© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Chapter 1 Introduction to Research in Communication Research: –Process of asking questions and finding answers –Application of scientific and systematic procedures –Assumes that patterns can be uncovered –Empirically based methods

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 Your Relationship with Research Scholarly research –You in the role of researcher –You in the role of research consumer Proprietary research –Commissioned for private use

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Scholarly Research Formal and systematic method Available to the public and other researchers Scientific outcomes –Describes behavior –Determines causes of behavior –Predicts behavior –Explains behavior

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Research and Theory Theory: –Set of concepts, definitions, and propositions that presents a systematic view of the phenomena –Developed and tested over time –Attempts to explain and predict phenomena Research should be theoretically driven or aid in the creation of theory

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 Communication as a Social Science Social science methods –Look for patterns of communication behavior –Must be empirical; verify through observations or experiences –Focus on messages; effects of messages & their meanings Quantitative methods –Relies on numerical measurement Qualitative methods –Researcher is the primary observer

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 The Scientific Approach Research follows traditions & procedures 1.Start with an interesting question 2.Formulate a hypothesis or research question 3.Use reason and experience to refine the hypothesis or research question 4.Conduct the observation, measurement, or experiment 5.Analyze and interpret the data

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 Characteristics of Science 1. Based on evidence 2. Testable 3. Explores all possibilities 4. Replicable 5. Public record 6. Self-correcting 7. Measurement and observation 8. Control error 9. Objectivity 10. Skepticism 11. Generalizability 12. Heuristic

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 Methodological Extremes Law of the hammer Methodological tools for different purposes Content of research question or hypothesis drives selection of the methodological tool A method is only useful if it helps answer the research question or hypothesis

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 Questions Communication Scholars Ask Wide variety of questions can be asked about many communication phenomena Determine the significance of the question –Personal interest –Social importance –Theoretical significance So what?

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 10 The Nature of the Questions Questions of fact –Provide definitions Questions of variable relations –Examine if, how, and to what degree phenomena are related Questions of value –Ask for subjective evaluations Questions of policy –Recommend a course of action