Chapter 13 methods of discovery

METHODS OF DISCOVERYWeek 4: Chapter 13

OBJECTIVES

• Describe differences between commonsense ways of knowing and systematic ways of knowing.

• List the characteristics of scholarly research.

• Explain the five common tasks in communication enquiry

OBJECTIVES

• Define briefly the nine research methodologies outlined in the text.

• Explain the purpose of rhetorical criticism and identify some contemporary critical approaches.

• Explain the purpose and methods used in ethnographic research.

OBJECTIVES

• Describe the steps in conducting a survey.

• Describe the nature and steps in experimental research.

• Understand the goals and methods of performance research.

COMMONSENSE WAYS OF KNOWING

• Our everyday models of human behaviour are often models of our own behaviour.

• Our everyday models of human behaviour may also be models of what we wish were true rather than what is true.

• Our everyday models of human behaviour are based on simplistic thinking.

SYSTEMATIC WAYS OF KNOWING: The Characteristics of Scholarly Research

• Question Oriented

• Methodological

• Replicable

• Self-Critical

• Cumulative and Self-Correcting

• Cyclical

COMMUNICATION ENQUIRY

TASK 1: Formulate a research question

TASK 2: Choose a research methodology

TASK 3: Design a sampling strategy

TASK 4: Gather and analyze data

TASK 5: Interpret data and share results

TASK 1: Research question

• It should be specific and clear

• Define key concepts and terms Conceptual: explains the meaning in a general abstract way Operational: how the term will be measured in the study

TASKS 2-5: Research

Rhetorical Criticism Survey Research

Content Analysis Experimental Research

Conversation Analysis Performance Research

Ethnography Mixed Methods

Unobtrusive methods …

Popular Research Methododologies:

RHETORICAL CRITICISM

• It is an extension and refinement of the everyday critical impulse; it is a systematic way of describing, analyzing, and evaluating a given act of communication.

• The rhetorical critic’s goal is to increase understanding and appreciation of a rhetorical act. They must demonstrate that they understand the context and structure of the rhetorical act being judged and provide support for critical claims.

RHETORICAL CRITICISM cont.Neo-Aristotelion Criticism:

Evaluates a speaker’s rhetorical choices

Social Movement Studies:

Analyses how a social cause gains adherents, how members communicate to the public and its impact on culture at large

Genre Criticism:

Discusses how a message fits into a genre or specific type of communication

Cultural Ideological Criticism:

Examines acts for political messages

Burkean Dramatistic Analysis:

Views symbolic acts as “drama”

Social Values Criticism:

Looks at the way cultural products represent a culture’s basic values

Fantasy Theme Analysis:

Examines the implicit narrative structure of rhetoric acts

ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

• Ethnographers learn from observation. They want to understand how members of other cultures interpret their world.

• To achieve this goal the researcher must make direct contact with the individuals he/she wishes to observe.

ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH cont.Covert Role The researcher goes “under-cover”Overt Role The researcher enters the field as a scientist

and people know they are being observedField Notes A record of critical events and behaviours and

the researcher’s self-observations, feelings and interpretations

Informant A member of the culture who is willing to show the researcher around and answer questions and set up interviews with others

Presuppositionless research Research where the researcher’s own prejudices, norms and values are set aside

SURVEY RESEARCH

STEP 1: Choose a sample of people to question

STEP 2: Decide what to ask

STEP 3: Decide how to ask it (Interview or questionnaire)

STEP 4: Code responses and look for meaningful patterns

STEP 5: Draw conclusions from the data

SURVEY RESEARCH cont.Probability sampling Allows generalizations as it assures the

researcher that the sample is representative.Simple random sampling Each member of the population has an equal

chance of being in the sample.Nonprobability sampling Some members of the population may virtually

have no chance of being included whereas others may be overrepresented.

Accidental sampling Uses the most convenient people availableDouble-barreled questions Asking several questions at onceLeading questions Questions that indicate a preferred responseClose-ended questions Choose from a finite list of answersOpen-ended questions Respondent is free to answer in their own

words

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

STEP 1: Conduct a pretest

STEP 2: Decide how the treatment is to be administered

STEP 3: Decide when the dependent variable is to be measured

STEP 4: Conduct a posttest

STEP 5: Draw conclusions from the data

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH cont.

Dependent variable The expected effect

Independent variable The expected causePretest The measurement of the dependent variable

before the treatmentPosttest The measurement of the dependent variable

after the treatmentControl group Equivalent to the first group but it does not

receive the experimental treatmentReliable It must consistently yield the same resultsValid It must actually measure the dependent

variable

PREFORMANCE AS RESEARCH STEP 1: Selecting – identifying a communication act or text

STEP 2: Playing – experiments with ways of interpreting

STEP 3: Testing – interpretation tested against evidence

STEP 4: Choosing – picks a way of performing that conveys meaning to an audience

STEP 5: Repeating – rehearse until there is a natural flow

STEP 6: Presenting – displays to others his/her understanding

COMMUNICATION STUDY

• You can take formal communication courses.• You can explore other subject areas:– Psychology and sociology– Literary criticism and liguistics– History and politics

• Reading novels and watching plays or films.• Observing human interaction• Develop your curiosity

FIELDS OF COMMUNICATION STUDYInterpersonal Communication:The study of verbal and non-verbal exchanges in everyday interaction.

Mass Communication:The study of mediated messages created for a wide public audience.

Small-group/Organizational Communication:The study of how communication helps people in groups accomplish goals and maintain group identity. Also the study of how communication operates in complex organizations.

Language and Semiotic Systems:The study of code systems used to create messages in any of the contexts listed in this table.

Public Communication:The study of communication in face-to-face, one-to-many communication settings

Intercultural Communication:The study of communication across cultural boundaries.

Performance Studies:The study of ways people perform personal, cultural, or artistic scripts before audiences.

HOMEWORK

Day Task

Monday Continue working through revision sheet for chapters 1, 2 and 12. These will end up being your study notes for the first exam – so make sure you complete this to your best ability!

Tuesday Preview and start taking notes for Chapter 13: Methods of Discovery (Text pp348-377)

Wednesday Take notes for the first 5 objectives for Chapter 13.

Thursday Take notes for objectives 6-9 for Chapter 13. Find the meanings of key words (located on p377) and add to your vocab lists for this subject.

Friday Complete reading log #3 and email to Danni.Make any final corrections to reading log #2 for final submission [This means Reading Logs #1 and #2 should be ready to send to SLU][email protected]