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COM 297 COMMUNICATION RESEARCH METHODS(Sec. 04)
Fall2016 Fell 152 17:30-20:20Monday
Instructor: Dr. Jong G. Kang
Office: Fell 414 (phone): 309-438-7610
(e-mail):
(homepage):
Office Hours: MW15:00-15:50 (or by appointment)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course deals with the logic, theory, methods, and practice of the study of communication research. It covers the fundamental processes and principals necessary for conducting and consuming research in communication, with a primary focus on quantitative methods and on both descriptive and qualitative methods. No prior methodological or statistical knowledge is required.
Through methodological, empirical, and other readings, you will be introduced to a broad range
of research philosophies, techniques, designs, including observation, laboratory and field
experiments, and surveys. We will cover such topics as the explication and testing of hypotheses,
sampling, instrument construction, content analysis, data analysis, scaling, and computer analysis. Despite the usual portrayal of research as a series of orderly, linear, discrete steps, this is rarely if ever the case in practice; we will approach research as a circular and circuitous but integrated and disciplined process. Our goal will be to become familiar with the methods and approaches that have been used to understand the nature, roles and functions of communication, but also to develop a critical perspective on those methods.In addition, you will receive instruction, and will utilize computers, in the following areas:word processing, literature search, and statistical analysis (SPSS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).
TEXT: Donald Treadwell,IntroducingCommunicationResearch (Los Angeles, CA: SAGE
Publishing, 2011).
Additional required materials (Course Packet).
READINGS: In addition to the text, several reading lists will be handed out in class. Various articles from Journalism and MassCommunicationQuarterly, JournalofBroadcastingand
ElectronicMedia, and JournalofCommunication are on reserve in my office (Fell 414).
GRADING: You will be evaluated on the basis of two examinations, a research project, several class assignments, and class attendance. Each exam will count 35 percent of your final grade. Final grade will be computed on the following basis:
- Two examinations (70%)*
- Research project (20%)**
- Class assignments (5%)**
- Class attendance (5%)***
* The final exam will be semi-cumulative, in the sense that it will emphasize the second
part of the course, but it will also include major issues which have been stressed
throughout. Attendance is required at each examination.
** The research project will be based on a research exercise, designed, executed, and
analyzed by group participants. Further details on the research project will
be given in class. There will be several class assignments. You must complete a research project and all assignments to earn a passing grade. Before each class assignment, I will give all the details of the assignment in class.
*** Since much of the class format will be lecture and class practice, attendance is
encouraged and expected.
When percentages are utilized in exams and assignments, the following will apply:
90% = A; 80% = B; 70% = C; and 60% = D.
FINAL PAPER: A major requirement of this course is a research project. This project, of course, will be relatively small-scale, but your reports of them should reflect the major methodological issues raised in the course. Group projects are acceptable. You should be thinking about your project from the start; all projects must be approved by me before September 12, 2016, and preferably much sooner. It is extremely important that you prepare your proposalpresentation. Your class presentation date is September 26, 2016. Your final (research) paper should be typed, double spaced, with reasonable margins. It should be 15-25 pages. Please use a cover page with your name, and title of your paper. Final paper due is December 5, 2016. Late papers will be penalized ½ grade for each day late.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- You are responsible for all materials presented in class; through lectures, visual presentations, and handouts. It is your responsibility to get notes from someone if you miss the class.
- This syllabus denotes the subject areas, class activities, assignments (presentations,
required readings and written work), and examinations which will occur during the term.
Keep your syllabus handy and refer to it often!
Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Student Access and Accommodation Servicesat 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD).
THE COURSE and INSTRUCTOR: The course is comprised of lectures, discussions, presentations, readings, and assignments. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal--and often a lot of fun!; I encourage this. You should find the lectures supportive of the reading material, but not a substitute for them. There will be information in the lectures not available in the text, as well as elaboration on items that may need further clarification. I hope that you find me very approachable.
I love questions in class, especially ones that force me to think quickly on my feet. Please do not ever hesitate to ask questions. Remember the old adage: "The only dumb question is one that goes unasked." I also encourage you to take advantage of my office hours. There are the times when I make myself totally available to you to discuss your progress in the course or any questions you are having with assignments, the material or whatever. If my office hours are inconvenient for you, please let me know and we can schedule another time to meet. I hope you have a fun and productive semester.
ATTENDANCEPOLICY (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY): Given the participatory nature of this course, it is absolutely essential that you plan to be here on time and every Monday. Each unexcused absence beyond twowill lower your final grade by one-half of one letter. You are given these two absences to use as you see fit, but be cautioned that you never know when you might need them, so don't waste them! Consistent tardiness will have similar consequences. Excused absences include university-approved activities or illness/death in your family. It is your responsibility to make up missed work and to keep up with class activities as they occur.
It is to your benefit to inform me if you foresee an absence in order that I might better plan future class activities. Only in the event of an excused absence a presentation will be allowed to be "made up." There is no extra credit.
COURSE SCHEDULE: Outlined below are the discussion topics and reading assignments.
