same time the hashtag is used or trending. Back up youranalysis with reasons and support from tweets that use the hashtag.

Option 2: Create your own hashtag. See if it is original, or see if there are existing variations. Use the hashtag multiple times perday and follow the use of that hashtag for a few hours or even a day or two or three if possible. See if your hashtag istrending after a few hours or even after a day or two.

Questions to Ponder: What is the hashtag you chose or created?

What is that hashtag’s claim?

How is it being used?

How is it functioning with the tweet? (humorous, judgmental, sarcastic, exclusionary, inclusionary,descriptive, informational)

Is the hashtag trending? If yes, why? If not, consider why not?

Are there variations of the hashtag? What are the variations? How are you determining that it is indeed avariation as opposed to a completely different hashtag?

Who is using the hashtag (you may not be able to find users real name, but look at the profile. what do youglean from the profile?)

You may also want to find out if it is being used across social media platforms (Facebook, Tumblr,Pinterest, etc.)

Considerations: If there’s a controversy about what the hashtag means or about why someone used the hashtag, proposeyour own answer.

If something in the tweet with the hashtag seems contradictory or missing or irrelevant, talk about thecontradiction or what’s missing or irrelevant.

Check if the tweet with the hashtag is retweeted. Check if the tweet with the hashtag is favorited.

Try hard to see the hashtag through someone else’s perspective without making fun of the person or thetweet. Try to understand the context of the hashtag through the tweet.

Resource: "Using Twitter Search"

Resource: Hashtagify.me

Getting Started: TumblrTumblr is basically a blogging site filled with mini-stories. Sites may contain photos, gifs, links, jokes, audio, videos, etc.

Option 1: Pick a topic that interests you, and search. You do not need to create a Tumblr nor log in. Pick something related toyour professional or personal interests to search, or pick something you despise and search.

Option 2: Create a Tumblr. Create something related to your professional or personal interests to search, or pick something youdespise and honestly and earnestly construct that Tumblr. Consider using audio to add to your Tumblr.

Thinking aboutTopics:

Who is the audience?

What visuals are used?

What are the visuals?

Why those visuals?

Is there text? What is text? How much? In your opinion, is text overwhelming?

If there are hashtags with that Tumblr page, what are they? What claims are being made by usingthose specific hashtags?

How is the Tumblr pages being used? Is the page informative? Judgmental? Sarcastic? Exclusionary?Inclusionary? Descriptive? How? Why?

What Tumblr pages come up under the topic (what are the related pages)?

Thinking aboutCreation:

Who is your audience?

Is your Tumblr informative? Judgmental? Sarcastic? Exclusionary? Inclusionary? Descriptive?

What visuals will you use? Why those visuals?

Using text? What text? Why?

Using hashtags? Which ones? Why?

What Tumblr pages come up as related to your Tumblr?

Getting Started: RedditAccording to Wikipedia, Reddit is "a social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website. Reddit's registered communitymembers can submit content, such as text posts or direct links." Have you been there? There's boards on every topic you can imagine.

Option 1: Search hot or new or rising or controversial or topic or gilded or wiki or promoted (these are clickable pages onReddit). Review the topic five (5) hits (streams) after clicking on one of the pages.

Option 2: Subreddit: make one. Anyone can create a subreddit for free. Be sure to focus because there are rules, moderators,and specific content themes. Make sure to use backslash with r in the middle (/) to indicate it is a subreddit: /r/

With either option, track comments and/or shares.

Questions to PonderWhen Searching:

Who is the target audience?

What is text?

Is the text in the form of a question or a statement?

Does that make a difference?

Questions to Ponderfor your Subreddit:

Who is your audience?

Is your subreddit text or direct link?

For what purpose?

Informative? Judgmental? Sarcastic? Exclusionary? Inclusionary?Descriptive?

Resource: "What is a subreddit and why should I care?" Resource: "Reddit Analysis" (blog)

Writing it Up:You have alternatives in what you do next. Here are some ways to complete the Twitter or Tumblr choice and to augment the Redditand Subreddit choice. You are more than welcome to use tools you are already know. (Consider, for example, using audio to add toyour analysis!)

Create an Infographic (using Piktochart or Venngage or Canva). Keep in mind thatinfographics are shorter bits of texts with images. Try not to overload theinfographic with text, but also be mindful of images (and be mindful of copyright).

Create a Pinterest. Pinterest is similar to an infographic, but it is also more of a cataloging tool similarto hashtags. Take us (your audience) on a journey of your exploration and analysis. Try usingmemes, gifs, and additional images. Try to create your own memes and gifs instead of using a memegenerator (again, be mindful of copyright).

Create a Storify. Storify is a storytelling tool that culls from a variety of social media platforms.

Create a Tumblr. Tumblr is basically blogging with images, gifs, music, videos,and whatever else you want.

This assignment developed by Erika Johnson (ejohnson15@twu.edu).

A Few Suggestions:

Getting Started: InstagramShare videos, pics, images and messages. Easier to use via smartphone, but can be used via desktop or laptop.

Option 1: Check out or follow any Instagram account for a day or two or three. You do not need to have an Instagram to viewaccounts, but you will need one to follow. To view an Instagram but not follow, type in Instagram.com and then usethe black slash with any topic or an entity or even a person (Example: Instagram.com/spring. The hyperlink above isan additional example). Check out pics, check out text, check out hashtags.

Option 2: Create an Instagram account. If you already have an Instagram, do not use it. Post images, use hashtags, makecomments. See who follows you in a day or two or three. Review comments, make comments, and review likes.

Questions to Ponderabout an Instagramyou're following:

Who is the target audience?

Text to accompany images? What is the text?

What do you think the Instagram is set up to do?

Provide information?

Persuade viewers/readers to buy or follow?

Questions to Ponderabout an Instagramyou're creating:

Who is your audience?

Who do you want to follow your Instagram?

For what purpose are you creating this account?

What images will you use?

Will you be adding text?

Will you be connecting that Instagram to any other social mediasites (Twitter or Facebook)?

Will you be using hashtags?