Research Methods in Communication Ringo Ma’s Home Page Ringo Ma’s Lecture Notes Office: CVA 914 Phone:

Chapter 1 Introduction to the Research Culture The importance of knowing research methods –We have become a research-based culture. Claim, evidence, & warrant Five common everyday ways of knowing: –Personal experience –Intuition –Authority –Appeals to tradition, custom, and faith –Magic, superstition, & mysticism

A Model of Argument EvidenceClaim Warrant Backing

Induction –Reason from Specific to General Deduction –Reason from General to Specific

The Classical Ideal of Science Generalization Theories Hypotheses Observation Deduction Operationalization Method & measurement Induction

Theory Construction Axioms, Premises, or Assumptions 1+1=2 Theorems, Theoretical Statements a 2 +b 2 =c 2

A wonderful theory of dating Axioms, Premises, or Assumptions ? Theorems, Theoretical Statements 1.The more physically attractive a man is, the more dating opportunities he tends to have. 2.The more dating opportunities a man has, the less generous he tends to be toward each dating partner.

Proprietary research vs. scholarly research Characteristics of research –Research is based on curiosity and asking questions. –Research is a systematic process. –Research is potentially replicable. –Research is reflexive and self-critical. –Research is cumulative and self- correcting. –Research is cyclical.

Research Cultures Physical sciences, humanities, social sciences Positivist vs. naturalistic research –The positivist paradigm is concerned with how to apply some of the methods used in the physical sciences to the study of human behavior. –The naturalistic paradigm is concerned with the development of methods that capture the socially constructed and situated nature of human behavior.

A working model of communication research Phase 1: Conceptualization Phase 2: Planning and designing research (transform abstract concepts into operational, or measurable terms) Phase 3: Methodologies for conducting research Phase 4: Analyzing and interpreting data Phase 5: Reconceptualization