Blog Assignment 3

For this blog assignment I decided to choose ImportTuner.com as the website I will be reviewing.  I was originally going to pick the Mortal Forum website, but decided I should do something different in an effort to solidify my knowledge in the Community Analysis Template.  Starting off, the website definitely has a clear purpose.  It is clear from even the home page that the entire website is about customized cars.  The website is designed to immediately tell you what it is about.  Secondly, the website has a map on the top of the home page that easily directs you to where you need to go.  There is a "community" tab that creates an easily accessible gathering place for the members.  Once you enter the community section, you can look at member's profiles.  Over time, you are able to add photos and information about yourself, but most importantly, your car.  Not only can you evolve the profile yourself, but the site will increase your leadership based on your involvement in the site.  At first, you are considered a "new member".  After involving yourself you can keep climbing up the ladder until you reach "guru" status.  Upon creating an account, you will be presented with the code of conduct that is expected on the site.  Also, you can look in the forums for more information about the policies related to the community aspect of the site.  The forums also feature an entire Events section, providing information about upcoming events from the site, and other supported events.  Although there is not an official way to create a sub group in the community section, it is very simple to organize one through the forums.  Some people separated it by location, type of car, etc.  Finally, the community of Import Tuner is definitely integrated into the real world.  This website is merely a way to share their real life hobby, meet new people involved in the same community, and find out about real life events.  This website is overall successful and follows along well with the community analysis template.

Assignment 1

For the upcoming research assignment, it is quite tempting to choose a site that we already participate in, or have extensive knowledge in.  This is probably because it would be much more enjoyable to research a site that we already enjoy.  Also, it would make it much easier to craft specific questions geared toward what you already know about the site.  Although this may seem like a benefit, it is also the biggest flaw in choosing a site you already use.  The reason this is bad is because you would already be biased to the site that you already participate in.  The goal of this assignment is to research from a nuetral perspective in order to get the facts and opinions of real people from the site.  If you already know a lot about the site, you are more likely to create probing questions instead of getting the true ideas of who you research.
Another flaw with researching a site you already use is that you probably know some people on that site.  It would be really easy to get someone you already have contact with to let you interview them, but once again it would be biased.  Most likely, this person would view things in the same way you do.  Overall, it is best to research a site that you have never been a part of, or maybe even never heard of.  This will give  you the best idea of what the people really think, without letting your own opinions interfere.  Plus, it wouldn't hurt to check out a new website, maybe even one you were skeptical about in the beginning.  By intereviewing and getting other people's opinions, your own opinion about the site could completely change.  I plan on using a site that I have never been on, giving me complete nuetral freedom to discover things for myself.