Research Report:
The Impact of User Generated Content on an Industry
Assignment #1 (Due Class #1)
In the last few years, industry-specific user-generated content sites have gained prominence. The purpose of the first assignment is to get you to consider the impact of user-generated information content on an industry. You will choose an industry and seek out user-generated content sites that appear to be growing in influence in the industry. Write a two-page written summary of your activities, including:
- A discussion of how you evaluated influence in the industry
- An overall evaluation of how influential the sites are as a whole in the industry
- A short list of the most influential sites, including URL, description of content, and what roles the site plays in the industry (critic, gossip, news reporting, etc.)
- Be prepared to present your findings during class.
Paper Content Suggestions:
The assignment purpose is for students to write a research paper and to consider the impact of user-generated information content on an industry.
- Students must demonstrate their comprehension of user-generated information.
- Students must demonstrate their ability toapplytheir comprehension to an industry.
- Student must conduct an analysis of how user-generated information is used within an industry.
- As per the Grading Rubric: papers that meet criteria 1-3 will receive 4.8 points and papers that meet criteria 1-3 with additional content describing synthesis and evaluations concepts will receive 5 points. Papers must follow APA guidelines and should not use first person.
Paper Research Suggestions:
- Student should research the definition of user-generated content, https://www.techopedia.com/definition/3138/user-generated-content-ugc. This an example of a definition, the author may choose any definition.
- Students may wish to research social media. The Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth conducts yearly surveys on Social Media, http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/socialmediaresearch/.
- Students should conduct industry research via the United States Census Bureau, https://www.census.gov/econ/index.html.The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)is available from the United States Census Bureau, https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/.
- The AmericanFactFinder, https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml, FactFinder Help has many useful tutorials, https://factfinder.census.gov/help/en/index.htm, students should review all content within the FactFinder Help and About the Data tabs.
