read through a print out and it looks good to integrate into a letter

diff --git a/research_statement.tex b/research_statement.tex
index aaf1e4ce68beb7d0c70b647de0c829cf3710cab7..23438ae2cd5ad3468b51734e21f7df76568d034c 100644 (file)
--- a/research_statement.tex
+++ b/research_statement.tex
@@ -65,24 +65,25 @@ Using Internet-based peer production projects as my research settings,
 my work seeks to understand the conditions for collective action using
 observational data from real communities.  This work has been shaped
 by three complentary approaches: (1) the comparison of failures to
 my work seeks to understand the conditions for collective action using
 observational data from real communities.  This work has been shaped
 by three complentary approaches: (1) the comparison of failures to

-build communities to rare successful attempts through the use of
-projects as the unit of analysis; (2) attention to the role of
-reputation and status in the mobilization of volunteers; and (3)
-analysis of design changes as ``natural experiments'' building a
-deeper, and often causal, understanding of social processes using
-observational data. Nearly all of my work incorporates at least two of
-these approaches.
+build communities to rare successful attempts; (2) attention to the
+role of reputation and status in the mobilization of volunteers; and
+(3) analysis of design changes as ``natural experiments'' building a
+deeper, and often causal, understanding from observational
+data. Nearly all of my work incorporates at least two of these
+approaches.

 
 

-\section{Projects As Unit of Analysis}
+\section{Studying Attempts at Collective Action}

 
 Although there have been many thousands of studies of online
 
 Although there have been many thousands of studies of online

-collective action the vast majority have only considered successful
-projects like Wikipedia and Linux.  The majority of research on
-collective action -- on and offline -- has only considered projects
-that have successfully mobilized. In this sense, most previous
-analyses of collection action have systematically selected on their
-dependent variable. Most of my research treats projects as the unit of
-analysis and collective action as the outcome of interest.
+collective action, the vast majority have only considered projects
+like Wikipedia and Linux that have successfully built communities -- a
+characterization that can be extended to observational work on
+collective action more generally. In this sense, most previous
+analyses have systematically selected on their dependent
+variable. Instead, most of my research treats projects as the unit of
+analysis and collective action as the outcome of interest -- comparing
+the successful examples of collective action to attempts that never
+got off the ground.

 
 % \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.4\textwidth}
 %  \begin{centering}
 
 % \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.4\textwidth}
 %  \begin{centering}


@@ -112,16 +113,15 @@ contributors. Although the paper's methods diverge from the
 quantitative, ``big data'' approach typical of most of my work, the
 research question and strategy is representative.
 
 quantitative, ``big data'' approach typical of most of my work, the
 research question and strategy is representative.
 

-I have also followed this strategy in a series of quantitative
-studies of the Scratch online community: a public website where a large
+I have also followed this strategy in a series of quantitative studies
+of the Scratch online community: a public website where a large

 community of users create, share, and remix interactive media. The
 community is built around the Scratch programming environment: a
 freely downloadable desktop application that allows amateur creators
 to combine media with programming code (see Figure
 community of users create, share, and remix interactive media. The
 community is built around the Scratch programming environment: a
 freely downloadable desktop application that allows amateur creators
 to combine media with programming code (see Figure

-\ref{fig:scratchapp}). Despite the fact that Scratch is a community
-designed to promote collaboration through content remixing, only about
-ten percent of Scratch projects attract a second
-contributor.
+\ref{fig:scratchapp}). Although Scratch is a community designed to
+promote collaboration through content remixing, only about ten percent
+of Scratch projects attract a second contributor.

