Lara Dodd

PhD in Mathematics and Information Sciences

Using the popularity and prevalence of social media the study examines the information behaviour of aspiring undergraduates as they begin to make decisions about their UCAS application. It considers, for example, what the information needs of aspiring undergraduates really are, how they are searching for and sharing information, and, critically, whether they have the self-efficacy and the skills necessary to effectively meet those needs.

The proposed research will develop and employ a qualitative methodology whereby thousands of publicly accessible posts/tweets (i.e. Twitter) will be retrieved, analysed and modelled using NVivo software. Data collection slots will take place during three key time periods; the period leading up to the UCAS deadline, exam results day (the start of clearing), and freshers’ week to mark the before, during and after stages of the transition that new students pass through.

Research Supervisors

Dr Geoff Walton
Dr Morgan Harvey

Student profiles

+

Northumbria Open Days

Open Days are a great way for you to get a feel of the University, the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the course(s) you are interested in.

a person sitting at a table using a laptop

+

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Information about all of our tuition fees, funding and scholarships.

+

Virtual Tour

Get an insight into life at Northumbria at the click of a button! Come and explore our videos and 360 panoramas to immerse yourself in our campuses and get a feel for what it is like studying here using our interactive virtual tour.