Week of Topic* Reading Assignment
August 22 Overview of Course and Chapter 1 & 3
Introduction to Communication Research Course packet
August 29 Hypothesis Test; Research Chapter 2, 4, 9
Strategy; and Literature Review Course packet
Research Design (5 Steps) & Surveys
September 5 Labor Day Holiday (NO Class)
September 12 Survey Measurement & Chapter 5& 8
Level and Techniques Course packet
Sampling
September 19 Reliability & Validity Chapter 5
Course packet
September 26 Proposal Presentation Course packet
October 3 SPSS & Computer Application Course packet
October 10 EXAM I
October 17 Content Analysis Chapter 12
Course packet
October 24 Data Collection, Data Input, Chapter 14
Data Analysis, andInterpretation Course Packet
Statistical Analysis & Writing Research Report
October 31 Descriptive Statistics II Chapter 6
Course packet
November 7 Inferential Statistics I & II Chapter 7
Course packet
November 14 Qualitative Study: Exploratory, Chapters 10 &11
Descriptive, and Observational Studies Course Packet
November 21 Thanksgiving Break (No Class)
November 28 Group Presentation
December 5 E X A M II
* Topics may change upon instructor's discretion.
REFERENCES
James Anderson, CommunicationResearch (New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1987).
Earl Babbie, TheBasicsofSocialResearch (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1999).
Hubert M. Blalock, Jr., SocialStatistics (New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1979).
Robert N. Bostrom, CommunicationResearch (Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press Inc., 1998)
John W. Bowers and John A. Courtright, CommunicationResearchMethods (Glenview, Illinois:
Scott, Foresman and Company, 1984).
Philip Emmert and Larry L. Barker, Measurementof Communication Behavior (New York:
Longman Inc., 1989).
Alan D. Fletcher and Thomas A. Bowers, FundamentalsofAdvertisingResearch (Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1988).
Lawrence R. Frey, Carl H. Botan, Paul G. Friedman, and Gary L. Kreps, Investigating
Communication (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1981).
Robert D. Mason, Douglas A. Lind, and William G. Marchal, Statistics (New York, N.Y.:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1983).
Fred N. Kerlinger, Foundations ofBehavioralResearch (New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, Inc., 1973).
Klaus Krippendorff, ContentAnalysis (Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications, 1980).
Carol A. Saslow, BasicResearchMethods (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.,
1982).
Guido H. Stempel, III and Bruce H. Westley, ResearchMethods
inMassCommunication (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1981).
Alexis S. Tan, Mass CommunicationTheoriesandResearch (New York, N.Y.: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., 1985).
Jean Ward and Kathleen Hansen, SearchStrategiesin CommunicationResearch (New York:
Longman Inc., 1987).
Roger D. Wimmer and Joseph Dominick, MassMediaResearch (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Publishing Co., 1997).
RESEARCH PROPOSAL (Fall 2016)
GUIDELINE FOR PROPOSAL: This handout is intended to help you structure and organize your proposal. Your proposal is a plan of action. It is impossible to make it too explicit and detailed -- the more specific, the better. Think of it as a grant proposal to some funding agency. You are trying to convince some agency or foundation of the importance of your project, and of its methodological feasibility, in terms of its scientific, theoretical, and policy-related implications. You are writing for an intelligent reader, but one who knows nothing about the subject you are studying or about any previous research on it. Your task is to tell that reader everything he or she needs to know about the topic, and exactly what you propose to do, in
the hope that they will be impressed enough to grant you the funding you
need to conduct the study.
Suggested structure
INTRODUCTION: A brief, general statement about the focus of the study,
including why it is important and how you propose to conduct it. Think of
this as a summary or abstract of the entire proposal.
RATIONALE: A more detailed elaboration of the theoretical background of your
study. This section should explain and justify the need to do research on
your topic, and fit it into some larger context. In other words, you should
explain both the specific aims of your original research and also discuss
its larger, more general significance.
LITERATURE REVIEW (PREVIOUS RESEARCH): A critical discussion of previous
research on your topic. It is unlikely to include all major previous studies, but it should deal with a sufficient number to indicate that this is an ongoing area of concern (minimum: 10 articles). Do not simply report the results of these studies. Describe what the authors did to reach their conclusions, and assess any methodological flaws, limitations, or threats to the validity of their findings and inferences. Use this section to build a foundation for your own study and to point out gaps in what we already
know about the topic -- gaps our own study will fill.
METHODOLOGY: This section is likely to have several sub-sections, each explaining (in full
detail) a specific aspect of what you propose to do. For example, how will you draw your sample (whether it is a sample of people, a sample of television commercials, a sample of newspaper articles, etc.)? Explain the data collection procedure -- phone interview, mail survey, personal interview, classroom data collection, etc. Be specific!
The proposal must also include a title, a bibliography and a draft of your questionnaire (if you do survey research). The bibliography must follow some standard reference format. (Any format is acceptable as long as you are consistent; social science formats are far simple than footnotes.)Use word processing program for spelling check. Finally proofread it carefully for other typographical errors. Acceptable word processing programs are MS Words and Word Perfect. PROPOSAL DUE: September 26, 2016.