The first time I heard about Yik Yak
was from a friend. They showed me the application and scrolled through some of
the posts that had originated from people at George Mason University. I was
looking at an anonymous, uncensored thought bubble for the university all based
on the geographical location of cell phones. Intrigued, I downloaded the
application and proceeded to contribute to the growing conversation.
As a young adult, I know that social
media will continue to play a significant role in my life. Regardless of the
type of career or position within that career, social media has infiltrated all
aspects of the working world. My research is unique and I want to contribute to
the academic literature by being the first person to study this application. Additionally,
this research will help me further my education by increasing my appeal to
graduate schools. This research project places me one step above my peers in
the application process.
The unique thing about my project is
that social media it is so omnipresent that I can build on my work every day.
During the week I normally open Yik Yak to see what students are posting and if
there are any negative trends. I review my survey and try to make sure that it
is asking the right questions. My goal is to explore the potential negative
threats of Yik Yak on George Mason University students.
This week, after reviewing my data
and speaking with my mentor, I discovered that frequency of negative behaviors
needs to be included in my survey. In my pilot survey I was only asking if
participants had seen different forms of intimidating or threatening behavior.
In order to improve my survey I need to evaluate the frequency at which
students are being exposed to these behaviors. Is this an hourly, daily, weekly
or infrequent occurrence? Frequency will help me evaluate the severity of the
problem if there is one.
