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