Introduction to Communications Research (SUMMARY)
CS2008
By Marcus Lim
Week 1: Intro to Science and Research
Why study research?
1. Testing claims, observations, & arguments
2. Solving practical problems
3. Increasing knowledge and understanding
4. Honing precision of knowledge
5. Inherently interesting
6. Research ubiquity
7. Growing permeation in communication careers
Research: the discovery of answers to specified questions through the application of systemic methods that facilitate reasoning.
Goals:
Prediction
Causation
Explanation
Description
Deduction: formal steps of logic
Induction: verification by way of empirical observation
2 Types of Knowledge:
1. A priori (from the earlier)
Knowledge is independent of experience
2. A posteriori (from the later)
Knowledge is dependent on experience
Week 2: Research, Science & Measurement
AAAAAND….
The Scientific Method!
Which is an organised, objective, and controlled empirical analysis of one or more variables
Characteristics (POPSEC)
Public
Most research is based on freely available information
Should include information on sampling, methods, measurements etc.
Objective
RULES: by following explicit rules and procedures, researchers have less opportunity to influence results
Predictive
Pinnacle: establish models and theories for future events and behaviours
Self-correcting
Theories are altered or rejected when errors are uncovered
Empirical
Science is concerned with a world that is knowable and measurable
Cumulative & Systematic
Literature Review: considering critical points of current knowledge, including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions
Theory: systematic explanation for the observations that relate to a phenomena
Hypothesis: A specified and testable proposition about the relationship between two or more variables.
Research Question: A formally stated question intended to provide indications
By Marcus Lim
Week 1: Intro to Science and Research
Why study research?
1. Testing claims, observations, & arguments
2. Solving practical problems
3. Increasing knowledge and understanding
4. Honing precision of knowledge
5. Inherently interesting
6. Research ubiquity
7. Growing permeation in communication careers
Research: the discovery of answers to specified questions through the application of systemic methods that facilitate reasoning.
Goals:
Prediction
Causation
Explanation
Description
Deduction: formal steps of logic
Induction: verification by way of empirical observation
2 Types of Knowledge:
1. A priori (from the earlier)
Knowledge is independent of experience
2. A posteriori (from the later)
Knowledge is dependent on experience
Week 2: Research, Science & Measurement
AAAAAND….
The Scientific Method!
Which is an organised, objective, and controlled empirical analysis of one or more variables
Characteristics (POPSEC)
Public
Most research is based on freely available information
Should include information on sampling, methods, measurements etc.
Objective
RULES: by following explicit rules and procedures, researchers have less opportunity to influence results
Predictive
Pinnacle: establish models and theories for future events and behaviours
Self-correcting
Theories are altered or rejected when errors are uncovered
Empirical
Science is concerned with a world that is knowable and measurable
Cumulative & Systematic
Literature Review: considering critical points of current knowledge, including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions
Theory: systematic explanation for the observations that relate to a phenomena
Hypothesis: A specified and testable proposition about the relationship between two or more variables.
Research Question: A formally stated question intended to provide indications