Agenda n Elements of Theory n Meta-Theoretic Approaches n Extrinsic Research n Intrinsic Research n Historical Research n Participant Observation Research n Field and Laboratory Research

Components of Theory THEORY

Considerations of Theory n Falsification

Considerations of Theory n Falsification n Aesthetic Theories

Components of Theory THEORY Abstract Calculus

Components of Theory THEORY Abstract Calculus Theoretic Constructs

Components of Theory THEORY Abstract Calculus Theoretic Constructs Rules of Correspondence

Agenda n Elements of Theory n Meta-Theoretic Approaches n Extrinsic Research n Intrinsic Research n Historical Research n Participant Observation Research n Field and Laboratory Research

Major Meta Theory Schools: The Positivists n Positivists: generalizations apart from observable reality considered unacceptable

Major Meta Theory Schools: The Positivists n Positivists: generalizations apart from observable reality considered unacceptable Logical Positivism: statements not describing facts are metaphysical and meaningless Logical Positivism: statements not describing facts are metaphysical and meaningless

Major Meta Theory Schools: The Positivists n Positivists: generalizations apart from observable reality considered unacceptable Logical Positivism: statements not describing facts are metaphysical and meaningless Logical Positivism: statements not describing facts are metaphysical and meaningless Logical Atomism: statements also are Logical Atomism: statements also are meaningful if they are composed of meaningful if they are composed of simpler statements that describe simpler statements that describe empirical facts empirical facts

Major Meta Theory Schools: The Positivists n Positivists: generalizations apart from observable reality considered unacceptable Logical Positivism: statements not describing facts are metaphysical and meaningless Logical Positivism: statements not describing facts are metaphysical and meaningless Logical Atomism: statements also are Logical Atomism: statements also are meaningful if they are composed of meaningful if they are composed of simpler statements that describe simpler statements that describe empirical facts empirical facts Logical Empiricism: metaphysical statements acceptable if they statements acceptable if they promote understanding empirical statements promote understanding empirical statements

Major Meta Theory Schools: The Phenomenologists n Phenomenology: immersion of oneself in the flow of experience

Major Meta Theory Schools: The Constructivists Constructivism: reality constructed by the individual’s encounter with the world and the individual’s set of personal constructs or expectations

Agenda n Elements of Theory n Meta-Theoretic Approaches n Extrinsic Research n Intrinsic Research n Historical Research n Participant Observation Research n Field and Laboratory Research

Content Analysis n How is content analysis quantitative research and how is it qualitative research? n When is interactional analysis invited instead of relational analysis?

Content Analysis Steps nDnDnDnDefine and Limit Communication Population nSnSnSnSelect Coding Units nSnSnSnSample Messages nCnCnCnCode Message Content nAnAnAnAnalyze Results nInInInInterpret Results

“Speed Versus Accuracy: A Content Analysis of Media Report Accuracy and the Alacrity Hypothesis“ Western States Communication Association Convention (Long Beach, CA: 2002) (completed with a team of 13 student researchers)

Extrinsic Research n Establishing Textual Authenticity n Establishing Authorship

Sources of Textual Corruption n Use of advanced copies

Sources of Textual Corruption n Use of advanced copies

Sources of Textual Corruption n Use of advanced copies n Recorder biases

Sources of Textual Corruption n Use of advanced copies n Recorder biases n Revisions in “memorial editions”

Sources of Textual Corruption n Use of advanced copies n Recorder biases n Revisions in “memorial editions”

Sources of Textual Corruption n Use of advanced copies n Recorder biases n Revisions in “memorial editions” n Editing for Readability

Sources of Textual Corruption n Use of advanced copies n Recorder biases n Revisions in “memorial editions” n Editing for Readability n Permitting Revisions

Determining Textual Authenticity n Comparison with original n Use of recordings n Comparisons of all texts

Detecting Authorship r External reports r Comparisons with other communication

A Quiz n Anybody who hates children and dogs can’t be all bad. n Go west, young man. n To the victors belong the spoils. n That government is best which governs least. n There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. n Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.

A Quiz n Anybody who hates children and dogs can’t be all bad. W. C. Fields? n Actually Leo Rosten

A Quiz n Go west, young man. Horace Greeley? n Actually John Basone Soule

A Quiz n To n To the victors belong the spoils. Andrew Jackson? n Sen. n Sen. William L. Marcy

A Quiz n That government is best which governs least. Thomas Jefferson? n Henry David Thoreau

A Quiz n There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. Mark Twain? n Twain quoting Benjamin Disraeli

n Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it. Mark Twain n Charles Dudley Warner A Quiz

Intrinsic Criticism n Distinguishing Criticism from Reviews n The Truth Criterion n The Ethical Criterion n The Results Criterion n Artistic Criteria

Difficulties Applying the Truth Criterion n Difficulty determining the truth n Even dreadful messages often tell the truth

Difficulties Applying the Ethical Criterion n Difficulty identifying intentions n Difficulty choosing ethical standards n Ignoring artistic merit

Difficulties Applying the Results Criterion n Difficulty identifying effects n Difficulty linking effects to messages n Immorality endorsed if it gets results

Examples of Artistic Criteria n Neo-Aristotelian criticism n Burke’s Dramatistic Pentad

Historical-Critical Research A Concept of History 1. A Study of the Past Record 1. A Study of the Past Record 2. Documentary Research 2. Documentary Research 3. Critical Research 3. Critical Research

Importance of Historical Research n All research involves past work n Arguments from history widespread n Past holds key to organize knowledge n Essential to establish continuity

Types of Historical Research n Biographical Studies n Movement Studies n Rhetorical Criticism n Development of Ideas n Case Studies n Bibliographic Research

Participant Observation Methods n The Role of the Observer n The Objectivity Problem n Distinguishing Participant Observation Research and Ethnography n Difficult Steps in Participant Observation Work

Distinguishing Field and Laboratory Research n Field studies occur in the natural environment n Laboratory studies control for many interfering elements in the environment n Distinction is fluid

Advantages and Limitations of Field and Laboratory Research Power of manipulation + - Realism + - Control usually - + Measurement maybe + Randomization-+ Observer Bias - + Field Laboratory