Category: Student Projects

Nikki Laude
Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Business and Computer Science
KEYWORDS: Cancel Culture, Social Media, Accountability, User Participation

Describe your project in a few lines
This study examines the potential reasons behind the recent intensification of cancel culture amongst young people. Cancel culture refers to a modern phenomenon that takes place online in which individuals are publicly called out for their mistakes. This study highlights the importance of obtaining balanced perspectives before making judgments and discusses whether cancel culture is an effective practice for holding individuals accountable for their mistakes.

What made you interested in this topic?
Previous studies have recognized the role of social media in the rapid development of cancel culture; however, there lacked discussion on the reasons why it is so present in society today. I personally developed a deep interest in this topic after recently witnessing how several celebrities I follow have been “canceled” online. Given that young people now spend an average of three hours on social media daily, I believed it was important to understand the causes and implications of constant exposure to negativity online.

What kind of research did you do for this paper?
I focused my research on a case study of social media influencer Charli D’Amelio and the backlash she received from a controversial YouTube video. I chose this case because it exemplified a harmless and minor offense that received unjustified amounts of negative attention online. I examined a variety of perspectives from social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and Quora to better understand what led netizens to “cancel” Charli so harshly. I also identified common themes and ideas in news articles and used Google Search Trends to perform visual observations of interest surrounding this event over time.

What advice would you give to students who are beginning their research in WRDS150?
I found that the most crucial part of the process was finding the perfect research question. When considering a research question, consider whether it clearly addresses a knowledge gap and whether it is feasible given the short timeframe of the study. Consider topics that have interested you in the past and look at current events in the news or social media to gather inspiration for your research. Although this first step may take a lot of time, be patient and properly invest time into this. Once you find the perfect research question, the rest of the process becomes much easier and straightforward.

Link to Project

The Social Plague: Analyzing the Rise of Cancel Culture

Gabriella Williams
1st Year student, Arts (planning on a major in Visual Arts)
KEYWORDS: Self-control, Flow States, Impulse Inhibition, Skill Acquisition

Describe your project in a few lines
My research project examines the relationship between flow state and self-control. Flow state is a state in which a person becomes completely immersed in a skillful activity, to the point that they lose a sense of time and their surroundings. My paper argues that flow state does not involve any self-control, because in flow state, impulses are encouraged due to cognitive processes, whereas self-control involves impulse inhibition.

What made you interested in this topic?
I actually got the idea for my paper after watching the new Pixar movie ‘Soul’. In the movie, the main character and several other characters were shown experiencing the very unique phenomenon of flow. It is not easy to portray a cognitive experience in a way that can be understood by a child audience, so I was both impressed, and interested in the process of flow in real life after watching the very creative animation.

What advice would you give to students who are beginning their research paper?
Your main goal for this paper is to put forward a new argument/perspective to the already existing discourse of research, related to topic of your class. You want to be creative and think outside of the box. The best way to do this is by examining your own interests and then trying to incorporate the topic into it. For me, instead of brainstorming over things related to self-control, I took my own interest in the idea of flow-states and found a way to connect it back to my project.

This is a required course. Will it actually be useful/beneficial for students?
Absolutely. Even if you are not interested in research, you will definitely have to write several papers/essays during your study at UBC. This course teaches you about the different kinds of sources, what sources are reliable, how to find them, how to use the UBC library, how to do academic writing, how to use citations, and more. I did WRDS 150 in my second term, and I can admit that my papers written during my first term were a bit of a mess (but that’s okay, we live and we learn).

Will students enjoy this class?
That is up to you. The faculty has done a wonderful job at providing classes on many possible topics, allowing you to choose one that interests you. In order to secure your place in a specific class, make sure to register for the course early on. For your project, you have lots of leeway to explore ideas that interest you, so make sure to do so. Research and writing is not everyone’s cup of tea, however, you have the opportunity to make it a worthwhile experience for yourself.

Link to Project

Self-control in Flow States