Course Description
This course emphasizes the role and value of social media in disseminating research findings. The primary objective of the course is to train individuals on how to conceptualize, design, conduct, frame and share their research in such a way as to maximize the social element and leverage the ever-evolving technological landscape of social media.
Total course content: ~2 hours plus readings
Instructor
Learning Objectives
This course is designed to introduce fellows to fundamental concepts in both social media and dissemination science. After completing this course, fellows will be able to:
- Appreciate the potential of social media to generate scientific discourse in contemporary life.
- Analyze social media posts using measures from dissemination science and business analytics.
- Design an effective Twitter campaign based on their research project’s goals.
- Identify and connect with those audiences relevant to your research agenda.
- Effectively include social media research dissemination plans in research funding proposals.
Readings/Videos
- Mollett, A., Moran, D., Dunleavy, P., Mollett, A., Moran, D., & Dunleavy, P. (2011). Using Twitter in university research , teaching and impact activities A guide for academics and researchers.
- Scanfeld, D., Scanfeld, V., & Larson, E. L. (n.d.). Dissemination of health information through social networks : Twitter and antibiotics. American Journal of Infection Control, 38(3), 182–188.
- McDonald, Soraya. (2019). Black Twitter : A virtual community ready to hashtag out a response to cultural issues, 4–8.
- Ndumbe-eyoh, S., & Mazzucco, A. (2016). Social media , knowledge translation , and action on the social determinants of health and health equity : A survey of public health practices. Journal of Public Health Policy, 37(2), 249–259.
- Brownson, R. C., Eyler, A. A., Harris, J. K., Moore, J. B., & Tabak, R. G. (2018). Getting the Word Out : New Approaches for Disseminating Public Health Science, 24(2), 102–111.
- Eysenbach, G. (n.d.). Can Tweets Predict Citations ? Metrics of Social Impact Based on Twitter and Correlation with Traditional Metrics of Scientific Impact Corresponding Author :
Modules
Introduction:
These modules are the core of the Introduction to Health Impacts Assessment mini-course. Please watch through all of these modules, the estimated time to watch is previewed before each video. To watch all the videos, it will take roughly 2 hours.
Navigating the course:
The required readings and resources can be found in their own tab on the homepage of the site. This course has discussion questions that you should answer as you progress through the course. These questions can be found in the “Course Discussion” tab of this course.
Module Part and Title
Module Description
Part 1: The Functions of Media in Society Video
This module introduces the course by broadly defining media and its uses, functions, and implications in contemporary global societies. This module includes a bonus discussion on “Social Media Discourse”.
(16:00 Minutes)
Part 2: Social Me, Social You
This module familiarizes the learner with various types of social media so fellows can determine which platforms work best for their personality and research goals.
(8:00 Minutes)
Part 3: Boiling it down
This module discusses how to identify and effectively reach important audiences, constituencies and stakeholders commonly overlooked in the health sciences and covers strategies for translating research/ scientific jargon into tailored, understandable and attractive language for audiences that align with your research goals and agenda.
(10:00 Minutes)
Part 4: Research/Schemesearch
This module provides an overview of empirical findings in social media research dissemination with an emphasis on data and strategies from community-based research designs.
(12:00 Minutes)
Part 5: The Tale of Two Twitters
There are two Twitters. The first Twitter can be seen with the naked eye. It consists of tweets, retweets, lists and hashtags. The other Twitter lies far beneath the surface; invisible to all but the most enthusiastic, consistent users. This module explains why this Twitter is, pound for pound, much more influential- and thus much more important for Social Media Research Dissemination.
(12:00 Minutes)
Part 6: Twitter Analytics
The first video provides an introductory over Twitter terminology and basic Twitter Analytics functionality.
(11:00 Minutes)
Part 7: Designing Research Plans
This module discusses how to design aspects of your research for maximum social media research dissemination, including the evaluation plan, data and statistical analyses and technical reporting. This module includes a look at how to design “Effective Twitter Research Campaigns”, which covers the basics of using Twitter to advance your project’s research dissemination goals.
(27:00 Minutes)
Resources
- Choney, K. C., & Ph, D. (2012). It’s a black Twitterverse, white people only live in it, 1, 1–8.
- Jones, F. (2013). Is Twitter the underground railroad of activism?, 1, 1–8.
