Communication Research Methods

Catalog description

This course is designed to help students gain an understanding of and appreciation for the use of research as a tool for professional activities in the real world. We will use a research-as-argument approach to learn the basics of effective research, but also focus on research and information literacy as a means of becoming more insightful consumers of information. In this course, you will become familiar with the concepts and skills underlying a systematic approach to conducting research, including basic research terminology, the scientific method, use of theory and models, the value of qualitative and quantitative research, research ethics. Over the course of the semester, you will also learn about effective argumentation, one of the most important components of understanding and conducting research, while focusing on the relationships between claim, data and warrants. We will explore multiple perspectives for learning about and researching communication, including a balanced approach to the interpretive, critical, and discovery paradigms. Ultimately, this course is geared towards developing the tools necessary for thinking critically about and discovering the answers to our unanswered questions about the world around us. Lecture and Discussion