Online Identity Research Project

Task:

For this quest, you will write a research report that discusses the past, present, and future implications of our online identities. Examine the effects of social media on identity whether it's personal, social, or cultural and discuss whether it's possible to create and maintain an authentic identify on the internet.

All students will be required to:

• Use the skills that you have developed in this course.

• Research the given topic so that you become an expert on it. Incorporate statistics and data.

• Keep an MLA-style works cited list that will be turned in with your final product.

• Develop an research report that uses clear headings, a visual aid, and formal structure to communicate a response to the question.

Your project should include:

• A visual aid in the form of a chart or graph

• MLA formatting – includes in-text citation and a Works Cited List

• Double-spaced

• 12 size font (Times New Roman, Ariel)

• Formal tone and mature vocabulary

You can use the provided resources to begin your research on authentic online identities. You will also analyze your own resource selections and communicate your personal connections with self, text, and the world as you address the essential question. The following resources will help you gain a basic understanding of online identities, authenticity, and the consequences of an online presence in the past, present, and future. In order to deepen your understanding so that you are able to effectively complete this project, you are required to conduct your own research as well.

• Pew Research Centre - A nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling with accompanying charts and graphs.

• “The Great Hack” documentary (it's on Netflix) - Explore how a data company named Cambridge Analytica came to symbolize the dark side of social media in the wake of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

• Facebook Follies - If you can access this documentary, it takes a look at the unexpected consequences of people sharing their personal information on social media.

• The Social Media Effect: Are You Really Who You Portray Online

• How Data-sharing Era Puts Our Privacy At Risk

• The False Face of Our Social Media Persona

Write a research report of approximately 1500 words that uses in-text citation, statistics, and analysis of research to communicate a response to the essential question. The report is formatted with a clear introduction, main body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Headings, a visual aid in the form of a chart or graph, is used to support your conclusion and incorporated into the discussion. Demonstrate thorough research with at least 5 sources of your own that are identified in a Works Cited list.