added draft of research statement

diff --git a/refs.bib b/refs.bib
index 90822b9353fece42807928fe765aa14b0f36c4c0..52c1387eb61476fba2710bcc0c5cc3c0f7df48fd 100644 (file)
--- a/refs.bib
+++ b/refs.bib
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
        title = {Computers can't give credit: how automatic attribution falls short in an online remixing community},
        booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2011 annual conference on Human factors in computing systems},
        publisher = {{ACM}},
        title = {Computers can't give credit: how automatic attribution falls short in an online remixing community},
        booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2011 annual conference on Human factors in computing systems},
        publisher = {{ACM}},

-       author = {Monroy-Hernandez, Andres and Hill, Benjamin Mako and Gonzalez-Rivero, Jazmin and boyd, danah},
+       author = {Monroy-Hern\'{a}ndez, Andr\'{e}s and Hill, Benjamin Mako and Gonzalez-Rivero, Jazmin and boyd, danah},

        year = {2011},
        pages = {3421--3430}
 },
        year = {2011},
        pages = {3421--3430}
 },

diff --git a/research_statement.tex b/research_statement.tex
index f9b94b5320e206902d3e19e86f14ef7d232ae12d..72688c8ce03befb816c038b3970755535b111400 100644 (file)
--- a/research_statement.tex
+++ b/research_statement.tex
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ particularly interested in how the design of communication and
 information technologies shape social outcomes like the decision to
 join a community or contribute to a public good. My research is deeply
 interdisciplinary and lies at the intersection of sociology,
 information technologies shape social outcomes like the decision to
 join a community or contribute to a public good. My research is deeply
 interdisciplinary and lies at the intersection of sociology,

-communication, and human-computer interaction. I combine data from
+communication, and human-computer interaction. I analyze data from

 online communities that make failures of collective action newly
 visible with ``big data'' research methods from software engineering
 to answer fundamental social scientific questions.
 online communities that make failures of collective action newly
 visible with ``big data'' research methods from software engineering
 to answer fundamental social scientific questions.


@@ -66,22 +66,23 @@ Seeking to understand the determinants of collective action, my
 research has been driven by three overlapping themes: (1)
 population-level observational studies comparing failures to build
 communities to the rare successful attempts; (2) attention to the role
 research has been driven by three overlapping themes: (1)
 population-level observational studies comparing failures to build
 communities to the rare successful attempts; (2) attention to the role

-of reputation and status in collective action; and (3) analyses of
-design changes treated as ``natural experiments'' to build a deeper,
-and often causal, understanding of social processes from observational
-data. Almost all of my work incorporates at least two of these themes.
+of reputation and status in the mobilization of volunteers; and (3)
+analyses of design changes as ``natural experiments'' to build a
+deeper, and often causal, understanding of social processes from
+observational data. Nearly all of my work incorporates at least two of
+these themes.

 
 \section{Population-Level Observational Studies}
 
 Although there have been many thousands of studies of online
 collective action and peer production, the vast majority of these
 studies have only considered successful projects like Wikipedia and
 
 \section{Population-Level Observational Studies}
 
 Although there have been many thousands of studies of online
 collective action and peer production, the vast majority of these
 studies have only considered successful projects like Wikipedia and

-GNU/Linux.  The majority of research on collective action -- both
-online and off -- has only considered projects that have successfully
-mobilized contributors. In this sense, most previous analyses of
+GNU/Linux.  The majority of research on collective action -- online
+and off -- 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
 collection action have systematically selected on their dependent
 variable. Most of my research treats projects as the unit of analysis

-and mobilization as the dependent variable, comparing successful
+and mobilization as the dependent variable to compare successful

 examples of collective actions to failures.
 
 % \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.4\textwidth}
 examples of collective actions to failures.
 
 % \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.4\textwidth}


@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ examples of collective actions to failures.
 \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{2.6in}
  \begin{centering}
  \includegraphics[width=2.6in]{figures/scratch_screenshot_default.png}
 \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{2.6in}
  \begin{centering}
  \includegraphics[width=2.6in]{figures/scratch_screenshot_default.png}

- \caption{A screenshot of the Scratch desktop programming environment
+ \caption{A screenshot of the Scratch programming environment

    where users create animations and interactive games.}
  \label{fig:scratchapp}
  \end{centering}
    where users create animations and interactive games.}
  \label{fig:scratchapp}
  \end{centering}


