Introducing Your Research Paper
Introducing Your Research Paper
Write a single-paragraph introduction for your chosen research topic in 2 pages or less.
Most readers (rightfully) expect a research paper to begin with an Introduction. Most writers (mistakenly) think the Introduction should be written first.
Earlier in the terms, we did not start with the Introduction; we jumped over it and started with the Methods section. Now that you have a better idea of what you are introducing, it is time to write the Introduction.
Include the following 3 components in that introductory paragraph:
Hook — Grab the readers' attention. Do this without going into detail about the problem (That will come later).
Context — Introduce the topic in a way that establishes common ground with the readers, and set your readers up to understand an appreciate the significance of the topic and your coming question.
Research Question — End your introduction with your Research Question. Use the wording that
Upload the file with your Introduction using the tool at the bottom of this folder.
Notes given,
The first thing I would add to your first prompt would be to elaborate on the types of harmful content and interactions identified by Gan, Guo, and Yang (2024). You could discuss specific examples such as cyberbullying, unfavorable social comparisons, and misinformation. Perhaps you could provide a few short examples in that paragraph to give it more "weight" (Weight is the only way I can describe it; a better word might be "life"). Maybe define what harmful content is. Is harmful content a culturally relative issue? I think you do a solid job at interpreting the sources as the hard text, but how do YOU interpret them (I might be wrong in this advice, but if I were to read a paper, I would want to know how you specifically interpret the findings, not just the breakdown of findings like in an "Abstract"). Overall, you are very clear in your writing style and use very recent studies and sources, which I think adds validity to any point you will try to make in your paper.
You mention in prompt one based on your source, "This indicates that just the act of being involved in social media passively, like scrolling through your feed, might not be the main direct cause of depression, but it's association with depressive symptoms are highly. " This makes me think of "doom scrolling." I am unsure if you are familiar with the term, however one random thing I found which could be associatied with "doom scrolling" or "mindless scrolling" is regarding the affects of blue light and our brains.
How blue light affects your eyes, sleep, and healthBlue light from digital screens can have a number of long-term health effects, especially when it comes to sleep, eye strain, and age-related macular degeneration.Cultivating Healthcultivating-health
In this article, it states, "Blue light boosts alertness, helps memory and brain function, and elevates mood. It regulates your body's natural wake and sleep cycles (circadian rhythm). Sunlight is also important for the growth and development of eyes and vision in children. " (Cultivating Health, 2024) Essentially, I feel we hear a lot about the negatives of blue light, especially when discussing sleep hygiene; however, this quote brings light (pun intended) to the benefits of mood. I know that your topic is geared to SM and cyberbullying. I just thought this was an interesting point to make in regards to the fact that sometimes, although random scrolling isn't directly associated with depression, but is correlated, maybe the lack of vitamin D that one receives from blue light in screens, is making them faux happy like an artificial, unlasting dopamine burst that fades as soon as the screen is off. It is the closest wavelength to sun light, which is needed for vitamin D and to regulate the circadian rhythm, both of which are needed for dopamine, which is essential for not being depressed. I guess it becomes almost like a drug: screens and blue light, which go hand in hand with social media and cyberbullying in a very roundabout sort of way.
- I hope my train of thought didn't derail too much and some of this makes sense. I am not having a solid week on my end here!