Researching Social Media Publics
Overview
Researching Social Media Publics introduces research methodologies for analysing such sites of social media practice. Social media applications and platforms are increasingly defining the way we communicate. These technologies shape many areas of social life and affect the kinds of ‘publics’ that form out of networked communication. Social media changes the ways commercial enterprise develops a customer base, the way emergency services communicate with locals during times of crisis, how people come together to protest or celebrate and how health and education are experienced.
Requisites
50 credit points of Level 2 Units
02-November-2025
07-June-2026
01-November-2026
07-February-2027
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Critically analyse current methodologies for researching social media technologies, practices and processes
- Define, describe and analyse core concepts, theories and issues facing the emergence of social media technologies and platforms and their implications for society
- Prepare and deliver an oral presentation that evaluates current research into one area of social media practice addressed within the unit
- Plan and undertake research into a significant issue concerning a site of social media use and practice
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Lecture |
1.00 | 6 weeks | 6 |
| On-campus Class |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Online Lecture (asynchronous) |
1.00 | 6 weeks | 6 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Swinburne Online
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning |
12.5 | 12 weeks | 150 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Pitch and Presentation | Individual | 30% | 1,3,4 |
| Online Discussion | Individual | 20% | 1,2 |
| Research Plan | Individual | 50% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Introduction: contemporary approaches to researching social media publics'
- What are social media publics? History and technology.
- Social media metrics
- Qualitative research and digital ethnography
- Case studies in researching social media and their publics
- Research supervision in social media contexts such as:
- Health
- Education
- Small business
- Media and arts organisations
- Young people and social media
- New forms of visibility: influencers and microcelebrity
- Protest and politics
- The future of work
- Sport and social media fandom
- Community organisations and NGOs
- Digital inclusion and access
- Crisis media and communications
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.