@@ -107,22 +108,22 @@ examples of collective actions to failures.
 For example, in a working paper that is part of my dissertation, I
 compare Wikipedia to seven attempts to create online collaborative
 encyclopedia projects that were launched before Wikipedia
 For example, in a working paper that is part of my dissertation, I
 compare Wikipedia to seven attempts to create online collaborative
 encyclopedia projects that were launched before Wikipedia

-\cite{hill_almost_2012}. Using a inductive, grounded-theory based
+\cite{hill_almost_2012}. Using an inductive, grounded-theory based

 analysis of founder interviews and archival data, I propose four
 analysis of founder interviews and archival data, I propose four

-hypothesis for why Wikipedia built a large community while extremely
-similar projects struggled to do so. 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.
+hypothesis to explain why Wikipedia attracted many more contributors
+than similar projects. 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.

 
 

-I have also addressed this question in a series of quantitative
+I have also followed this strategy in a series of quantitative

 studies of the Scratch online community: a public website with a large
 community of users who 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
 studies of the Scratch online community: a public website with a large
 community of users who 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
+\ref{fig:scratchapp}). Despite the fact that Scratch is a community

 designed to promote collaboration through content remixing, only about
 designed to promote collaboration through content remixing, only about

-ten percent of Scratch projects will attract even a second
+ten percent of Scratch projects attract a second

 contributor.
 
 \begin{wrapfigure}{l}{2.6in}
 contributor.
 
 \begin{wrapfigure}{l}{2.6in}


@@ -136,39 +137,36 @@ contributor.
 \end{wrapfigure}
 
 In one study, forthcoming in American Behavioral Scientist, I test
 \end{wrapfigure}
 
 In one study, forthcoming in American Behavioral Scientist, I test

-three of the most commonly cited theories associated with
+several of the most commonly cited theories associated with

 ``generativity'' (i.e., qualities of technology or content that make
 ``generativity'' (i.e., qualities of technology or content that make

-some works more fertile group for collaboration). I find some support
+some works more fertile ground for collaboration). I find some support

 for previous theories but also find that, across the board, factors
 for previous theories but also find that, across the board, factors

-associated with increased collaboration are associated with less
-original and less transformative modes of joint-work
-\cite{hill_remixing_2012}. In another published study using data from
-Scratch, I show that more superficial collaboration leads to negative
-reactions and displeasure in the community
-\cite{hill_responses_2010}.
-
-I am conducting a similar population based analysis in a new dataset I
-have created with a population of 80,000 public attempts at ``wikis''
-(i.e., public websites using the same infrastructure as Wikipedia). In
-a 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 volunteer labor as fixed and finite resource. Using data
-on wikis hosted by both Wikia and the Wikimedia Foundation, I show
-that contributions across peer production projects are driven by
-environment-level changes in interest and that projects can even
-benefit from complimentarities between similar projects
-\cite{hill_is_2012}.
+associated with increased collaboration are also associated with less
+original and transformative modes of joint-work
+\cite{hill_remixing_2012}. In another study of Scratch, I show that
+more superficial collaboration leads to negative reactions and
+community displeasure \cite{hill_responses_2010}.
+
+I am conducting a similar population-level analysis in a new dataset I
+have created for my dissertation that includes 80,000 public 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 volunteer labor as 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 can even benefit from complimentarities
+and synergies \cite{hill_is_2012}.

 
 \section{Reputation and Status}
 
 Although empirical research comparing successful and unsuccessful peer
 
 \section{Reputation and Status}
 
 Although empirical research comparing successful and unsuccessful peer

-projects has been rare, theories offering to explain the success of
-collective action online have been widespread. No theory has been more
-influential or widespread than the suggestion that, in the absence of
-pecuniary rewards, engagement in collective action in online
-communities is driven by the possibility of increased reputation and
-status conferred upon contributors to an online public good.
+projects has been rare, theories have been widespread. No theory has
+been more influential than the suggestion that, in the absence of
+pecuniary rewards, contributions to online public good are driven by
+the possibility of increased reputation and status conferred upon
+contributors.

