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RTV/JOUR 3363 Communications Research
Spring 2008
Dr. Mary Jackson Pitts
COM 367 (972‑3361)
E‑mail: mpitts@astate.edu
Web site: www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts
Office Hours: MWF 9-10; TTH 8:30-9:30
I. Course Description: Study and use of research tools and theories available for mass communications problem solving. Emphasis will be on library research, theory approaches, and applied research as applied to the media.
II. Course Objectives: This course is intended to improve students' ability to use appropriate research methods and procedures to collect evidence to make informed decision/s about media issues. Upon completion of this course, students should be:
a. familiar with social science research terminologies;
b. familiar with the procedures of various research methods;
c able to understand how diversity in race, ethnicity, and gender impact research proposals, methodologies, findings and conclusions.
d. conversant with the importance of theory in examining media problems;
e. able to ask research questions pertinent to communication's media;
f. able to prepare and evaluate research instruments;
g. able to interpret and report research findings;
h. able to discuss reported research findings; and
i. able to understand secondary research methods (library resources)
III. Required Text:
Stacks, D.W., Hocking, J.E., & McDermott, S.T. (2003). Communication Research. 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, (2001). Fifth Edition.
Optional: Galvan, J. L.( 1999). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences. Pyrczak Publishing.
Required tools: Jump Drive or CDs--- Calculator
Supplemental Texts: Found on Reserve in Library
Converse, J.M. & Presser, S. (1986). Survey questions. Beverly Hills: Sage.
DeVellis, R.F. (1991). Scale development: Theory and applications. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Spector, P. E. (1981). Research design. Beverly Hills: Sage.
IV. Course Requirements: Create a primary research paper examining a concept and its relationship to one of the media.
a. Radio b. Television
c. Advertising d. Public relations
e. Visual communication f. Sales
g. Management h. Interactive communication
Research Projects:
Mini-Proposal 1 page September 4th
Proposal 2-3 pages September 18th
Introduction 2 pages September 30th
Statement of purpose or problem
Research questions
Justification
Literature Review 5 pages October 14th
Restatement of purpose or problem
Theoretical focus
Cohesive essay of research studies which address the current statement of purpose.
Methodology 5 pages October 30th
a. Survey
b. Content analyses
c. Survey
d. Focus groups
e. Case study
Data Collection Completed October –November 11th
Findings 5 pages
Conclusions 3 pages
References 2 pages
Appendices 3 pages
In-class presentations December 2-11th
Final exam 9:30-10:45 class December 11th 8:00 am
12:30-1:45 class December 9th 12:30 pm
V. Attendance:
The university does not require mandatory attendance for upper class students. However, students will be responsible for all lecture materials, class reports, projects and handouts. Students missing any class material will be doing so at their own risk. Makeups and extensions will not be permitted on assignments missed due to an absence. Any graded work missed due to an absence will earn a zero. Students obligated to other activities that might preclude their regular attendance in this class should plan to take the class at another time when attendance can be assured. All readings and other class assignments must be completed on schedule. Again, makeups or late assignments will not be accepted. Student athletes will have 24 hours from the date of their return to class from a university related activity to make up any missed work. Likewise students attending out of town meetings related to school work will have 24 hours to make up work. Work not made up during this 24 hour period will receive a zero ("0"). It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor regarding the completion of make-up work, within the specified period.
All announcements made in class or sent to class via email related to schedule changes, project due dates, course content, and requirements take precedence over any syllabi content or web content.
VI Examinations
There will be multiple exams in the class. There will be at least 2 major exams and numerous quizzes. These will be administered throughout the semester. This means that any material in the textbook, lecture, class reports will be fair game for questions. Students must, therefore, keep ahead of the class in all readings.
VII Course Structure: Lectures and group discussions and interpretations will be the primary delivery of information to the class.
Student Information Sheet http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/student_information_sheet.htm
VIII. Cell phone and pager policy
ALL CELL PHONES AND PAGERS SHOULD BE TURNED OFF BEFORE ENTERING THE CLASSROOM, AND THEY SHOULD REMAIN OFF DURING CLASS. IF YOUR PHONE RINGS DURING CLASS, THE PROFESSOR WILL ANSWER IT, PHONES APPEARING ON DESK OR RINGING DURING CLASS WILL RESULT IN A ZERO FOR ANY WORK, ASSIGNMENT, TEST, OR PRESENTATION GRADED ON THAT DAY. STUDENTS WILL BE ASK TO PLACE CELL PHONES ON THE PROFESSOR'S DESK DURING TESTING.
