The TimesOnline reports that

FACEBOOK users may feel socially successful in cyberspace but they are more likely to perform poorly in exams, according to new research into the academic impact of the social networking website.

I know Facebook can cause nasty viruses that can make you lose files and that can CAUSE bad grades.  But I wondered, how did this study draw a correlation between FACEBOOK time and bad grades.  And then … I wondered if my blogging career would have a similar result.  Will my Straight A average plummet the more I blog?  Horrorifying thought!!

The Canadian Press reports:

Study co-author Aryn Karpinski, a doctoral student and graduate teaching associate at Ohio State University, said the researchers wanted to look at demographic differences of student Facebook users and non-users and to investigate their typical profiles.

Karpinski and Adam Duberstein of Ohio Dominican University are presenting their research Thursday in San Diego at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Foundation.

The researchers surveyed 219 students at Ohio State - 102 undergraduates and 117 graduates - in the summer and fall quarters of 2008. Of that total, 148 said they had Facebook accounts.Study co-author Aryn Karpinski, a doctoral student and graduate teaching associate at Ohio State University, said the researchers wanted to look at demographic differences of student Facebook users and non-users and to investigate their typical profiles.
Karpinski and Adam Duberstein of Ohio Dominican University are presenting their research Thursday in San Diego at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Foundation.

The researchers surveyed 219 students at Ohio State - 102 undergraduates and 117 graduates - in the summer and fall quarters of 2008. Of that total, 148 said they had Facebook accounts.

The award for most misleading article goes to the TimesOnline.  Did they really draw the conclusion that FACEBOOK is the cause of a B average vs. an A average for students? Sure, based on the study, their is a correlation for these students. But let’s face it, the study is not conclusive in any way.

1. The population studied was too small
2. There are no control variables (is the control group taking harder classes)
3. The time span is too small

I think the TimesOnline gets an “F” for trying to mislead readers.  Just proves that studies can be manipulated to say anything the media wants.  Keep questioning, and don’t believe everything you read!