How the internet affects our lives

In an age where "Google" and "facebook" have become verbs, it seems only fitting that we explore just how much the internet affects our day-to-day lives. Is the internet really changing the way society gathers and perceives information, or is this merely media hype? Through a simple, 7-question survey we hope to examine how often the average person uses the internet versus other means of communication, what they use when online, and how much they trust the world wide web after all.

1. Which source do you most often use to obtain news/information?

television    internet    newspaper    radio    Other

2. How often do you use the internet (business/personal/etc.)?

0-3 hours per week    4-7 hours per week    8-10 hours per week    10-13 hours per week    13-16 hours per week    17+ hours

3. Which of the following do you check at least once a week?

News broadcast (TV/radio)    Blog    MySpace/Facebook (or any other social networking site)    Podcasts    Newspaper(s)    Magazine(s)    News web sites

4. If you're unsure of the answer to something, you immediately ...

look it up online    ask a friend/professor/family member    do some quick fact-checking in a book (like an enclyclopedia or dictionary)    Other

5. How much do you trust the internet as a source for news and other information?

I trust most web sites.    I trust about 75% of the web sites I visit.    I trust less than 50% of the sites I visit online.    I only trust web sites from pre-existing media outlets, like CNN.com or the Stpetetimes.com.    I trust less than 10% of what I read online.    I don't (a) care, (b) know, or (c) use the internet.

6. Check any of the objects listed below if you know how to CREATE your own version of it.

podcast    vlog/online video    blog    web site    wiki    message board    flash-/java-enhanced web site    Web Quest learning tool

7. Would you be interested in taking a course at USF to learn how to create and maintain various forms of digital media?

Yes    No