Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications Chapter Two First Decisions: What? Why? How?

Key Concepts Researchers differ in – Basic assumptions about communication (ontology and World View). Views on how communication should be understood (epistemology). Views on how theory and research relate. Reasons for doing research and therefore – Their research methods. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Starting Points for Research ▫What?– interest area. ▫Why?– reasons for research. ▫How?– method decision. ▫World View – basic assumptions. ▫Work of others – “the literature”. ▫Research questions ▫Hypotheses Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Starting With a Question: Linking Theory and Observation Induction – reasoning from observations to a theory that explains the observations. Deduction – reasoning from a theory to observations that will test the theory. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Inductive vs. Deductive Reasoning Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Deductive Reasoning Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Starting with a Purpose: Why do Research? Exploration Description Explanation Prediction Control Interpretation Criticism Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Starting With a World View World View I Human communication is objectively measurable and can be summarized in rules. “Nomothetic” approach World View II Human communication is subjective, individualistic and must be described as such. “Idiographic” approach. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Starting With a Method Surveys Experiments Observations Interviews Focus groups Content analysis Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Starting Without a Question “I don’t know what’s going on.” “I am making no assumptions.” “My methods and findings will change as my study progresses.” Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion. Tenacity – “We’ve always done it that way.” Intuition – “It just seems right. ” Authority – “Because X said so.” Empiricism – “Because I’ve seen it.” Scientific method – observation and testing. Serendipity – the accidental breakthrough. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations. What really is it? ▫What is an attitude? ▫Do we ever make real choices? ▫Is human experience individual or social? Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Sources of Inspiration Mental experiments (“what if?). Other researchers. Personal interest. Books, journals, databases. Conferences and meetings. Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Hypotheses a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation. Two-tailed (non-directional) “There is a relationship between A and B.” One-tailed (directional) “As A increases; B decreases.” Null “There is no relationship.” Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Research Questions Open-ended (non-directional) – “Is there a relationship between video gaming and academic performance ?” Closed-ended (directional) – “Does academic performance decline as involvement in video gaming increases? ” Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Operationalizing Constructs Constructs Involvement in GamingAcademic Performance Operationalizing the Constructs Time spent on gamingClass rank Money spent on gamingNumber of academic awards Number of online “personas” or avatars Grade point average Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Stanford Prison Experiment Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications

Web Resources Communication Research - The Visual Communication Concept Explorer & Idea Monkey - International Communication Association - National Communication Association Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Introducing Communication Research 2e © 2014 SAGE Publications