Kyara Somers
1. What is the title of your honour’s thesis project?
Investigating the Communication of Birth Control on TikTok Platforms
2. Can you give a brief description of what your honours thesis project investigated?
My thesis collected 100 videos with the most likes from TikTok using “#birthcontrolpills” along with their user engagement in terms of comments, views and shares. The three main objectives were to identify the common themes within the videos such as usage or side effects, to analyze the understandability and actionability of the information given and identify if the source of the information was a healthcare provider or not. In addition, the accuracy of the information provided was analyzed using reliable references.
3. Why did you choose this topic?
I chose this topic because TikTok has become a very popular social media platform that is used by individuals of all ages. I realized that this platform is being heavily used to spread information on different healthcare topics and I wanted to further investigate the accuracy of this information specifically on birth control pills. This platform has potential to spread information to a lot of people in a short period of time therefore it is important that this information is accurate.
4. What did you find the most rewarding about completing an honours thesis?
Completing an honours thesis was not in my original plans until I started talking to my professors. This type of project requires determination, good time management and communication skills, along with a lot of hard work. I am so proud of myself for taking this extra step during my undergraduate career, and I am also proud that I have contributed research to this growing topic.
5. What did you find the most challenging about completing an honours thesis?
I was nervous to complete an honours thesis because my writing skills were still developing. During my last year at St.FX, this is something I tried to work on throughout the year. With the help of my supervisor and second reader I was able to create an amazing thesis.
6. Was there any part of this process that surprised you?
I would not say that I had any surprises through the process, but I did learn a lot more about research and its importance within our discipline!
7. Do you have any advice for future honours students?
I think the most important thing is to find a supervisor that you can communicate well with! This makes the process so much fun and easier for the student. Additionally, I would recommend documenting the various deadline dates and scheduling times throughout the week to work on your thesis to keep on top of the work.
Hannah Smith