Bachelor's Thesis

Social Media and their Influence on Democratic Elections

Final Thesis 1.43 MB

Author of thesis: Bc. Veronika Khyzhniak

Acad. year: 2017/2018

Supervisor: M. A. Kenneth Froehling

Reviewer: Mgr. Marie Žouželková Bartošová

Abstract:

Progress in online technology has greatly improved the way how people all over the world can communicate with each other. Social networks greatly facilitate live communication not only for ordinary people but also for representatives of the legislative power. With the help of social media, politicians can promote their political campaign, advertise their party and, thanks to this, quickly and economically gain supporters. The 2016 US presidential elections highlighted the importance of social media communication on democratic elections worldwide. The aim of the thesis is to study different forms of social media. The project deals with the impact of Twitter and Facebook in the 2016 USA election and describes the way candidates were using it during the race.

Keywords:

social media, presidential elections, political campaign, communication, Twitter, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Facebook

Date of defence

12.06.2018

Result of the defence

Defended (thesis was successfully defended)

znamkaAznamka

Grading

A

Process of defence

Student samostatně prezentoval svou bakalářskou práci dobrou angličtinou a pohotově zodpověděl všechny kladené otázky.

Language of thesis

English

Faculty

Department

Study programme

English in Electrical Engineering and Informatics (EEEI-H)

Field of study

English in Electrical Engineering and Informatics (H-AEI)

Composition of Committee

prof. Ing. Jaromír Brzobohatý, CSc. (předseda)
PaedDr. Alena Baumgartnerová (místopředseda)
Mgr. Pavel Reich, Ph.D. (člen)
Mgr. Ing. Eva Ellederová, Ph.D. (člen)
Mgr. Petra Zmrzlá, Ph.D. (člen)
prof. Ing. Vladislav Musil, CSc. (člen)
M. A. Kenneth Froehling (člen)
Mgr. Radek Vogel, Ph.D. (člen)

Supervisor’s report
M. A. Kenneth Froehling

This thesis focuses on different forms of social media and the way they can influence democratic elections. Ms. Khyzhniak reflects on the 2016 US Presidential Election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to highlight the ways both of their respective campaigns used social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, and to what extent they were successful in their use.  The definition of an "election" and the way the American Constitution prescribes the rules of American Presidential elections is highlighted. Finally, in chapter 6, Ms. Khyzhniak discusses Russia's role in using social media on the Internet to affect  the 2016 election results.

I liked reading Ms. Khyzhniak's thesis very much . She clearly describes the different forms of online technology which helps people communicate with each other. In addition Ms. Khyzhniak has a keen political eye  and is successful in describing the 2016 election campaigns of both Trump and Clinton and to assess why social media on the Internet is a better way to campaign today than tradional forms of the mainstream media. Moreover, the writer shows her willingness to state her personal opinion on Russian attempts to interfere with the 2016 election. Finally, the use of six different figures, which includes the Electoral College map and an example of a Twitter conversation between Trump and Clinton, adds spice to this paper.

I have little criticism of this test except for maybe the naivety of the writer in chapter 4.5 on the importance she places on celebrity support  from Hollywood actors, HipHop and R&B singers for Hillary Clinton in 2016.  Veronika is correct in mentioning big celebrity events in California and New York, but in recents presidential elections the Democrats have carried both states by millions of votes (which Clinton did too in 2016), but Trump was likely better served in having Aissa Wayne endorse him in the important caucus and swing state of Iowa.

As for its style and grammar, the style of the thesis is done quite well and each chapter is more or less of even length. There are hardly any typos and as for grammar and vocabulary there are a few errors in the paper (e.g. "well-knowingness" on p.18), and in the final paragraph of p.14, where Ms. Khyzhniak seems a bit confused about the timeline, which naturally affects the tenses.  Otherwise, the thesis is overall cleanly written and flows well when reading it.

Therefore,, I feel this is a well done work and Ms. Khyzhniak deserves her final mark of "A/91". Points proposed by supervisor: 91
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Grade proposed by supervisor: A

Tématem dané bakalářské práce je vliv sociálních médií na demokratické volby v USA v roce 2016. Práce se zaměřuje na různé formy komunikace s cílem objasnit, jaký dopad mohou mít především sociální sítě na politické dění, v tomto případě na klání v amerických prezidentských volbách mezi Hillary Clintonovou a Donaldem Trumpem. Přibližuje využití Twitteru a Facebooku oběma kandidáty a dotýká se také otázky možného ovlivnění voleb ruskými tajnými službami.

Z hlediska formálního práce splňuje požadavek na rozsah. Text je přehledně členěn na kapitoly a podkapitoly, které na sebe logicky navazují. Text je vnitřně soudržný. Autorka se drží tématu a podává ho objektivně srozumitelnou a čtivou formou. Práce je zdařilá jak po obsahové, tak po jazykové stránce. Autorka disponuje bohatou slovní zásobou. Gramatické chyby, nejčastěji nesprávné použití členů nebo překlepy ("layers" místo "lawyers", str. 13) se vyskytují ojediněle. Kladně lze hodnotit také značné množství zdrojů, z nichž autorka čerpala. Větší pozornost by si však zasloužila grafická úprava. Úhlednost práce snižuje v mnoha případech malá mezera mezi textem a číslováním stránek či mezi odstavcem a názvem další kapitoly. Také velikost pravého okraje by mohla být větší. U obrázku č. 1 chybí odkaz na zdroj a v případě uvedených odkazů na obrázky nebo zdroje v rámci textu by měla tečka být až za uvedeným odkazem. Navíc v zadání práce a v prohlášení zůstalo označení semestrální, místo bakalářská, práce.

Závěrem konstatuji, že práce splňuje veškeré nároky na bakalářské práce kladené a bez větších připomínek ji doporučuji k obhajobě a navrhuji hodnocení A/90 bodů. Topics for thesis defence:
  1. Compare the American presidential election system with the one used in your country. Which electoral system do you find to be more fair or effective and why?
Points proposed by reviewer: 90
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Grade proposed by reviewer: A

Responsibility: Mgr. et Mgr. Hana Odstrčilová