Exploring the Role of the Reader in the Activity of Blogging Eric Baumer, Mark Sueyoshi, Bill Tomlinson University of California, Irvine CHI 2008 – Florence, Italy April 9, 2008

Blogs Abound Increasing numbers of blogs Increasing research on blogging What about the reader? Readers' practices, roles, and perceptions

Increasing numbers of blogs

Increasing research on blogging

What about the reader?

Readers' practices, roles, and perceptions

Reader Response Theory Meaning neither in text nor in reader, but in interactions “ good literature... permits, invites, or even compels good reading” (Lewis 1961)‏ Blog enables explicit interaction

Meaning neither in text nor in reader, but in interactions

“ good literature... permits, invites, or even compels good reading” (Lewis 1961)‏

Blog enables explicit interaction

Methods Qualitative study, ethnographic methodology, emic perspective Semi-structured, open-ended interviews Demographic survey Iterative coding process, open then axial

Qualitative study, ethnographic methodology, emic perspective

Semi-structured, open-ended interviews

Demographic survey

Iterative coding process, open then axial

Participants 15 readers, 11 female, 4 male Students or young professionals Ages 18-33, avg. 23.3 Diverse reading habits

15 readers, 11 female, 4 male

Students or young professionals

Ages 18-33, avg. 23.3

Diverse reading habits

Findings Common practices Definition of the term “blog” Identity presentation and perception “ Being a part” of a blog

Common practices

Definition of the term “blog”

Identity presentation and perception

“ Being a part” of a blog

Common Practices Habitual, like checking email Not information overload Non-chronous – timing less relevant than position Overloaded terminology

Habitual, like checking email

Not information overload

Non-chronous – timing less relevant than position

Overloaded terminology

What is a blog? Usually structural or technical definition “ It depends” “ A blog is something that's still going on, that still has a conversation going on, that has people commenting,... it [has] this dialogue between the person who's posting and the people who are reading... ” Interactional definition

Usually structural or technical definition

“ It depends”

“ A blog is something that's still going on, that still has a conversation going on, that has people commenting,... it [has] this dialogue between the person who's posting and the people who are reading... ”

Interactional definition

Presentation and Perception Authenticity, personal Online/offline identity negotiation Reader's expectations Reader's felt obligations

Authenticity, personal

Online/offline identity negotiation

Reader's expectations

Reader's felt obligations

“ Being a Part” Partly belonging, partly participation “ Just by reading I feel like I'm participating” Connection to blog, connection to blogger

Partly belonging, partly participation

“ Just by reading I feel like I'm participating”

Connection to blog, connection to blogger

Conclusion and Future Readership in other social media: Flickr, YouTube, Wikipedia Readers of specific blogs Tools for reflective reading Social implications

Readership in other social media: Flickr, YouTube, Wikipedia

Readers of specific blogs

Tools for reflective reading

Social implications

Acknowledgments California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2)‏ Summer Undergraduate Research Funding in Information Technology (SURF-IT)‏ Social Code Group Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2)‏

Summer Undergraduate Research Funding in Information Technology (SURF-IT)‏

Social Code Group

Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

Questions? Eric Baumer [email_address] http://www.ics.uci.edu/~ebaumer

Eric Baumer

[email_address]

http://www.ics.uci.edu/~ebaumer