IX: TEXT MESSAGING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. IF FOUND TEXT MESSAGING THE STUDENT WILL RECEIVE A ZERO FOR ANY WORK, ASSIGNMENT, TEST OR PRESENTATION GRADED THAT DAY.
X: COMPUTER USE. COMPUTERS MAY BE USED FOR NOTE TAKING. STUDENTS USING PERSONAL COMPUTERS TO SURF THE INTERNET, SEND EMAIL OR THE LIKE DURING CLASS WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM AND WILL RECEIVE A ZERO FOR ANY WORK, ASSIGNMENT, TEST OR PRESENTATION GRADED THAT DAY.
XI: Grading:
Grades are not given in my classes, they are earned. Your earned grade will depend strictly on how much work you put into your assignments, readings and projects. To earn an "A" grade, you must consistently produce excellent work. For a "B" you must consistently produce good work. A "C" will be earned for satisfactory work, a "D" for poor but passing performance and an "F" for failure.
August 25th, 2008-October 14th, 2008 Grading Materials (50%)
Students will be required to take quizzes and complete work in the class setting. All quizzes and class assignments will be graded on a 100-point scale. Pre-exam and Midterm exam will be included in this grade period. Research assignments due during the semester and tentatively scheduled in this syllabus will be graded on a 100-point scale. All scores will be averaged together from these graded materials in the first half of the semester to provide a mean scores. This mean score will account for 50% of your grade.
Research paper and graded materials
October 15th- December 12th, 2008 Grading Materials (50%)
All materials graded during this grading period including the final research paper, class presentation of paper, final exam, , APA guidelines followed, and SPSS interpretations will be averaged together to provide a mean score. This mean score will account for the remaining 50% of your grade.
An example of how the final grade will be calculated follows.
Mean x % = points toward final grade
|
August 21- October 5th A Quizzes and Class assignments |
60 |
80 |
70 |
90 |
99 |
85 |
|
|
Pre exam Midterm Exam
|
78 |
80 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research Projects |
100 |
80 |
70 |
92 |
89 |
85 |
82.71 x.50= 41.36
|
|
October 6th-Decmember 4th
Research paper APA Class Presentation Final Exam SPSS interpretations |
82 60 80 50 80 |
|
|
|
|
|
70.40 x .50= 35.20 |
Take the 82.71 mean score and multiply it by .50. 41.36
Take the 70.40 mean score and multiply it by .50 35.20
Total add the results. Final grade 76.56 Final Grade = C.
The grading scale is as follows: 90 ‑ 100=A; 80 ‑ 89=B; 70 ‑ 79=C; 60 ‑ 69=D; 60 AND BELOW=F
Safety Policy:
"This course may require the use of hazardous chemicals or equipment that the University Safety Committee recognizes as potentially hazardous to a student's safety and health. Every instructor is required to provide instructional information and training on safe handling and usage procedures prior to engaging students in the use of hazardous chemicals or equipment. In addition, students are advised to notify the instructor or laboratory supervisor of any medications or conditions that may impair their mental alertness and/or their ability to safely engage in the use of any hazardous chemical or equipment. All students should participate in the use of hazardous chemicals and equipment only under the direct supervision of the instructor or by approval of the instructor, using recommended methods and procedures. Failure to adhere to the outlined safety precautions could result in disciplinary action."
Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him/her from fully participating in this course should contact the Disability Services (972-3964) as soon as possible so we can make the necessary accommodations to facilitate your educational opportunity.
VIII. Tentative Outline:
All announcements made in class or sent to class via email related to schedule changes, project due dates, course content, and requirements take precedence over any syllabi content or web content.
Paper presentation guidelines
Research in the Field
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/research_journal.htm
So what! Finding a research topic
Examining media effects with relationship to diversity in race, ethnicity, and gender.
