1. DOING RESEARCH

2. I. Getting started A. Selecting a Research Topic—Sources of Research Ideas 1. Many possible sources for research ideas (including mentors & colleagues, etc.). 2. One is our professional & personal interests a. Researchers often fuse personal interests with professional pursuits (e.g. studying groups where you are a member, such as what Ryan Todd is doing with Wakarusa)

3. Getting started, Con’t.  b. Can examine people or ideas that are similar to us, or dovetail with our attitudes and values (e.g. Tara’s study of gay students, or Andrew’s work with the Chinese music groups). c. Alternatively, may decide to study something that is the opposite of what we believe or do (e.g. studying opposing political groups). d. Must decide how much of personal interest to reveal (may be seen as reducing credibility, etc.).

4. Getting started, con’t.  2. Prior research (from libraries, internet, etc.) & theories  a. Can serve as guides for what is important in an area or discipline  b. Can provide sensitizing concepts—key ideas of phenomenon, etc.  c. Can provide areas where there are gaps in knowledge.

5. Getting started, con’t. 3. Public Problems a. For qualitative and critical work in particular, there is a long history of examining public problems b. Can extend work on problems that continue to exist, or develop projects on new social/political projects (e.g. the recent rise of “Tea Party” groups, which could be examined in themselves, or as part of a long U.S. history of such groups). c. Can examine applied communication problems (e.g. organizational issues, health issues, legal issues, etc.).

6. B. Determining Topic Relevance 1. Some questions to ask about the topic (“evaluating the scene”): a. Is the topic too broad? b. Can the problem really be investigated? c. Can the data obtained be analyzed in a systematic way? d. Is the problem significant? e. What time & costs would be involved in the analysis?

7. Determining topic relevance, con’t. f. Are the resources accessible (including access to the site and/or scenes)? g. Will the results be useful? 1) If quantitative, can they be generalized? 2) If qualitative, will they add to our knowledge? h. Is there any potential harm to the participants?

8. Determining topic relevance, con’t. 2. Questions to ask yourself about yourself: a. Can I sustain my interest in this topic over the long haul? b. Will this project help advance my professional career goals? In what ways? c. Do I have the skills and resources necessary to complete this project within any time deadlines?

9. II. Basic Research Steps A. “Library” or document research: 1. Develop a plan of action. a. Establish parameters of the research—narrow & limit topic. b. Consider the following: 1) Tradition—established knowledge 2) Authority—credibility of sources c. Develop preliminary research questions. d. Approach the search systematically.

10. Basic Research Steps, con’t. 2. Locating documents: a. Library resources b. Internet or electronic resources c. Other resources (gov’t., industry, etc.) 3. Types of documents a. Print 1) Books a) Monographs & original studies b) Yearbooks & series c) Textbooks

11. Basic Research Steps, con’t. b. Periodicals 1) Magazines a) General interest b) Specialized interests 2) Journals a) Professional publications b) Indices & abstract

12. Basic Research Steps, con’t. 3) Newsletters 4) Newspapers c. Internet sources (see below) d. Electronic/visual documents 1) Computer based systems (e.g. ERIC, Dissertation Abstracts, etc.) 2) Audiovisual (video/DVD, audiotape, film)

13. Basic Research Steps, con’t. 4. Finding sources a. Indices b. Government documents c. Abstracts d. On-line searches 1) Databases 2) Listservs 3) Websites 4) Use key words & Boolean searches.

14. Basic Research Steps, con’t. 5. Establishing credibility of sources a) Content b) Authority c) Critical standards 6. Types of Sources a) Primary (original; archival; etc.) b) Secondary (different levels) c) Tertiary (summaries, e.g. textbooks) d) Primary sources more credible than secondary; secondary more credible than tertiary (textbooks, journalistic sources, etc).

15. Basic Research Steps, con’t. B. “Casing the Scene” 1. Examining the site and/or scene for conducting the research a. For public sites, can visit & “hang out.” b. For private sites, must use other methods. 1) Becoming a sponsor 2) Becoming a member (or already being a member) 2. This process often leads to a modification of the original research question(s).

16. III. The Literature Review A. Organize existing knowledge: 1. Establish cut-off dates for search. 2. Establish key terms or descriptors to guide research. B. Establish relationships between concepts: 1. Assess strengths & weaknesses of research base. 2. Helps establish a theoretical perspective.

17. The Literature Review, con’t. C. Importance of the literature review: 1. Formally interprets documents reviewed. 2. Develops rationale, or justification for study. 3. Presents context of prior research. 4. Shows significance of topic. 5. Provides research questions and/or hypotheses for study.

18. IV. Doing original research A. From the literature review & casing the site, refine research questions. B. Create an appropriate research design. 1. Qualitative a. Specify basic data collection procedures b. Specify participants c. Issues of ecological validity 2. Textual/Critical a. Specify basic criteria for analysis b. Specify universe/sample of discourse

19. Doing Original Research, con’t. C. Conduct research--gather & interpret the data D. Prepare the research report ◦ 1. Written documentation of your research ◦ 2. Uses specialized style (APA, MLA, Turabian, etc.) ◦ 3. Common structure of the report:  a. Statement of the problem  1) Background  2) Brief rationale/justification  3) Possible limitations

20. Doing Original Research, con’t. b. Literature review (further justification) c. RQ & Hypothesis(es) [if appropriate] d. Methodology e. Results f. Implications & conclusions g. Reference citations h. Appendices [if applicable]