Research Paper

The Effect of Social Media on Mental Health
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
The Effect of Social Media on Mental Health
Research Questions
What is the relationship between the use of social media and mental conditions such as anxiety and depression?
Does social media decrease the ability to concentrate?
Why do some users experience increased fatigue or stress during or after visiting social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube?
What is the impact of social media on sleeping patterns?
What are the positive effects of social media on mental health?
Methods of Data Collection
Online questionnaires were the primary method of data collection during this survey. The researchers developed a worldwide web whereby they invited participants to complete the set of questions. Since the study was web-based, online questionnaires were the most appropriate method for gathering data due to their ease to create and analyze (Harlow, 2010). It was also easy to collect data using online questionnaires since the researchers encompassed 2000 respondents who were accessed quickly via the internet. When contrasted to traditional data collection methods that require substantial amounts of resources to gain optimal results, the use of online questionnaires was not only cost-efficient but also affordable. The researchers developed mobile friendly templates to increase access to fully automated and real-time analytics.
Another important that researchers utilized in the collection of data during this study were online interviews.

Similar to digitalized questionnaires, online interviews have a myriad of advantages that range from decreased costs to higher speeds. Their flexibility and interactivity also assure researchers of gathering high-quality information (Harlow, 2010). In this survey, the researchers organized and conducted interviews at the convenience of respondents. They responded to the interview questions based on their schedules and at their pace. In some instances, some started the survey, stopped, and completed it later. Importantly, participants were more willing to share personal information as they were not disclosing their private lives directly to another person.
ReferencesHarlow, A. (2010). Online surveys-possibilities, pitfalls, and practicalities: The experience of the Tela evaluation. Waikato Journal of Education, 15(2). Retrieved from https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/6163/Harlow%20online.pdf