Dear secondary schools,

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I am inviting you to take part in a research study exploring critical thinking among young people who watch YouTube videos. I want to learn more about their experiences with this social media platform.

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Brief overview of the research project

I am inviting Year 8 and Year 9 students to take part in an online survey that will take approximately 20 minutes. The questionnaire seeks the views of young people on YouTube, their engagement with YouTube content and their understanding of some terms associated with YouTube and social media in general.

 

I am also inviting volunteers from the survey to take part in an online focus group. The focus group will last between one to two hours and will include activities to help young people explore their views about YouTube influencers and the idea of being influenced.

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I am fully aware of the confidentiality, ethical and data protection guidelines associated with such research and with interacting with young people, as such, I have the necessary DBS check required for someone conducting research with young people and I have conducted all necessary ethical clearance and courses at the University of Sussex.

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The final report that I will provide on my findings might be useful for other researchers and academics to learn more about young people's critical thinking and media literacy but it can also contribute to providing new materials for secondary schools.

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Please see the participant information sheet below and check the other information on this website to learn more about the scope of the project.

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