KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE PROPOSAL OR REVISION,
Cover Sheet (10/02/2002)
Course Number/Program Name COM 7400 COMMUNICATION RESEARCH METHODS
M.A. IN INTEGRATED GLOBAL COMMUNICATION
Department COMMUNICATION
Degree Title (if applicable)
Proposed Effective Date FALL 2010 (PROGRAM) MAY 2011 (COURSE)
Check one or more of the following and complete the appropriate sections:
New Course Proposal
Course Title Change
Course Number Change
Course Credit Change
Course Prerequisite Change
Course Description Change
Sections to be Completed
II, III, IV, V, VII
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
Notes:
If proposed changes to an existing course are substantial (credit hours, title, and description), a new course
with a new number should be proposed.
A new Course Proposal (Sections II, III, IV, V, VII) is required for each new course proposed as part of a
new program. Current catalog information (Section I) is required for each existing course
incorporated into the program.
Minor changes to a course can use the simplified E-Z Course Change Form.
Submitted by:
Faculty Member
Approved
_____
Date
Not Approved
Department Curriculum Committee Date
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Not Approved
Department Chair
Date
College Curriculum Committee
Date
College Dean
Date
GPCC Chair
Date
Dean, Graduate College
Date
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Vice President for Academic Affairs Date
Approved
Not Approved
President
Date
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM CHANGE
II.
Proposed Information (Fill in for changes and new courses)
Course Prefix and Number COM 7400
Course Title Communication Research Methods
Credit Hours 3.0.3
Prerequisites COM 7300
Description (or Proposed Degree Requirements)
This course deals with analysis of types of problems, concepts, definitions,
variables, methods and measurement techniques as well as interpretation of
data prevalent in communication research. The purpose of this course is to
guide students to conduct elementary statistics, design research and develop
their own research proposals.
III.
Justification
Graduate students need more than a foundational knowledge of research
methods. To fully appreciate the various methods of inquiry available to
explore theory, graduate students must study, observe and execute research.
This course provides opportunities to review quantitative and qualitative
research methodologies covered by the instructor and the textbook, to
observe their appropriateness in investigating various communication
phenomena in published communication research journals, and, with
guidance from the instructor, to design and implement their own research
study that explores a facet of communication that interests them.
IV.
Additional Information (for New Courses only)
Instructor:
Text:
Wimmer, R. D. & Dominick, J. R. (2006). Mass media research: An introduction (8th ed.),
Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Prerequisites: COM 7300
Objectives:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Be able to identify research sources and evaluate major journals in
communication.
Be familiar with the various terms and concepts used in
communication research.
Be able to identify an appropriate research method for a research
topic.
Understand the various research methods, including the
characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of each method to study
communication phenomena.
Be familiar with how each of these methods used by analyzing existing
communication studies.
Begin to formulate a research area of interest and review the related
literature.
Develop a research proposal.
Instructional Method
Traditional classroom setting that includes lectures, discussions,
student presentations and student research projects.
Method of Evaluation
A.
Grade percentages:
Participation
Point person
Article review
Research proposal
Exam 1
Exam 2
B. Grade requirements:
90 – 100
80 – 89
70 – 79
60 – 69
less than 60
10 percent
10 percent
15 percent
30 percent
15 percent
20 percent
A
B
C
D
F
V.
Resources and Funding Required (New Courses only)
Resource
Amount
Faculty
Other Personnel
Equipment
Supplies
Travel
New Books
New Journals
Other (Specify)
existing
0
existing classroom technologies
0
0
existing KSU Library holdings
existing KSU Library holdings
0
TOTAL
0
Funding Required Beyond
Normal Departmental Growth 0
VII Attach Syllabus
COMMUNICATION RESEARCH METHODS
COM 7400
SPRING SEMESTER
I.
Course description
This course deals with analysis of types of problems, concepts, definitions, variables,
methods and measurement techniques as well as interpretation of data prevalent in
communication research. The purpose of this course is to guide students using
elementary statistics, design research and develop their own research proposals.
I.
Course prerequisites
COM 7300
III.
Course objectives
Graduate students successfully completing this course should:
A.
Identify research sources and evaluate major journals in communication.
B.
Be familiar with the various terms and concepts used in communication
research.
C.
Identify an appropriate research method for a research topic.
D.
Understand the various research methods, including the characteristics,
strengths and weaknesses of each method to study communication
phenomena.
E.
Be familiar with how each of these methods used by analyzing existing
communication studies.
F.
Begin to formulate a research area of interest and review the related
literature.
G.
Develop a research proposal.
IV. Required text
Wimmer, R. D. & Dominick, J. R. (2006). Mass media research: An introduction (8th
ed.), Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Additional readings will be assigned during the course.
V. Course Policies
A. Attendance: Attendance and participation is essential for success in this course.
Class participation accounts for 10 percent of your grade.
B. Deadlines: Deadlines are not flexible. All assignments and examinations must be
turned in by the due date and time. No assignments will be accepted later than
deadlines. Student presentations cannot be made up at a later date. Make-up
work for missed examinations will not be given.
C. Class format: This class will include lectures, presentations and discussion.
Students should be familiar with the class content prior to each class. A seminar
format in this class will encourage class participation. Each student must read
the material before the presentation so that discussion can be generated. Class
participation with attendance will account for 10 percent of your final grade.
