CMN 5100
Dr Mark Lowes
RESEARCH METHODS
September 2004
Room 202, 556 King Edward Ave
Office Phone: 562-5800 (3824)
Office Hours: after class and almost anytime by appointment
mlowes@uottawa.ca
http://aix1.uottawa.ca
This course examines qualitative and quantitative research designs and methods for the study
of communication, culture and society – the familiar but largely invisible ideas and social
structures that help shape who you are, what you do, when, why and how. In other words, this
is a course in applied communication analysis which explores the theory, methods and
techniques which underpin contemporary research on communication. The emphasis is on
challenging each student to not only understand a range of issues related to communication
research, but to apply that understanding to a specific research problem. Lectures will provide
an overview of the history of communication research, familiarizing students with the principal
approaches to its study, while paying attention to the methodological debates currently
occupying this field. By highlighting exemplar cases, the lectures also attempt to portray the
scope of this field of research in terms of the key debates about the ways researchers wrestle
with the problems of validity and reliability in their empirical studies.
The course lectures and seminars are broken down into two main parts, each comprising
roughly half the semester, as follows:
PART 1:



Research Design, Theories and Concepts
Focus on the interrelations between THEORY, METHOD AND DATA
Apply to the research design and method for your Master’s topic
Major project: submit a detailed research proposal (SSHRC/CRSH format)
CMN 5100
PART 2:


Fall 2004
2
Empirical Applications
Seminar presentations based literature reviews for your Master’s topic
Format will be outlined at first class.
REQUIRED TEXTS (avaible at the university bookstore)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Howard Becker, Writing for Social Scientists.
Emile Durkheim, The Rules of Sociological Method.
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures.
Irving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life.
Richard Florida, The Rise of the Creative Class.
ASSIGNMENTS
A specific schedule for due dates will be set at the first class meeting. The requirements and
expectations for each assignment will also be laid out during the first two weeks of the course.
1. Four book reviews (2500 words each)
40%
2. Research proposal
2.1.
Written submission (SSHRC format)
2.2.
Seminar presentation (15 minutes)
10%
10%
3. Seminar presentation
10%
4. Final Exam (during official exam period)
30%
CMN 5100
Fall 2004
3
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
1-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
Lectures on research design and method: the intersection of Data,
Method, and Theory
Howard Becker, Writing for Social Scientists.
Emile Durkheim, The Rules of Sociological Method.
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures.
Irving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life.
Richard Florida, The Rise of the Creative Class.
SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS
All participants are required to co-lead one weekly session on the book assigned for that
two-week period, as well as writing and distributing by email a summary of the
ensuing group discussion (based on discussion questions put forth by the discussion
leaders). Every student is expected to arrive at the seminar fully prepared to discuss the
assigned text in detail, and to work with the discussion leaders in generating
substantive group discussion. IDLE SPECTATORS will be asked to leave the seminar for
that week!!
You will self-organize into Groups of 4, then subdivide into two subgroups of two
persons each (i.e. Group A1 and A2, B1 and B2 … et cetera). Each Group of four will be
responsible for leading the seminar for one of the course texts. Because each book is
spread over two weeks, each Group will meet weeks in advance to co-ordinate overall
strategy for presenting and discussing the assigned book over the two week period. In
other words, Groups A1 and A2 will plan a two-week strategy for presenting
Durkheim, Groups B1 and B2 will do the same for Geertz, and so on. You should count
on 1.5 hours of discussion for each session.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL AND BOOK REVIEWS
Individual presentations of Research Proposals will be worked into weekly lectures
during the second half of the semester. Book reviews will be due at the start of lecture
on the first week of the two-week period we will be discussing that particular book.
Reviews will be submitted for Durkheim, Geertz, Goffman, and Florida. Not Becker.