NRC Presentation Version 2

8/8/2019 NRC Presentation Version 2

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Communication: A Research

Discipline

presented to

The Methodology Committeeof the

National Research Council

September 30, 2002


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Communication Research . . . .Communication Research . . . .

focuses on how people use messages tofocuses on how people use messages to

generate meanings within and across variousgenerate meanings within and across various

contexts, cultures, channels, and media.contexts, cultures, channels, and media.

encompasses studies of private and public asencompasses studies of private and public as

well as individual and mass communicationwell as individual and mass communication

examines communication processes and theirexamines communication processes and theireffectseffects


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Communication Research: A Brief HistoryCommunication Research: A Brief History

Foundations in Classical Greece, Rome and ChinaFoundations in Classical Greece, Rome and Chinaemphasis onemphasis onRhetoricRhetoric

Early 20Early 20thth CenturyCentury

Emergence of Departments of SpeechEmergence of Departments of Speech Emphasis on Speech and RhetoricEmphasis on Speech and Rhetoric

World War II and PostWorld War II and Post--War EraWar Era

Concerns with attitude formation and changeConcerns with attitude formation and change

Emergence of social and behavioral science approachesEmergence of social and behavioral science approaches

Late 20Late 20thth CenturyCentury

Concerns with mass communication, communication policy,Concerns with mass communication, communication policy,and mediaand media

Concerns with new communication technologies, culturalConcerns with new communication technologies, culturalapproachesapproaches


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Communication Research AreasCommunication Research Areas

Communication StudiesCommunication Studies:: Scientific and critical research onScientific and critical research onhuman communication, including interpersonal, organizational, public, andhuman communication, including interpersonal, organizational, public, andintercultural communication and communication in various social, cultural,intercultural communication and communication in various social, cultural,and political contextsand political contexts

Mass Communication and Media StudiesMass Communication and Media Studies:: Research onResearch onmedia institutions, media texts, media effects, and how media are used tomedia institutions, media texts, media effects, and how media are used toproduce and transform cultureproduce and transform culture

Speech and Rhetorical StudiesSpeech and Rhetorical Studies:: Research focused on politicalResearch focused on politicaland social rhetoric, audience analysis, argumentation, rhetorical criticism,and social rhetoric, audience analysis, argumentation, rhetorical criticism,and rhetorical theoryand rhetorical theory

Telecommunication StudiesTelecommunication Studies:: Research on the development,Research on the development,use, regulation, and effects of telecommunication technologies, includinguse, regulation, and effects of telecommunication technologies, includingradio, television, telephony, and the internetradio, television, telephony, and the internet


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Departments and SchoolsDepartments and Schools

Communication research is carried out in academic programsCommunication research is carried out in academic programs

with school and department titles such as:with school and department titles such as:

CommunicationCommunication

Communication Arts and SciencesCommunication Arts and Sciences

Communication StudiesCommunication Studies

Information StudiesInformation Studies

JournalismJournalism

Mass CommunicationMass Communication Media StudiesMedia Studies

Speech CommunicationSpeech Communication


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Significant areas of communicationSignificant areas of communication

research include:research include:

Audience analysisAudience analysis

Communication andCommunication and

public policypublic policy Family communicationFamily communication

Health communicationHealth communication

InstructionalInstructional

communicationcommunication

InterculturalIntercultural


InterpersonalInterpersonal


Legal communicationLegal communication

Media economicsMedia economics

Media effectsMedia effects

Media literacyMedia literacy New communicationNew communicationtechnologytechnology

Nonverbal communicationNonverbal communication

OrganizationalOrganizationalcommunicationcommunication

Persuasion and socialPersuasion and socialinfluenceinfluence

Political and social rhetoricPolitical and social rhetoric

Risk communicationRisk communication

Visual communicationVisual communication


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Interdisciplinary ConnectionsInterdisciplinary Connections

Communication scholars from disciplineCommunication scholars from discipline--based departmentsbased departmentsconduct major research projects with colleagues in such fieldsconduct major research projects with colleagues in such fields

as:as:

American StudiesAmerican Studies

Art HistoryArt History

EngineeringEngineering

EnglishEnglish

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

Ethnic and WomensEthnic and Womens

StudiesStudies GeographyGeography

HistoryHistory

Information SystemsInformation Systems

LinguisticsLinguistics

Political SciencePolitical Science

Public HealthPublic Health

SociologySociology

PsychologyPsychology


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Communication Research ApproachesCommunication Research Approaches

Communication research employs a wide range of methodologies,Communication research employs a wide range of methodologies,including all types of quantitative and qualitative social scientificincluding all types of quantitative and qualitative social scientificresearch methods as well as humanistic and critical/culturalresearch methods as well as humanistic and critical/culturalapproaches:approaches:

Analysis of dynamic processesAnalysis of dynamic processes Content and textual analysisContent and textual analysis

Critical and cultural analysisCritical and cultural analysis

Discourse analysisDiscourse analysis

Ethnographic researchEthnographic research

Experimental research (including controlled experiments)Experimental research (including controlled experiments)

HistoriographyHistoriography

Mathematical modeling and simulationsMathematical modeling and simulations

Rhetorical criticismRhetorical criticism

Survey researchSurvey research


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Communication is a ResearchCommunication is a Research--Based FieldBased Field

