Discussion class 1, Semester 2 Presenter: Prof EJ Terblanché

TL 101 refers you to feedback in TL 102. ONLY applicable to students who were registered in 2010 Both TL 102 and 103 for 2011 will be posted on myUnisa once they become available In 2011 TL 102 contains FAQs and TL 103 contains feedback on assignment 01

See section in prescribed book How does your research issue meet the criteria of relevance researchability feasibility ethical acceptability? Explain how in a maximum of four sentences Minimum criteria for evaluation of assignment 01

MAIN ISSUE criteria NNature of research (qualitative/quantitative) TTime dimension (cross-sectional/ longitudinal) AAction (Explore and describe) IIssue (Tasks 5.10; 5.13) MMethod (Content analysis/survey) ONE main issue formulated in ONE sentence containing all 5 criteria. See study guide page 53

EXTENT of the issue What is the prevalence of the issue? What is the background? (briefly). Determine the boundaries of your research (geographical area) –where will your research be done? Time dimension: when will research be done and why this specific time? Nature of research: cross- sectional or longitudinal? In other words, motivate time dimension

EXAMPLES of extent Many differing magazines are readily available world-wide and different creative concepts are used in advertisements + Popular magazines in SA (background) Only the January 2010 edition of magazine X and Y available in SA will be used/advertisements analysed Cross-sectional study; January 2010 issue of magazines X and Y to be used because they have the biggest variety of advertisements that can be analysed

Community newspaper is distributed free of charge in many communities also here in Soshanguve and is read by different people of all ages for differing reasons Research will be done in Soshanguve, a suburb of Pretoria, Gauteng where the researcher lives Research is cross-sectional and will be done in January Reason being because it is still school holiday and more people from varying ages can be involved and accessed

POPULATION Distinguish between target and accessible population Determine population parameters (characteristics) which are applicable to your research Make sure you know what each population is – see prescribed book for definitions/clarification of each

What/who are your units of analysis? Who/what will provide answers to the research questions? FOUR population characteristics have to be provided Your population characteristics have to relate to your own research Applicable to Task 5.13 If gender is a population characteristic, you HAVE TO have an equal distribution of genders in your sample

T: all magazines and all advertisements in SA. A: January 2010 edition of Magazine X and Y and all the advertisements in these magazines T: all the people in SA who read a community newspaper PLUS community newspapers. A: People living in Phosa street, Section 4 in Soshanguve who read the specific community newspaper, PLUS specific edition of the community newspaper EXAMPLES of population: Target versus accessible

EXAMPLES of characteristics Task 5.10 Different creative concepts; language used/not used; pictures; text Task 5.13 Different educational levels; ages; gender; content categories

Units of analysis Task 5.10: Creative concepts Task 5.13PEOPLE WHY? Creative concepts AND advertisements. What will you analyse? NO people or opinions OR gender Because people will provide answers to your research ▬ questionnaires EXAMPLES

An assumption is an unproven belief that is neither true nor false. You have to formulate four assumptions related to your own research issue (see prescribed book, sections 1.3 and 2.2.2) A sub-issue is a questions on the formulated assumption. You have to formulate four sub-issues related to your four assumptions (see prescribed book, section 2.2.2) For purpose of this module

A research question is a question of which the answer will help you solve the main issue that you have formulated. You have to formulate four research questions logically linked to your formulated four assumptions and four sub-issues (see prescribed book, section 2.4) In other words, the four assumptions, four sub- issues and four research questions have to relate to one another (be logically linked) and be applicable to the research that you will be doing

EXAMPLES of four assumptions and four sub-problems Task 5.10 A: Different advertisements use different creative concepts S: Do different advertisements use different creative concepts? A: Cell phone advertisements use more than one creative concept per advertisement S: Do cell phone advertisements use more than one creative concept per advertisement? A: Branding is the creative concept found in all advertisements S: Is branding found in all of the advertisements? A: Each advertisement applies more than one creative concept S: Does each advertisement apply more than one creative concept?

There is no such thing as a common obvious prominent or regular creative concept APPEARING MOST OFTEN OR LESS OFTEN in any advertisement. You may not make any such claim in your research

A: Men and women read the community newspaper for differing reasons (Sample must be 50% men and 50% women) S: Do men and women read the community newspaper for differing reasons? (Sample must be 50% men and 50% women) A: Some people only read specific categories of the newspaper S: Do some people only read specific categories of the newspaper? A: Community newspapers are read because the content satisfies the need for surveillance, diversion, personal identity and relationships S: Does the content of the community newspaper satisfy the need of readers for surveillance, diversion, personal identity and relationships? EXAMPLES of four assumptions and four sub-problems – Task 5.13

Which creative concepts are used in selected advertisements? Is more than one creative concept used in all advertisements? If more than one creative concept is used in some advertisements, which advertisements are they used in? Is there any particular creative concept which is found in all advertisements? EXAMPLES of research questions: Task 5.10

Why do people read the community newspaper? Which content categories of the newspaper do some people prefer to read? Which specific needs of readers are satisfied by reading the community newspaper? At least four research questions are required in each task. Which other one would you add to this task? EXAMPLES of research questions

ANY information in this presentation that you use has to relate to and be applicable to your own research

NOTE: Population parameters, assumptions, sub-issues, goal and objectives should all relate to the main issue and have to be logically linked A goal is basic (when theory is developed) or applied (when practical issues are investigated). Which is applicable to your research and why? See prescribed book, section Study section in the prescribed book to familiarise yourself with the four different objectives. Your objectives will be to explore and describe — you have to indicate what will be explored and described

Theoretical approach Task 5.10 Content analysis and creative concepts EXPLAIN in your OWN words: What is a content analysis? Explain what each creative concept means Substantiate explanations with reference to an appropriate advertisements (not those to be analysed in the portfolio) Do NOT quote from advertisements, interpret and represent in your own words NB: How does the theory (and concepts) you describe or discuss relate to your own research?

Task 5.13Uses and gratifications theory and concepts EXPLAIN in your OWN words: What are the four uses and gratifications? Explain what each of the gratifications mean (interpret and represent text in your own words) Substantiate each explanation with reference to an appropriate example NB: How does the theory (or concepts) you describe or discuss relate to your own research?

Research design Your research design will be both qualitative (describe) and quantitative (tally sheet) How are the characteristics in the prescribed book, sections and applicable to your own research?

— Method of reasoning is inductive because You will analyse advertisements, creative concepts and the responses of respondents to confirm theoretical assumptions in order to draw general conclusions — Method of reasoning is deductive because You will formulate operational definitions and/or discuss the theoretical approach to your task

— You have to explain what the objectives of your research are AND indicate what you will describe — You have to explain which methods and techniques you will use to collect AND analyse your qualitative AND quantitative data — You have to explain how your design is flexible. What will you adjust, replace or make changes to (if necessary)?

You have to indicate what numerical data will you be collecting AND which quantities will you count Which methods/techniques were used to collect AND analyse your quantitative data?

Please pay attention to technical presentation. See TL CMNALLE/301 for assistance and guidance Please send us an if you have any questions before you struggle and give up, OK?