 
 \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.3\textwidth}
  \vspace{-1em}
 
 \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.3\textwidth}
  \vspace{-1em}


@@ -186,20 +184,20 @@ In a study of status-based awards in Wikipedia called ``barnstars''
 sociology journal by the end of this year, I provide an empirical test
 of an influential status-based theory of collective action from
 sociology. Although the study finds support for the widely
 sociology journal by the end of this year, I provide an empirical test
 of an influential status-based theory of collective action from
 sociology. Although the study finds support for the widely

-hypothesized virtuous cycle of status rewarding active contributors,
-it also finds that these effects are limited to a sub-population of
-Wikipedia contributors -- i.e., those who show their awards off to
-others in virtual trophy cases \cite{hill_status_2012}. This result
+hypothesized ``virtuous cycle'' of status rewards both causing and
+being caused by contributions, it also finds that this effect is
+limited to a sub-population of contributors to Wikipedia -- i.e.,
+those who show off their awards \cite{hill_status_2012}. This result

 has broad implications for both status-based theories of collective
 has broad implications for both status-based theories of collective

-action as well the design of reputation-based reward systems.
+action as well the design of reputation-based rewards.

 
 

-In another study of Scratch, nominated for best paper at the CHI 2011
-conference \cite{monroy-hernandez_computers_2011}, I paired a
-quantitative analysis of a design change with in-depth interviews of
-users to demonstrate how credit-giving is ineffective when it stems
-from an automated system because the system fails to reinforce
-status-ordering through credible human expressions of social deference
-and gratitude.
+In a mixed methods study of Scratch, nominated for best paper at the
+CHI 2011 conference \cite{monroy-hernandez_computers_2011}, I
+presented both a quantitative analysis of a design change and in-depth
+interviews of users to demonstrate how credit-giving is ineffective
+when it stems from an automated system because systems fail to
+reinforce status-ordering with credible human expressions of social
+deference and gratitude.

 
 \section{Design-Driven Natural Experiments}
 
 
 \section{Design-Driven Natural Experiments}
 


@@ -213,32 +211,31 @@ and gratitude.
 
 Although nearly all of my work has important implications for the
 design of socio-technical systems, I have structured much of my work
 
 Although nearly all of my work has important implications for the
 design of socio-technical systems, I have structured much of my work

-around the evaluation of design interventions. In several papers, I
-treat design changes in technologies as ``natural experiments'' that
+around the evaluation of technological design changes. In several papers, I
+treat design changes as ``natural experiments'' that

 exogenously change the ways that social structure is enacted in order
 exogenously change the ways that social structure is enacted in order

-to both build causal understanding from field data and to tighten the
-distance between theories and and design.
+to both build causal understanding of social phenomena from field data and to tighten the
+distance between theory and and design.

 
 For example, to evaluate the impact of status-based incentives and
 collaboration in Scratch, I use a regression discontinuity framework
 
 For example, to evaluate the impact of status-based incentives and
 collaboration in Scratch, I use a regression discontinuity framework

-to measure the causal effect of increased status for collaboration in
-Scratch \cite{hill_causal_2012}. In that study, which I am preparing
-for submission to a communication journal this fall, I show that the
-highlighting the work of the authors of collaborative projects on the
-Scratch web page (see the bottom of Figure \ref{fig:scratchfrontpage})
-resulted in more collaboration but also caused a decrease in the
-amount of total effort exerted by contributors. Speaking to
-fundamental sociological work in the literature on collective action,
-I present evidence that this decrease is driven by both an the influx
-of new contributors and a decrease in the effort and contributions of
-established contributors.
-
-In other papers, I have helped analyze sales records of hobbyists
+to measure the causal effect of increased status for collaboration
+\cite{hill_causal_2012}. In that study, which I am preparing for
+submission to a communication journal this fall, I show that
+highlighting collaborative projects on the Scratch web page (see the
+bottom of Figure \ref{fig:scratchfrontpage}) resulted in more
+collaboration but also caused a decrease in the amount of total effort
+exerted by contributors. Speaking to fundamental sociological work in
+the literature on collective action, I present evidence that this
+decrease is driven by both an the influx of new contributors and a
+decrease in the effort and contributions of established participants.
+
+In other papers, I have helped analyze sales records of hobbyist

 microcontrollers to suggest that relatively simple design changes in
 the \emph{LilyPad Arduino} -- a electronics toolkit minimally
 re-designed for women and girls (see Figure \ref{fig:lilypad}) -- can
 microcontrollers to suggest that relatively simple design changes in
 the \emph{LilyPad Arduino} -- a electronics toolkit minimally
 re-designed for women and girls (see Figure \ref{fig:lilypad}) -- can

-lead to large increases in the proportion of women contributors
-through important shifts in the type of projects created
+lead to large increases in the proportion of women contributors and
+drastic shifts in the type of projects created

 \cite{buechley_lilypad_2010}. In other work, I have explored how
 technical errors may be able to provide similar opportunities for
 analysis \cite{hill_revealing_2010}.
 \cite{buechley_lilypad_2010}. In other work, I have explored how
 technical errors may be able to provide similar opportunities for
 analysis \cite{hill_revealing_2010}.


