Methods of Communication Research and Statistics – partial exam
19/10/2021
emperical cycle
week one week four
expertise normal distribution
questions to ask dispersion
gut feeling deviance
knowledge based on standard normal distribution
scientific research z-scores
systematic process probabilities
where to start and what to study correlation
research strategies pearsons R
research designs correlation and covariance
data collection methods exploratory factor analysis
world views factors (loading/rotation)
epistemology variances
ontology communalities
scientific approaches types of graphs
falsification
logically consistent
hypotheses week five
correlation
non-scientific methods cronbach's alpha
scientific method creating scales
scientific claims spuriousness
empirical cycle symmetrical and assymmtrical
causality
week two
ethics in studies
unethical Treadwell
Belmont report
informed consent Salkind
debriefing
SPSS s u m m a r y
various studies
week three
operationalization
measurement structure
levels of measurement
cases, variables and levels of measurement
variable types
data matrix and frequency table
mode, median, mean
,EMPERICAL CYCLE
Empirical cycle: captures the process of coming up with hypothesis about how stuff works, and
testing the hypotheses against imperical data, in a systematic and rigorous way.
> hypothetico-deductive approach
1. Observation
- spark idea for hypothesis
- pattern, unexpected event
- interesting relation
- we want to explain
- source not important (personal/shared/imagined/previous research)
2. Induction
- Observation > pattern > theory
- taking a statement that is true in specific cases -> all cases (so make general rule)
3. Deduction
- Relation should hold in new instances, expectation/prediction is deduced about new observations
- Determine research set up; define concepts, measurement instruments, procedures, sample
- Hypothesis transformed with deductive reasoning
- Specification research set up
- Into prediction new observations
4. Testing
- Compare data to prediction, data collection
- Statistical processing
- Inferential; decide
5. Evaluation, interpret results
- Prediction confirmed: hypothesis provisionally supported, NOT proven
- Prediction disconfirmed: not automatically rejected, > repeat with better research set up or
adjust/reject hypothesis
- supported/adjusted/rejected, new data tested fase used in observation
,WEEK ONE
Communication research.
‘’Systematic process of asking and answering questions about human communication.’’
Expertise
Expert > is it reliable or still critical reading?
Responsibility experts:
‘’experts from different disciplines should talk with each other, but should not talk about each other
disciplines’’
How does this information effect the general public?
1. Does it work?
2. What are the effects?
3. For whom does it work?
4. Different effects for different people?
5. Why does it work (or not)?
Important, gut feeling.
Knowledge based on
Knowledge is often based on
- Intuition/belief
- Consensus
- Tenacity
- Authority
- (casual) observation (empiricism).
- (informal) logical reasoning (rationalism).
Scientific research
‘’systematic proves of gathering theoretical knowledge through observation’’
Empirical Systematic and cumulative
Based on social reality Builds on previous research
Search for patterns and associations
Systematic process
Research is a systematic process of
- Posing questions
- Answering questions
- Demonstrating that your results are valid
- Sharing your search results
, Start and study
Where do we start and what do we study?
- Research questions
- Effect or association
Research strategies
Quantitative Qualitative
Numbers Words
Measurement No measurement
Testing theory Generating theory
Research designs
Experimental Correlational
Causal Cross-sectional
Longitudinal
(effect) (association)
Data collection methods
Observe people/behaviour Pose questions Analyse content
During experiment Survey Content of existing sources
In real life In depth interviews (text/images)
Focus-group interviews
World views
World view 1
- Human communication is objectively measured and can be summarized in rules.
- ‘nomothetic’ approach (involves rules and patterns)
World view 2
- Human communication is subjective, individualistic and must be described as such.
- ‘idiographic’ approach (uniqueness of subjects, objects or phenomena)
19/10/2021
emperical cycle
week one week four
expertise normal distribution
questions to ask dispersion
gut feeling deviance
knowledge based on standard normal distribution
scientific research z-scores
systematic process probabilities
where to start and what to study correlation
research strategies pearsons R
research designs correlation and covariance
data collection methods exploratory factor analysis
world views factors (loading/rotation)
epistemology variances
ontology communalities
scientific approaches types of graphs
falsification
logically consistent
hypotheses week five
correlation
non-scientific methods cronbach's alpha
scientific method creating scales
scientific claims spuriousness
empirical cycle symmetrical and assymmtrical
causality
week two
ethics in studies
unethical Treadwell
Belmont report
informed consent Salkind
debriefing
SPSS s u m m a r y
various studies
week three
operationalization
measurement structure
levels of measurement
cases, variables and levels of measurement
variable types
data matrix and frequency table
mode, median, mean
,EMPERICAL CYCLE
Empirical cycle: captures the process of coming up with hypothesis about how stuff works, and
testing the hypotheses against imperical data, in a systematic and rigorous way.
> hypothetico-deductive approach
1. Observation
- spark idea for hypothesis
- pattern, unexpected event
- interesting relation
- we want to explain
- source not important (personal/shared/imagined/previous research)
2. Induction
- Observation > pattern > theory
- taking a statement that is true in specific cases -> all cases (so make general rule)
3. Deduction
- Relation should hold in new instances, expectation/prediction is deduced about new observations
- Determine research set up; define concepts, measurement instruments, procedures, sample
- Hypothesis transformed with deductive reasoning
- Specification research set up
- Into prediction new observations
4. Testing
- Compare data to prediction, data collection
- Statistical processing
- Inferential; decide
5. Evaluation, interpret results
- Prediction confirmed: hypothesis provisionally supported, NOT proven
- Prediction disconfirmed: not automatically rejected, > repeat with better research set up or
adjust/reject hypothesis
- supported/adjusted/rejected, new data tested fase used in observation
,WEEK ONE
Communication research.
‘’Systematic process of asking and answering questions about human communication.’’
Expertise
Expert > is it reliable or still critical reading?
Responsibility experts:
‘’experts from different disciplines should talk with each other, but should not talk about each other
disciplines’’
How does this information effect the general public?
1. Does it work?
2. What are the effects?
3. For whom does it work?
4. Different effects for different people?
5. Why does it work (or not)?
Important, gut feeling.
Knowledge based on
Knowledge is often based on
- Intuition/belief
- Consensus
- Tenacity
- Authority
- (casual) observation (empiricism).
- (informal) logical reasoning (rationalism).
Scientific research
‘’systematic proves of gathering theoretical knowledge through observation’’
Empirical Systematic and cumulative
Based on social reality Builds on previous research
Search for patterns and associations
Systematic process
Research is a systematic process of
- Posing questions
- Answering questions
- Demonstrating that your results are valid
- Sharing your search results
, Start and study
Where do we start and what do we study?
- Research questions
- Effect or association
Research strategies
Quantitative Qualitative
Numbers Words
Measurement No measurement
Testing theory Generating theory
Research designs
Experimental Correlational
Causal Cross-sectional
Longitudinal
(effect) (association)
Data collection methods
Observe people/behaviour Pose questions Analyse content
During experiment Survey Content of existing sources
In real life In depth interviews (text/images)
Focus-group interviews
World views
World view 1
- Human communication is objectively measured and can be summarized in rules.
- ‘nomothetic’ approach (involves rules and patterns)
World view 2
- Human communication is subjective, individualistic and must be described as such.
- ‘idiographic’ approach (uniqueness of subjects, objects or phenomena)
