Argument essay defending thesis statement with supporting points and evidence

Computer-Mediated Communication

Since its advent in the 20th century, Internet technology has become a platform for social, political, and economic interactions and transactions. Currently, cultures and societies are exploring new ways of optimizing Internet technology, from making social interactions easier, more expansive, and more frequent to minute concerns such as transferring money from one person to another via wireless Internet technology. Indeed, from its current uses and applications to human society, computer-mediated communication has become a way of life, and is no longer a new phenomenon. In fact, apprehension about the usage of the above-mentioned applications of computer-mediated communication has disappeared as the benefits outweighed its perceived risks and challenges. Only those who absolutely have no experience with computer and Internet technologies cannot see the usefulness / benefits of computer-mediated communication.

Indeed, the thesis posited demonstrates how, over time, literature and research studies about computer-mediated communication (CMC) have been conducted to determine its nature and dynamics. As the nature of CMC is rapidly and always changing, the dimensions critical to understanding it are also ever-changing. In fact, much of the journal articles published on CMC are focused on providing meta-analyses or reviews of other research studies conducted on CMC. As dimensions are added to the nature and dynamics of CMC, there are also more methodologies developed to capture the difference between CMC and other forms of communication, such as face-to-face and offline, asynchronous written communication (Romiszowski, 2010:215).

Further into the study of CMC, researchers and online communication experts have also explored and determined the role of culture in influencing the kind of CMC that occurs online. That is, a critical nature of CMC is also the context from which it happens or occurs. A study by Ess and Sudweeks (2005) demonstrated how traditional frameworks and models of interpersonal and group communication needed to be 'updated' or new ones are needed to be developed to truly reflect the nature and dynamics of communicating using the online platform. In their study, they found out that more than just developing new frameworks and models, CMC researchers must also factor in cultural nuances, peculiarities, and differences even if the communication platform is online or using the Internet technology.