Step 2: Analysis

In the second stage of the critical process, you will isolate patterns that emerged from the interviews that call for closer attention. The following questions can help you identify patterns in your results:

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INSTAGRAM is intended to be used on a mobile device as an app; the browser-based version of the service actually makes it difficult to upload photos not taken with a phone or other devices with wireless-enabled cameras. This means that Instagram users are encouraged to check their feeds on their phones. How might this affect how posts are perceived? Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

Our sample sixteen-year-old student noted that she uses Instagram and Tumblr just for finding cool images, but that texting has the potential to induce anxiety and unhappiness: “You feel bad when someone doesn’t text you back. I know someone who is notoriously bad at responding, and honestly it makes me feel really bad when they don’t respond. So you start second guessing yourself. It’s really stressful.” Your subjects might have experienced other events with social media—from finding good friends or someone they love, to being bullied or humiliated. Are there any patterns here?