Kevin Frey Process Draft

Dear Reader,

The intent of the following essay is to examine the effects of Facebook on the student population here at the University of Denver. Facebook’s global success can be traced back to it original intent which was to bring the social experience of college online for everyone to experience. In doing so Facebook itself has altered the social experience on college campuses. As the readers and the primary people to which this research is being conducted, my hope is that this essay will help you as students, peers, and young people understand the effects that Facebook has had not only on you but on the entire population of the University of Denver.

The idea for this research topic came to me for a variety of reasons; first, I watched the “Social Network” which although a dramatization of actual events opened my eyes to just how powerful the Facebook idea had become. Facebook’s existence is based on the destruction of friendships so natural I wondered if it would have the same effect on the general population or if it would be a tool for good as it was marketed. To accomplish this I drafted a series of interview questions that examined a variety of topics pertaining to being a college Facebook user. These questions were then administered through a one on one interview. I also decided to include my own experiences with Facebook in order to add an older students perspective on how the website has changed lives. Prior to the interviews, outside research was also gathered on studies done that were similar in nature to the questions I was presenting in the interview. These studies included research done on Facebook’s effect on self-esteem, grade point average, and communication practices among college students. These studies were then analyzed and compared to the interviews that were conducted to reach a conclusion.

Kevin Frey