The Deliberative Influence of Comment Section Structure
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-2017
Keywords
comment section, deliberation, engagement, online news
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884917711791
Abstract
Online news comment sections are a ubiquitous presence across media outlets. Although research has assessed both the content and effects of these comment spaces, little is known about how the structure of comment spaces influences news users’ online commentary. As democratic theorists argue, the structure of a communicative space can influence its deliberative quality. We conducted two separate experiments to determine how news comment section structure affects online commentary. We found that both comment section structure and the structure of pre-comment information enhanced both the quantity of comment engagement and its deliberative quality.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
No
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism, p. 1-20.
Scholar Commons Citation
Peacock, Cynthia; Scacco, Joshua M.; and Stroud, Natalie Jomini, "The Deliberative Influence of Comment Section Structure" (2017). Communication Faculty Publications. 934.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/spe_facpub/934