D. Discussion leader. Each student will be assigned particular readings from the
textbook and will be responsible for leading the class through the discussion of
these readings. Each student will generate a set of 10 discussion questions and
a list of vocabulary words and terms for every class member no later than one
meeting prior to the class for which the chapters are assigned. The questions
must be specific to the reaching and should related to prior readings when
appropriate. As others read the chapter, they should keep these questions in
mind and be prepared to discuss them at the next class meeting., The point
person will be responsible for articulating the key issues in the readings in a brief
summary, and leading questions and answers. Evaluation is based on the
centrality and appropriateness of the questions, the ability to articulate the
important issues, and the competence in answering questions in class. This will
account for 10 percent of your final grade.
E. Article review: Each student will select one journal article related to each class
topic and review the article content. Each student will submit the double-spaced
and three-paged review with a copy of the original article in class. For example,
you should select a journal article using surveys for the survey methods class and
review the article using important element of surveys (sampling, questionnaire
design, survey type, response rate, etc.), as well as the basic element of the
research design. The specific analysis guideline for each class topic will be given
prior to the topic assignment deadline. It will be evaluated whether or not you
follow the guideline and demonstrate your understanding on each class topic by
reviewing an article. This will account for 15 percent of your final grade.
F. Research proposal: Each student will develop a prospectus for a research project.
Each student will identify a research area of interest and select at least 10
articles pertaining to it and prepare a literature review. This review should
address research questions or hypotheses, methodology, results and future
research direction suggested by the researcher(s) in each article. Based on the
literature review, this research prospectus will be developed into a research
design including a research method, research questions or hypotheses and
related components. This review should include an introduction addressing the
significance of the study and appropriately cited references with a critique of the
article. This assignment will be detailed and the evaluation guideline will be given
in class. This will account for 30 percent of your final grade.
G. Exams: Two exams will be given. Exams will cover all readings and discussions.
There are essay questions, short answers and vocabulary items on the exams.
Evaluation is based on your complete understanding of the concepts and
thorough analysis of given topics. The first exam will account for 15 percent of
your final grade and the final exam will account for 20 percent of your final grade.
H. Students with disabilities: If you have a hidden or visible disability which may
require classroom or test accommodations, please see me no later than two weeks
into this semester so that I may be apprised of these special considerations. This
notification will require a statement from the KSU disabled Student Support Services
office. If you have not already done so, please register with KSU disAbled Student
Support Services (office: Student Center room 267; website:
http://www.kennesaw.edu/ stu_dev/dsss/dsss.html), the office responsible for
coordinating accommodations and services for students with
disabilities.
I. Academic Integrity: Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions
of the Student Code of Conduct, as publish in the Undergraduate and Graduate
catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University’s
policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and
cheating, unauthorized access to University materials, misrepresentation/
falsification of University records and academic work, malicious removal,
retention or destruction of library materials, malicious/intentional misuse of
computer facilities and/or services, and misuse of student identification cards.
Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the
established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes either
an “informal” resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or
a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of
Conduct’s minimum one-semester suspension requirement.
VI. Course Grading
B.
Grade percentages:
Participation
Discussion leader
Article review
Research proposal
Exam 1
Exam 2
B. Grade requirements:
90 – 100
80 – 89
70 – 79
60 – 69
less than 60
10 percent
10 percent
15 percent
30 percent
15 percent
20 percent
A
B
C
D
F
V.
Course Calendar*
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Topic
Introduction to the course
Introduction to the role of research
Science and research
A research orientation
Primary and secondary research
Previous research
Data bases
Web-based research
Literature review
Citing sources and APA style
Research ethics
Elements of research
Concepts and constructs
Independent and dependent variables
Quantitative and qualitative research
Sampling and generalizability
Measurement scales
Research questions and hypotheses testing
Reliability and validity
Sampling
Population and sample
Sampling design: Probability and nonprobability
sampling
Nonprobabiliity sampling techniques
Probability sampling techniques
Sample size
Sampling error
Qualitative research methods
Interpretive and naturalistic
Reliability and validity
Case study
In-depth interviews
Observation
Focus groups
Historical
Legal research
Ethnography
Narrative and textual analysis
Exam 1
Assignment
First research articles
assigned:
1. Quantitative
research study
2. Qualitative
research study
Second research
articles assigned:
1. Probability
sampling study
2. Nonprobability
sampling study
Third research
articles assigned:
1. Case study
2. Focus group or indepth interview
3. Historical
research
4. Legal research
Fourth research
articles assigned:
1. Mass media
content analysis
2. Organizational
communication
content analysis
7
Content analysis
Uses and limitations
Coding schemes and coding sheets
Sampling
Coder training
Reliability and validity
Fifth research article
assigned:
1. Descriptive survey
research
2. Analytical survey
research
8
Survey research
Descriptive and analytical studies
Questionnaire design
Data gathering techniques in survey design
Response rates
9
Longitudinal research
Trend studies
Cohort analysis
Panel studies
Causation and panel studies
Quantitative and qualitative data gathering
10
Experimental design
Laboratory versus field experiments
Before and after studies
Factorial analysis
Quasi-experimental design
Sixth research
articles assigned:
1. Trend analysis
study
2. Cohort analysis
study
3. Panel study
Seventh research
articles assigned:
1. Before-and after
study
2. Factorial study
3. Quasiexperimental
design study
Eighth research
articles assigned:
1. Chi-Square
analysis study
2. ANOVA study
3. Regression study
11
Statistics
Measures of central tendency
Measures of dispersion
Normal curve
Levels of measurement
Chi Square
Correlation
ANOVA
Regression
12
Hypothesis testing
Research questions and hypotheses
Null hypothesis
Testing for significance
Error
Power
Presentation of research proposals
Presentation of research proposals
Final Exam
13
14
15
* This calendar is tentative. Changes may be made as necessary.*