Scholarly journalsScholarly journals

Research funding from Government Agencies and PrivateResearch funding from Government Agencies and PrivateFoundationsFoundations

Guggenheim and Fulbright AwardsGuggenheim and Fulbright Awards

Communication scholars serve or have served as programCommunication scholars serve or have served as programofficers at NIC, NIH, NSF, NIOSHofficers at NIC, NIH, NSF, NIOSH

Communication societies are affiliated with ACLS, AAAS andCommunication societies are affiliated with ACLS, AAAS andCOSSACOSSA


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Core Journals in CommunicationCore Journals in Communication

ArgumentationArgumentation

Argumentation & AdvocacyArgumentation & Advocacy

Communication EducationCommunication Education

Communication MonographsCommunication Monographs

Communication QuarterlyCommunication Quarterly

Communication ResearchCommunication Research

Communication StudiesCommunication Studies

Communication TheoryCommunication Theory

Critical Studies of MediaCritical Studies of MediaCommunicationCommunication

European Journal of CommunicationEuropean Journal of Communication

Health CommunicationHealth Communication

Human Communication ResearchHuman Communication Research Journal of Applied CommunicationJournal of Applied Communication

ResearchResearch

Journal of CommunicationJournal of Communication

Journal ofFamily CommunicationJournal ofFamily Communication

Journal of Health CommunicationJournal of Health Communication

Journal of Media EconomicsJournal of Media Economics

Journalism and Mass CommunicationJournalism and Mass Communication

Media Studies JournalMedia Studies Journal

Philosophy and RhetoricPhilosophy and Rhetoric

Political CommunicationPolitical Communication Quarterly Journal of SpeechQuarterly Journal of Speech

Rhetoric and Public AffairsRhetoric and Public Affairs

Rhetoric Society QuarterlyRhetoric Society Quarterly

RhetoricaRhetorica

Science CommunicationScience Communication

Southern Communication JournalSouthern Communication Journal

Telecommunication PolicyTelecommunication Policy

Text and Performance QuarterlyText and Performance Quarterly

Western Journal of CommunicationWestern Journal of Communication

Womens Studies and CommunicationWomens Studies and Communication


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Related Journals to CommunicationRelated Journals to Communication

Discourse and SocietyDiscourse and Society

Harvard International Journal of PressHarvard International Journal of Press

and Politicsand Politics

International Journal of ConflictInternational Journal of Conflict

ManagementManagement

International Journal of PublicInternational Journal of Public

Opinion ReviewOpinion Review

JavnostJavnost--PublicPublic

Journal of Cultural StudiesJournal of Cultural Studies

Journal of Social and PersonalJournal of Social and Personal

RelationshipsRelationships

Language CommunicationL

anguage Communication Learn PublLearn Publ

Media, Culture and SocietyMedia, Culture and Society

Narrative InquiryNarrative Inquiry

Presidential Studies QuarterlyPresidential Studies Quarterly

Public CulturePublic Culture

Public Opinion QuarterlyPublic Opinion Quarterly Publish Research QuarterlyPublish Research Quarterly

Public Understanding of SciencePublic Understanding of Science

Research Language and SocialResearch Language and Social

InteractionInteraction

SignsSigns

Symbolic InteractionSymbolic Interaction

Written CommunicationWritten Communication


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Selected Funding Sources ofSelected Funding Sources of

Communication ResearchCommunication Research

Agency for Health Care Policy andAgency for Health Care Policy and

ResearchResearch

AMC Cancer CenterAMC Cancer Center

Center for Substance AbuseCenter for Substance AbusePreventionPrevention

Centers for Disease ControlCenters for Disease Control

Council for European StudiesCouncil for European Studies

Department of DefenseDepartment of Defense

Department of Health and HumanDepartment of Health and Human

ServicesServices

Department of TransportationDepartment of Transportation Environmental Protection AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency

Ford FoundationFord Foundation

Lilly CorporationLilly Corporation

Markle FoundationMarkle Foundation

Mediascope, IncMediascope, Inc

National Aeronautics and SpaceNational Aeronautics and Space

AdministrationAdministration

National Cancer InstituteNational Cancer Institute

National Endowment for theNational Endowment for theHumanitiesHumanities

National Foreign Language CenterNational Foreign Language Center

National Institute for OccupationalNational Institute for Occupational

Safety and HealthSafety and Health

National Institute of HealthNational Institute of Health

National Institute of Mental HealthNational Institute of Mental Health

National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation The Robert Wood Johnson FoundationThe Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

W. K. Kellogg FoundationW. K. Kellogg Foundation

William and Flora Hewlett FoundationWilliam and Flora Hewlett Foundation


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CommunicationDoctoratesCommunicationDoctorates

115 Doctoral Granting Institutions115 Doctoral Granting Institutions

1,143 Doctorates granted 19861,143 Doctorates granted 1986--1990 (National Research1990 (National Research

Council)Council)

407 doctoral students per year (mean) 1995407 doctoral students per year (mean) 1995--1999 (Council1999 (Council

of Communication Associations)of Communication Associations)

85% of Communication Ph.Ds enter research85% of Communication Ph.Ds enter research--relatedrelated

careers (Council of Communication Associations)careers (Council of Communication Associations)

7575--79% enter academic institutions79% enter academic institutions

66--10% enter research careers in health organizations or10% enter research careers in health organizations or

research organizationsresearch organizations

NRC Presentation Version 2

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