Communication Research Methods in Postmodern Culture: A Revisionist Approach

by Leslie; Larry Z

• ISBN13: 9780205615643
• ISBN10: 0205615643
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-02-05
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Communication Research Methods in Postmodern Culture presents communication research from a postmodern perspective while retaining key qualitative and quantitative research methods. The author clearly presents new research methods inspired by today's complex cultural environment and offers critical thinking activities and review questions to help you understand and master communication research.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Foundations	p. 1
Introduction	p. 3
A Backward Glance	p. 4
A Postmodern Primer	p. 6
What Is Communication?	p. 9
Why Research?	p. 9
Communication Research	p. 11
Evaluating and Restructuring Our Research Practices	p. 14
Postmodernism and Communication Research	p. 15
Review Questions	p. 17
Suggested Activities	p. 17
Knowledge, Culture, and Research	p. 18
Some Important Philosophy	p. 18
Some Essential History	p. 20
Additional Factors to Consider	p. 23
What About Communication Research?	p. 24
A New Research Outlook	p. 25
Postmodern Application of Research Results	p. 29
The Communication Process	p. 30
Research Ethics	p. 31
Federal Regulations	p. 33
Review Questions	p. 34
Suggested Activities	p. 34
Getting Started	p. 35
Basic Terminology	p. 35
Research Guidelines	p. 38
Review Questions	p. 40
Designing a Research Study	p. 41
The Flowchart Process	p. 41
Discuss the Problem	p. 43
Search the Literature	p. 43
Revise the Research Question(s)	p. 46
Select a Research Method	p. 47
Develop a Detailed Plan	p. 47
Handle the Logistics	p. 47
Execute the Project	p. 49
Organize and Analyze Study Results	p. 50
Address the Research Question(s)	p. 50
Evaluate the Study	p. 50
Write the Report	p. 50
Review Questions	p. 51
Methodologies	p. 53
Focus Group Research	p. 55
A Postmodern Perspective	p. 57
Advantages and Disadvantages	p. 57
Basics	p. 58
Logistics	p. 59
Conducting the Session	p. 61
Solving Potential Problems	p. 62
Analyzing the Data	p. 62
Addressing the Research Questions	p. 64
Evaluating the Study	p. 65
Writing the Study	p. 65
Review Questions	p. 65
Suggested Activities	p. 65
Survey Research	p. 66
Definition and Uses	p. 66
A Postmodern Perpective	p. 67
Issues and Problems	p. 68
Basics	p. 71
Some Sampling Techniques	p. 74
Types of Surveys	p. 76
Telephone Survey	p. 76
Mail Survey	p. 82
Other Types of Surveys	p. 84
Analyzing the Data	p. 87
Addressing the Research Questions	p. 92
Evaluating the Study	p. 92
Writing the Report	p. 92
Review Questions	p. 92
Suggested Activities	p. 93
Historical Research	p. 94
Definition and Uses	p. 95
A Postmodern Perspective	p. 96
Basics	p. 97
Using Quality Sources	p. 97
Developing a Detailed Plan	p. 100
Logistics	p. 102
Data Gathering	p. 105
Analyzing the Data	p. 107
Addressing the Research Questions	p. 108
Evaluating the Study	p. 108
Writing the Report	p. 108
The Case Study Method	p. 109
A Brief Overview	p. 109
The Case Study Process	p. 109
Review Questions	p. 110
Suggested Activities	p. 110
Oral History by Kim Golombisky	p. 111
A Postmodern Perpective	p. 113
Definitions and Uses	p. 113
Issues and Problems	p. 119
Design	p. 125
Execution	p. 130
Analysis	p. 131
Review Questions	p. 133
Suggested Activities	p. 133
Text Analysis	p. 135
Content Analysis	p. 136
Historical Development and Method Importance	p. 136
Definition and Uses	p. 137
A Postmodern Perspective	p. 139
Advantages and Disadvantages	p. 140
Basics	p. 142
Unitizing	p. 142
Sampling	p. 144
Recording/Coding	p. 145
Analysis	p. 149
Conclusion	p. 150
Reader-Response	p. 150
Reader-Response Assumptions	p. 151
Reader-Response Approaches	p. 151
The Reader-Response Process	p. 151
Data Organization and Analysis	p. 155
Addressing the Research Question	p. 156
Evaluating the Study	p. 156
Writing the Report	p. 156
Deconstruction	p. 157
What Is Deconstruction?	p. 157
Can Deconstruction Be a Research Method?	p. 158
Deconstruction as Research Method	p. 158
Deconstruction Assumptions	p. 158
Deconstruction a Text	p. 159
What About Logistics?	p. 162
Addressing the Research Question	p. 162
Evaluating the Study	p. 162
Deconstruction in Action: An Example	p. 162
Summary of Findings	p. 165
Review Questions	p. 166
Suggested Activities	p. 166
Feminist Methodology	p. 167
A Postmodern Perspective	p. 168
Definitions	p. 169
Feminism	p. 169
Feminist Methodology	p. 169
Feminist Research Methods	p. 171
Uses	p. 176
Problems and Issues	p. 178
Implementation	p. 187
Review Questions	p. 188
Suggested Activities	p. 188
Writing A Research Report	p. 191
Writing Style	p. 193
What Is Writing Style?	p. 193
Scholarly Style	p. 194
APA Style	p. 198
MLA Style	p. 201
Chicago Style	p. 203
Report Format	p. 206
Why Write a Report?	p. 206
Who Is the Audience?	p. 207
The Traditional Format	p. 208
A Specialized Format	p. 208
A Section-by-Section Explanation	p. 210
Some Likely Variations	p. 214
Applications	p. 215
An Individual Research Proposal	p. 217
The Individual Research Proposal	p. 217
Your Research Proposal Topic	p. 220
The Individual Research Project	p. 223
A Group Research Project	p. 224
Procedure	p. 224
Group Evaluation	p. 228
References	p. 229
Index	p. 239
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