 
 In one study, co-authored with Andrés Monroy-Hernández and forthcoming
 in American Behavioral Scientist, I test several of the most widely
 
 In one study, co-authored with Andrés Monroy-Hernández and forthcoming
 in American Behavioral Scientist, I test several of the most widely


@@ -148,13 +148,13 @@ displeasure \cite{hill_responses_2010}.
 This year, I am conducting a population-level analysis in a new
 dataset I have created that includes 80,000 attempts at wikis (i.e.,
 public, editable, websites similar to Wikipedia). In my first working
 This year, I am conducting a population-level analysis in a new
 dataset I have created that includes 80,000 attempts at wikis (i.e.,
 public, editable, websites similar to Wikipedia). In my first working

-paper using this dataset, I consider inter-organizational effects of
-competition for volunteer labor and find little support for a widely
-cited ecological model of collective action from sociology that treats
+paper using this dataset, I consider inter-organizational competition
+for volunteer labor and find little support for a widely cited
+ecological model of collective action from sociology that treats

 volunteer labor as a fixed and finite resource. Instead, I show that
 contributions to different wikis on the same topic or theme are driven
 primarily by environment-level changes in interest and that projects
 volunteer labor as a fixed and finite resource. Instead, I show that
 contributions to different wikis on the same topic or theme are driven
 primarily by environment-level changes in interest and that projects

-may even benefit from complimentarities and synergies
+can even benefit from complimentarities and synergies

 \cite{hill_is_2012}.
 
 \section{Reputation and Status}
 \cite{hill_is_2012}.
 
 \section{Reputation and Status}


@@ -237,8 +237,9 @@ minimally re-designed for women and girls (see Figure
 \ref{fig:lilypad}) -- lead to large increases in the proportion of
 women contributors and drastic shifts in the type of projects created
 \cite{buechley_lilypad_2010}. I have also explored how technical
 \ref{fig:lilypad}) -- lead to large increases in the proportion of
 women contributors and drastic shifts in the type of projects created
 \cite{buechley_lilypad_2010}. I have also explored how technical

-errors may be able to provide similar opportunities for analysis
-\cite{hill_revealing_2010}.
+errors may be able to provide similar opportunities for analysis by
+interrupting normal operation of a system and revealing internal
+processes that are usually hidden \cite{hill_revealing_2010}.

 
 % or changes in socio-technical systems describing responsibility for a piece of software can lead to an important impact in the type and structure of contributions in peer production \cite{michlmayr_quality_2003}
 
 
 % or changes in socio-technical systems describing responsibility for a piece of software can lead to an important impact in the type and structure of contributions in peer production \cite{michlmayr_quality_2003}
 


@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ collection action in relation to one set of important predictors. In future
 work, I plan to evaluate the effect of governance and different
 systems of authority, framing, modularity and project complexity. In
 the long term, I hope to offer a broad set of principles of
 work, I plan to evaluate the effect of governance and different
 systems of authority, framing, modularity and project complexity. In
 the long term, I hope to offer a broad set of principles of

-design for online collection action and community.
+design for online collection action.

 
 \emph{Toolkits for Experimental Social Design} -- My research has been
 possible through personal relationships I have with a series of
 
 \emph{Toolkits for Experimental Social Design} -- My research has been
 possible through personal relationships I have with a series of


@@ -282,15 +283,15 @@ communities to encourage contributions and improve users'
 experiences. Most of the time, these organizations have very little
 idea if these changes are effective. I plan to seek funding for, and
 to create, a technical framework and a network of academic and
 experiences. Most of the time, these organizations have very little
 idea if these changes are effective. I plan to seek funding for, and
 to create, a technical framework and a network of academic and

-practitioner collaborators, to facilitate well-designed natural
+practitioner collaborators to facilitate well-designed natural

 experiments by the hosts of large online communities and to share data
 that allows for academic evaluation of these experiments.
 
 Although I study cooperation, I also practice it. In graduate school,
 experiments by the hosts of large online communities and to share data
 that allows for academic evaluation of these experiments.
 
 Although I study cooperation, I also practice it. In graduate school,

-I have collaborated with a large and engaged group of co-authors in
-many academic departments. I intend to continue doing so. In sum, my
-research uses design to contribute to social scientific theories of
-collective action, and uses theories of collective action to influence
+I have collaborated with a large group of co-authors in many academic
+departments. I intend to continue doing so. In sum, my research uses
+design to contribute to social scientific theories of collective
+action, and uses theories of collective action to influence

 design. Although my research settings are online communities, I
 believe my work has implications for a broad range of disciplines and
 fields.
 design. Although my research settings are online communities, I
 believe my work has implications for a broad range of disciplines and
 fields.