SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

CMNS 362-4 D-1

EVALUATION METHODS FOR APPLIED COMMUNICATION RESEARCH

Prerequisites:

At least 60 credit hours, including 2 of CMNS 253, 260, 261.

Overview:

This course combines methods and theories of communication research, and develops your skill with methods that can be applied to research questions in many areas. The course will examine: the differences between the qualitative and quantitative research paradigms, and their implications for actual practice; how research questions should be formulated and research projects should be designed and conducted; and what the ethical and policy implications of communication research are.
Students will be introduced to and practice a wide variety of research methods and techniques, which may include:

Interviewing Attitude/opinion research
Participant observation Documentary research
Oral History Ethnography
Focus groups Unobtrusive measures

There are three substantive issues on which students may concentrate in order to develop skills in these methods: a) the introduction, uses and consequences of new media and technologies; b) conflict, intervention, dialogue and negotiation; c) innovation in large organizations, namely SFU’s building a village community beside the university. Students enrolled in CMNS 447 may combine the pilot project in this course with the project required in that course. Students will design, develop, and implement a pilot study using two or three methods introduced in class. Practicing methods is at the heart of this workshop style course, and therefore attendance and participation is essential. The pilot study will lead to preparation of a final Research Proposal that incorporates findings from the pilot study. The final Proposal is a basis for the final evaluation in the course.

Text:

David Silverman, Qualitative Research, (Sage)
Reserve readings will be available in the Library.

Assignments and Evaluation:

Deadlines will be enforced.

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices with respect to both levels and distribution of grades. In addition, the School will follow Policy T10.02 with respect to “Intellectual Honesty” and “Academic Discipline” (see the current Calendar, General Regulations section).