@@ -249,38 +246,36 @@ analysis \cite{hill_revealing_2010}.
 
 My research agenda involves further exploration of the determinants of
 collection action online -- especially using a series of large new
 
 My research agenda involves further exploration of the determinants of
 collection action online -- especially using a series of large new

-datasets I have built in my dissertation research. I plan to both
-continue this research trajectory and to create new social and
-technical infrastructure that will allow others researchers to join me
-in the type ``big data'' observational research in active communities
-that my research involves. This section outlines some future
-directions I plan to explore.
+datasets I have assembled for my dissertation. I plan to both continue
+on this research trajectory and to create new social and technical
+infrastructure that will allow others researchers to join me in ``big
+data'' observational research in active communities. This section
+outlines some future directions I plan to explore.

 
 \emph{Toolkits for Experimental Social Design} -- My research has been
 
 \emph{Toolkits for Experimental Social Design} -- My research has been

-possible through relationships I have with a series of organizations
-with large active online communities (e.g., the MIT Media Lab and the
-Wikimedia Foundation). These organizations, like many others, make
-design changes to the software that supports their communities to
-encourage contributions and improve aspects of their users'
-experiences. Most of the time, these organizations have very little
-idea if these changes work. I plan to build on my own experience
-evaluating natural experiments in online communities to create a
-technical framework, and a network of academic and practitioner
-collaborators, to facilitate well-designed experiments by the hosts of
-large online communities and a system for data sharing that allows for
-academic evaluation of these experiments.
+possible through personal relationships I have with a series of
+organizations with large active online communities (e.g., the MIT
+Media Lab and the Wikimedia Foundation). These organizations, like
+many others, make design changes to the software that supports their
+communities to encourage contributions and improve aspects of their
+users' experiences. Most of the time, these organizations have very
+little idea if these changes are effective. I plan to build on my own
+experience to create a technical framework, and a network of academic
+and practitioner collaborators, to facilitate well-designed natural
+experiments by the hosts of large online communities and a system for
+data sharing that allows for academic evaluation of these experiments.

 
 \emph{Understanding the Relationship Between Collective Action and
   Performance} -- My work has treated collective action and production
 as ends in themselves and has largely avoided the consideration of
 
 \emph{Understanding the Relationship Between Collective Action and
   Performance} -- My work has treated collective action and production
 as ends in themselves and has largely avoided the consideration of

-issues of performance, efficiency, or quality. Using my existing
-datasets, I will compare the performance of collaborative production
-to individually produced works to understand when successful
-collection action leads to higher performance or quality. In a
-manuscript currently under review using data from Scratch, I show
-important limitations of collaboration in remixing quality,
-particularly in regards to more artistic or media-intensive projects
-\cite{hill_cost_2012}. I will further explore this direction in future
+issues of performance, efficiency, and quality. Using my existing
+datasets, I plan to compare the performance of collaborative
+production to individually produced works to understand when
+successful collection action leads to higher performance and
+quality. In a manuscript currently under review using data from
+Scratch, I show important limitations of collaboration in remixing
+quality, particularly in regards to more artistic or media-intensive
+works \cite{hill_cost_2012}. I will explore this direction in future

 work.
 
 \emph{Integrated Theory of Design for Collective Action} --
 work.
 
 \emph{Integrated Theory of Design for Collective Action} --


@@ -289,14 +284,15 @@ of collection action in relation to one important independent
 variable. 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 work toward a broad set of
 variable. 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 work toward a broad set of

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

 
 In graduate school, I have been fortunate to collaborate with many
 
 In graduate school, I have been fortunate to collaborate with many

-co-authors in many academic departments and I intend to continue this
-tradition going forward. In sum, my research uses design to contribute
-to social scientific theories of collective action, and using theories
-of collective action to influence design and offers implications and
-opportunities for a broad range of disciplines and fields.
+co-authors in many academic departments and I intend to continue going
+forward. In sum, my research uses design to contribute to social
+scientific theories of collective action, and uses theories of
+collective action to influence design. I believe my work offers
+implications and opportunities for a broad range of disciplines and
+fields.

 
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