Assignment due: Mini--Proposal September 4th, 2008
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/why_we_do_research_lecture.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/research_design.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/abstract_guide.htm
Assignment Due: September 11th, 2008 Abstract of article located at this web address. http://www.utpjournals.com/simile
Go to author last name and article can be found.
Find the article with this citation
Pitts, M. J. (August 2003). “Television web sites and changes in the nature of storytelling.” Studies in Media & Information
Literacy Education 3.3 (2003).
http://www.utpress.utoronto.ca/journal/ejournals/simile
Moving abstract into an applied setting
Assignment
Due: September 18th,
2008 Major Proposal Due
Purpose of research
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/diversity.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/how_final_project_will_be_graded.htm
Gathering resources
http://www.library.astate.edu/
How to look and what to look for
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/lecture_two1.htm
Recognizing how diversity can become a central theme of your research---Independent Variables that make a difference.
The value of library research—Interpretation of secondary research
Abstracts---
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/abstract_guide.htm
Reference citations
http://www.library.cornell.edu/newhelp/res_strategy/citing/apa.html
Note taking
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/lecture_one.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/notetaking_and_citations.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/proposal.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/example_of_proposal.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/major_proposal_and_what_it_means.htm
Online
Databases
http://www.library.astate.edu/databases/journalDB/DatabaseListing.cfm
Chapters
Research methodologies http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/methods1.htm
Variables
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/variables.htm
The role of theory in research http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/theories_of_mass_communication.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/theory_of_mass_communication.htm
Borrowing theories from different disciplines
What's feasible?
Operational definitions-
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/operational_definitions.htm
Variables
Writing the Introduction
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/introduction_and_literature.htm
Assignment Due: September 30th, 2008 Introduction Due
Outline http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/outline.htm
Literature review
Building a case for the importance of a topic
Writing literature reviews? What to include?
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/literature_review_example.htm
Literature Review example
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/literature_review_example.htm
Week 5
Research methodologies
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/methods1.htm
Quantitative--- Surveys, Content analysis, Experiments, Meta-analysis
Qualitative--- Focus Groups, Case Studies, Participant observation, Historical
Research Ethics
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/irb_packet.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/exemption_forms_for_surveys.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/informed_consent.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/exempt_form.htm
Data collection and interpretation
Sampling
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/sampling.htm
Data Collection
Coder reliability
Midterm Test October 9th, 2008
Writing a methods chapter
Methods Examples
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication Research/methods.htm
Weeks 6-10 Research Methodologies
The Survey
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/surveys.htm
Purpose
Advantages & Disadvantages
Design
Variables
Research questions or Hypothesis
Survey examples
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/survey.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/example_of_survey.htm
Assignment Due: Methodology Due October 30th, 2008
Content Analysis
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/content_analysis.htm
Purpose
Advantages & Disadvantages
Design
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/coding_instruction_for_tv_website_study.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/coding%20sheet.htm
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/coding_instructions.htm
Variables
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/coding_instructions.htm
Research questions or Hypothesis
Consultation with faculty
Week 11 Findings
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/findings1.htm
Data Analysis
Frequencies, Percentages and Chi-Square
Examining the data
Data reduction
Measures of central tendency and dispersion
Cross‑tabulation
Chi‑Square
Setting the significance level
Sampling distribution
T‑Test
ANOVA
Data collection completed November 11th, 2008
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/spss%20instructions.htm
Assignment : SPSS
Week 11: SPSS
Week 12 Findings and spss.
Week 13 Methodology
Experimental
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/experiments.htm
Purpose
Advantages & Disadvantages
Design
Variables
Research questions or Hypothesis
Sampling
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/Communication%20Research/sampling.htm
Data Collection
Reliability and Validity
Week 14
Other forms of media research
Qualitative Research
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/qualitative_research.htm
Characteristics of Qualitative Research
Qualitative Research Methods
Participant Observation
Historical Analysis
Cultural Analysis
Assignment: Presentation December 2nd- December 11th, 2008
http://www.clt.astate.edu/mpitts/presentation_shell.htm
Week 15
Presentations
Final Paper due at noon December 5th Noon
Final Exam
At this web address you will find the link to the complete final exam schedule. It is listed under
Have a good semester.