Media Research
Course Outline
Instructor's information
Name: Dr. Felisa B. Kaplan
Office location: 16 W61st St, room Room 1018
Telephone: 212-261-1776 (email for faster response)
E-mail: fkaplan@nyit.edu
Website: nyitonline.nyit.edu
Office hours: Wednesday, 1 - 3 by appointment
Course information
Term and date: Spring 2015
Course number and section: COMM620-M01 Credits: 3
Meeting times: Mondays 2:20 and other times. This is a web assisted course
Building and room number: 16 W61st St, room 1026
Textbook:
Mass Media Research: An Introduction, Edition 10e or any recent edition
Roger D. Wimmer | Joseph R. Dominick
ISBN-10: 0534647189 | ISBN-13: 9780534647186

Publisher: Wadsworth
American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual
Edition: Soft cover or online
This is a web-enhanced course: Students must log on to nyitonline.nyit.edu and check their NYIT email address regularly or have it forwarded to the email address they check regularly. Students must check the website regularly for assignments and announcements. All assignments are submitted, corrected and graded online.
Course description from catalog:
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the basic research techniques (quantitative, qualitative, background research) for creative projects, professional proposals, content analysis, opinion and audience research used in the Communication Arts, including: Public Information, Advertising, Marketing
Communications, Television, Film, Computer Graphics and writing for the media. It introduces the students to the professional literature of their fields of specialization, provides skills necessary to read and interpret the literature and tools to obtain and analyze data. The culminating project is a paper based on content analysis of a medium where these skills are demonstrated.
Course goals and introduction
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the vocabulary used in research in the Communications and Media fields, and to promote a systematic analysis and critique of communications media. Students will understand the differences between academic and professional research and publications, will be able to prescribe research methods for

appropriate professional needs, and will view the media in a more critical and systematic way.
Learning outcomes and instruments of assessment
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
· Identify qualitative and quantitative modes of inquiry.
· Prescribe a mode of inquiry for a given research problem.
· Describe and compare at least 4 professional journals in his/her area of interest.
· Present data using graphs..
·
Develop a questionnaire that includes items designed to arrive at a profile of the population including a Likert-type scale and a demographic section.
· Abstract articles from the professional literature.
· Prescribe appropriate sources of professional literature for a given research problem.
· Conduct content analysis of media.
· Present information in the prescribed format (APA).
Methods of assessment will include:
1. Individual paper 1: Journal classifications.
2. online test of research methods
3.
Individual paper 2: Identification of research methods
4.
Survey development: Team project.
5.
Content analysis: Team project
6.
Class participation, preparation, and submitting materials by the deadline.

Grading formula
Each individual paper counts for 25% of the final grade. Team papers count 20% each and class participation as reflected in participation in group discussions, timely submission of required materials, quiz on research methods and evidence of readings and participation in team projects, an additional 10%.
Any one paper can be re-submitted with instructor's approval to have a grade changed. Unexcused late assignments will receive an "F" grade for that assignment. Students are encouraged to use their own words, refraining from "copy and paste" or extensive use of quotations.
Description of assignments
1.
Describe 4 journals (2 Scholarly/Academic and 2
Trade/Professional) in your area of interest and summarize briefly 1 article out of each journal. Pay special attention to the APA style, including cover page, abstract and alphabetical list of references. Journals must be current - within the last 6 months. The journal description should include: type of journal (academic/scholarly or trade/professional), publisher and target audience.
2. Individual assignment:
Find examples and describe 4 modes of research presented in class in the professional literature. Summarize the article, paying special attention to the method section. Indicate

what mode was used, and provide a definition of the mode from any book or text (provide reference). Dictionaries and encyclopedias may not be used as reference.
3.
Team assignment:
Develop a questionnaire that includes demographic items to arrive at a profile of the population as well as a Likert-type attitude or opinion scale.
4.
Team assignment:
Conduct content analysis in any medium. Indicate criteria used (parameters and observers matrix), present results and indicate the role of each participant.
5. Class participation reflecting reading and application of assigned material is important as is submitting drafts and papers on time. Discussion board test on research methods is part of this grade.
Policy for make-up exams and missed or late assignments
Assignments have advance notice and are submitted via email.
Assignments submitted late without prior approval will result in lower class participation grade.
Attendance policy:

