On the Shoulders of Giants by Robert K. Merton. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,vicennial edition, 1985, 300 pp., hardcover.

Abstract

This article describes possibilities afforded by using social media, specifically Twitter, as a way to encourage students to join political conversations across the United States and around the world. In this study, we describe a project in which students used Twitter to share commentary about the state of the 2012 presidential election. The experiences of these students illustrate both the potential strengths and limitations of using social media as a tool for political engagement.