In integrating sources for the social media project I was familiar with the framework of introducing a quote, presenting a quote, and then having an end comment. I did not find difficulty putting in the quotes as I made sure to find quotes that fit well with the claim I was making. What was new for me in the social media project around integrating sources was incorporating multiple sources in a single paragraph. Previously I was used to have a paragraph designated for a one specific source, not multiple. My first draft I struggled with this, but felt I effectively integrated multiple sources within a single paragraph in the final.

Sample Paragraph:

“We are most comfortable being our true selves when we feel that we are free of judgement from others or where we do not care what people think of us; anonymous websites are the perfect environment. These types of social media sites can foster self-discovery for those that are uncomfortable expressing their true identity or specific aspects of themselves. danah boyd, a technology and social media scholar, in chapter one of her book, It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens, uses the example of an LGBTQ youth from conservative backgrounds. She spoke to a teen, who she described as “struggling who they are and how they fit into the broader world,”(page 52), that found anonymous chat rooms as “helpful..she relished the support and validation these strangers gave her,”(page 52). This teen felt she couldn’t be who she truly was in the physical world. She feared she wouldn’t have the support of her family, but from this anonymous site she felt free to reveal intimate feelings and received support of others who encouraged her to be herself in the physical world. Neuroscientist Susan Greenfield also agreed with this idea of anonymity allowing one to to reveal their true identity which she discusses in her novel, Mind Change: How Digital Technologies are Leaving Their Mark on Our Brains. Greenfield argues that anonymity has “allowed individuals to discover their repressed identities and learn more about themselves,” (page 113) which is direct connection to boyd’s example of the LGBTQ whom was repressing the sexuality aspect of their identity in the physical world, yet was open in the anonymous online site.”