Only one unexcused absence is allowed. I am always available by email and must be informed of all absences and lateness.
Withdrawal policy
A student may withdraw from a course without penalty through the end of the 8th week of class during a 14- or 15-week semester and through the 8th meeting during an
8week course cycle. After this, the student must be doing passing work in order to receive a W grade. Students who are not passing after the 8th week or equivalent will be assigned the grade of WF.
It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor of his/her intention to withdraw from a course. If a student has stopped attending class without completing all assignments and/or examinations, failing grades for the missing work may be factored into the final grade calculation and the instructor for the course may assign the grade of WF. The grade of F is used for students who have completed the course but whose quality of work is below the standard for passing.
Withdrawal forms are available in departmental offices and once completed must be filed with the registrar. Students should be reminded that a W notation could negatively impact their eligibility for financial aid and/or V.A. benefits, as it may change the student's enrollment status (full-time, part-time, less than part-time). International students may also jeopardize their visa status if they fail to maintain full-time status.
Academic integrity and plagiarism policies

Each student enrolled in a course at NYIT agrees that, by taking such course, he or she consents to the submission of all required papers for textual similarity review to any commercial service engaged by NYIT to detect plagiarism. Each student also agrees that all papers submitted to any such service may be included as source documents in the service's database, solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.
Plagiarism is the appropriation of all or part of someone else's works (such as but not limited to writing, coding, programs, images, etc.) and offering it as one's own. Cheating is using false pretenses, tricks, devices, artifices or deception to obtain credit on an examination or in a college course. If a faculty member determines that a student has committed academic dishonesty by plagiarism, cheating or in any other manner, the faculty has the academic right to 1) fail the student for the paper, assignment, project and/or exam, and/or 2) fail the student for the course and/or 3) bring the student up on disciplinary charges, pursuant to Article VI, Academic Conduct
Proceedings, of the Student Code of Conduct.
Library Resources
All students can access the NYIT virtual library from both on and off campus at www.nyit.edu/library . The same login you use to

access NYIT e-mail and NYITConnect will also give you access to the library's resources from off campus.
On the left side of the library's home page, you will find the "
Library Catalog" and the "Find Journals" sections. In the middle of the home page you will find " Research Guides;" select
"Video Tutorials" to find information on using the library's resources and doing research.
Should you have any questions, please look under "Library
Services" to submit a web-based "Ask-A-Librarian" form.
Support for students with disabilities
NYIT adheres to the requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 and the rehabilitation Act of 1973,
Section 504. The Office of Disability Services actively supports students in the pursuit of their academic and career goals.
Identification of oneself as an individual with disability is voluntary and confidential. Students wishing to receive accommodations, referrals and other services are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Services as early in the semester as possible although requests can be made throughout the academic year.
Schedule (may change throughout the semester):
January 26: Chapter 1, 2, post in documents section of
Blackboard. Online class due to weather related school closing.

February 2: Chapters 3 and 5. C
February 9:
Class meets in the library, 1855 Broadway.
February 17:
APA style manual. Bring to class two articles from professional journals and two from academic journals.
Bring written description based on documents section to base your classification of the chosen journals.
February 23:
First paper is due.
Post under “Assignment one” in Blackboard and bring hard copy to class.
Chapters 5, 6, 7/ (Research methods).
March 2: Survey research and content analysis.
March 9: Library meeting. Examples of articles that describe qualitative research and two that describe quantitative research. Chapters 5, 6, 7/ (Research methods).
March 23: Online test on research methods. Groups select topic for survey research.
Complete the VALS questionnaire and bring to your group your classification as a consumer (individual).
March 30: Second assignment is due.
Chapter 7 (review), materials posted in the documents section in Blackboard. Bring to class the topic, goal and literature review sections of the questionnaire development section (group).
Submit: Goal
10 sub goals
Review of the literature (one paragraph with 2 or 3 citations relevant to your topic)

Description of the population (who will answer)
Data gathering (how the questionnaire will be distributed).
April 6: Likert scale, draft questionnaire
April 13: Assignment 3 (survey) due. Bring to class 20 copies of the questionnaire section only to pass to class. Groups select topic for content analysis.
April 20: Chapter 6 (review). Groups submit goal, rationale, literature survey, description of content analysis and how the group will carry out the content analysis, matrix draft.
April 27: Groups submit graphs, conclusions.
May 3: Content analysis presentation by groups
.