1. ACM 4063 Communication Research
Lecture 2

2. Five research characteristics
Originates and guided with a question or problem
Requires clear articulation of a goal or research objectives
Follows a scientific methods or procedures
Requires collection and interpretation of data
Cyclical in nature

3. What is a good research?
Generates dependable data and can be used reliably for decision making
Good research requires:
- Problems and purpose clearly defined
- Research design thoroughly planned
- High ethical standards applied
- Limitations frankly revealed
- Data adequately analyzed
- Findings and conclusion clearly explained
- Researcher’s experience is reflected

4. Formulating research problem
Knowing the problem is the key to conducting social research
The research problem is the aspect the researcher worries about, think about, and want to find solution to it
Albert Einstein said “ The formulation of the problem is often more essential than its solution”

5. Basically problem is the gap between what is the present situation and the preferred situations
Problem can be knowledge gap, industry or community problem
Common sources of problem:
- Theory
- Personal experiences
- Replication of past research

6. Some examples of possible research problem:
- mass media are not educating the society
- social media bring about negative effects
- youths are not going to the mosque
- children are not taking care of their parents
- young couples break up after short marriage

7. Do not try to solve the world problem with your small research
Follow the following steps in problem identification and selection:
- Know your area of study or interest
- Narrow down the area to possible topics
- Evaluate the potential or significant of the problem or topic, select one topic or problem

8. - Develop a good problem statement that shows the gap - Develop research questions from the problem selected - Formulate the possible or working research topic. Good to have research title after the research has been completed

9. Characteristics of good topic
According to Gay and Airasian, (2000):
* Interesting – hold the researcher interest throughout the research process
* Researchable – can be investigated through the collection of data
* Significant – contribute to the improvement and understanding of knowledge and practices
* Manageable – fits the researcher’s level of skills, resources and restrictions
* Ethical – does not embarrass or harm participants

10. Some factors in identifying problem
That are not fully investigated
To have advance understanding
Can be investigated
That are interesting and relevant
Can lead to more questions

11. Sources of research problem
Academic or professional journals
Magazines and periodicals
Theses
Conference papers
Internet
Everyday experience, situation or personal observation

12. Different types of research
Nature of questions
Methods used to collect data and answer research questions
Degree of precision of methods
Application of findings

13. Non-experimental research
- Describe relationships between variables
- Cannot test cause-and-effect relationships
Experimental research
- Tries to discover causal relationships
- Two types: true experimental and quasi- experimental

14. True experimental research
- Participants are randomly assigned to groups
- There are treatment and control groups
Quasi-experimental research
- Participants are pre-assigned to groups
- Useful when researcher cannot manipulate the variables

15. Exploratory research
- When we have little idea or knowledge about something
- Want to find more about something
- Want to gather basic data or pattern
- Done on something new
- To get as much preliminary data
Action research
- Need to ‘solve’ the problem fast

16. Descriptive research
- Describe characteristics of existing phenomena
- Provides a broad picture
- Serves as basis for other types of research
- popular among social science researchers

17. Historical research
- Describes past events in the context of other past or current events
- Utilize primary and secondary sources of data
Applied research
- Findings or results of applied research has immediate application
Basic research
-Findings of basic research not necessarily for immediate application

18. Qualitative research
- Examines behavior, emotions, feelings in natural social, cultural and political contexts
- Usually results in non-quantitative data
Quantitative research
- Examines perception, facts, etc that deal that generate data in terms of quantity or numbers
- Need adequate number of respondents to be reliable or credible

19. Correlational research
- Asks what several events have in common
- Asks whether knowing one event can allow prediction of another event
- Does not imply causation

20. Scholarly or academic research
- conducted for academic requirement: Bachelor, Master and Ph.D
- to further expand the knowledge horizon
Case studies
- to study events within their real-life context

21. Cross-sectional research
- study done at one point of time
Longitudinal research
- to study phenomena over time
- examine change or pattern
Content analysis
- study of communication message or information found in communication media, true communication research

22. Research and Development (R & D)
- conducted to create or develop something as part of on-going research
- involve a lot of time, money and personnel

23. What method to use and when?
To find out differences between groups:
- If pre-assigned, quasi-experimental
- not assigned, true experimental
To find out event that occurred in the past: historical research
To find out events primarily occur at present: descriptive research
To find out the relationship between variables: correlational research

24. To have data in quantity or numbers that will require statistical procedures for analysis: quantitative research
To have better and in-depth understanding of a phenomenon that does not require statistical analysis: qualitative research
How much money, time, personnel, nature of data and depth of research also need to be considered

25. Communication research
Research that focuses on the elements of communication i.e. source, message, channel or media, receiver or audience, and effect
Study on communication interactions between two or more people
Study on communication media and religions
Study on how people use information and communication technology (ICT)

26. Study on how people seeks information and how they use the information obtained
Study on how mass media and information effect our daily activities in terms of social, education, politics, religions, cultures, economy etc
Study on how we can use the mass media communication for the betterment of ummah

27. Examples of communication research problem
The mass media is not teaching the audience about our culture, religion etc
New communication technology has influenced our youth in terms of social interaction
The news published by newspapers are not neutral to the general readers
TV shows violent programs targeted to children

28. Examples of communication research questions for topic selection
Why there are so many commercials targeted to children?
After so many PSAs aired on TV, why there are still many road accidents?
What common news published on daily newspapers?
How Internet had changed our communication skills?

29. Typical research process
Problem identification Discovery and selection Conclusion Literature review writing report Research design Data analysis Population and Data processing sampling Data collection

30. The research process Identification and selection of research problem
Review of existing research and theory from literatures, identifying key variables
Statement of hypotheses or statement of research problem, research questions and research objectives
Determination of appropriate methodology or research design
Identification and selection of population and samples

31. Research instrument development and pre- testing
Data collection
Data cleaning, entry and processing
Data analysis
Interpretation of findings
Report writing
Sharing of research findings