Summary ‘introducing communication research,
paths of inquiry’.
Methodology
TEST 6 February 17:
• Worldviews
• Research purposes
• Qualitative and quantitative research
• Triangulations
• Give three characteristics that distinguish the different worldviews as described by
Treadwell
Chapter 1: Getting started
Any research project requires that you start by getting yourself oriented toward an area of
interest and then deciding what questions, assumptions and methods will best get you the
answers to your interest question.
Rhetoricians: those who study the use of language and argumentation.
The situation
Making a summary of what you observed. Then you may have many general questions.
Write them down. > Specific question
ASSUMPTIONS: Basis assumptions behind communication research
There are several basic assumptions that underpin (onderbouwen) all communication
research. Consciously or implicitly researchers make these assumptions before beginning
research and bring these assumptions to their research.
1. Observations capture/ do not capture an underlying reality
What we choose to look at, tells us something about an underlying reality we cannot see,
but assume to exist.
2. Theories about human behaviour can be generalized/cannot be generalized
3. Researchers should/shouldn’t distance themselves from their research participants
This assumption relates to the researcher’s level of engagement with his/her research
participants (betrokkenheid met respondenten).
1
paths of inquiry’.
Methodology
TEST 6 February 17:
• Worldviews
• Research purposes
• Qualitative and quantitative research
• Triangulations
• Give three characteristics that distinguish the different worldviews as described by
Treadwell
Chapter 1: Getting started
Any research project requires that you start by getting yourself oriented toward an area of
interest and then deciding what questions, assumptions and methods will best get you the
answers to your interest question.
Rhetoricians: those who study the use of language and argumentation.
The situation
Making a summary of what you observed. Then you may have many general questions.
Write them down. > Specific question
ASSUMPTIONS: Basis assumptions behind communication research
There are several basic assumptions that underpin (onderbouwen) all communication
research. Consciously or implicitly researchers make these assumptions before beginning
research and bring these assumptions to their research.
1. Observations capture/ do not capture an underlying reality
What we choose to look at, tells us something about an underlying reality we cannot see,
but assume to exist.
2. Theories about human behaviour can be generalized/cannot be generalized
3. Researchers should/shouldn’t distance themselves from their research participants
This assumption relates to the researcher’s level of engagement with his/her research
participants (betrokkenheid met respondenten).
1
