SALEM, Mass. - A Salem State College student's research paper on "cam girls" -- young women who use cameras to document their lives on the Web -- has been recognized by two national organizations.

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Eastern Communication Association in Washington, D.C. have both recognized Amanda Newhall's 26-page research paper. Newhall, a senior communications major from Rowley, will present her study on self-esteem and "cam girls" at the 2003 National Conference in Salt Lake City in March and at the Eastern Communications Association's conference in Washington in April.

A native of Salem, Newhall wrote her semester-long research for professor Judi Cook's "Research in Communications" class. "I often wondered what would make a young woman want to reveal her personal life to a Web audience," Newhall said. "I was surprised to find how many are willing to do it. I was also surprised to discover that little research has been on this subject."

Newhall e-mailed survey questions to 100 sites and received responses from 20. She said many of the young women who responded described their lives as "unique." Newhall's research reveals three levels of motivation. "Some do it for self-promotion, some do it for the Santa Claus effect - having viewers satisfy their wish list - and for some, it's the business of pornography."

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