Summary of Research Methodology I (IBC), Radboud University
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Module
Research Methodology I (LETCIWB155IBC)
Institution
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen (RU)
Book
Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS
This is a detailed, comprehensive summary of the research methodology I course (1st year). It includes lecture and powerpoint notes, and notes from the assigned chapters of the 2 books; Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (5th edition) and Treadwell, D., Davis, A. (2...
Research: a systematic process of asking and answering questions, in our
case about human communication. Researchers can specialize in the area of
interest or the research method. The research methods reflect researchers’
interest areas and assumptions about human communication.
Research includes posing questions, answering questions, demonstrating that
your answers are valid and sharing you research results. The 3 main
components are problem posing, problem solving and peer persuasion.
Research methods reflect contestable assumptions about human
communication. So the research method is not random, it is chosen because
the method is in line with what the researcher assums communication is like.
Assumptions (contestable, debatable) about human communication:
Observations capture an underlying reality. Relevant for abstract things (power, attitude).
Thinks you can’t really measure directly, but assume that the things we are measuring,
reflect this underlying reality.
Theories about human behavior can be generalized. Relevant for quantitative research
methods (so with numbers and generalization).
- Decision: large or small sample?--> if you believe in generalization, then large sample.
Researchers should distance themselves from research participants. Research should be as
objective as possible.
- Decision: objectively or subjectively reporting?
- Decision: dispassionate or involved researcher?
There is also action research, specifically to improve people’s lives, so to be closely
involved in the subjects life.
Research should be done for a specific purpose.
There is one best position from which to observe human behavior.
- Perspective of your questions, or participants’ answers?
these assumptions are related to theoretical, ethical, practical research decisions.
Decisions:
- wide or narrow field of study?
- Objective or subjective approach?
social scientists: assumption of an external real world that can be oserved, understood
and agreed on to the study of human interaction.
Phenomenologists/ethnographers: understanding peoples subjective worlds. They seek to
understand how people interpret or make sense of events.
- Qualitative or quantitative data?
Before we make assumptions, all possible causes need to be identified and ruled out
Components in any human interaction (entry points for a study):
1. Source- the provider of initiator of content (source credibility)
2. Message- the content of communication
3. Channel/medium- vehicle for communication content
4. Receiver- recipients or consumers of information
5. Noise- extraneous information or distractions than can disrupt an interaction.
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,PSA: public service advertisements. Targeted communications designed to promote positive attitudes
and behaviors.
Quantitative data is data that can be counted, it consists of numbers. (the cat is 70 kg)
Qualitative data consists of words and things you can’t count. (the cat is fat)
Triangulation: researchers use multiple methods providing multiple perspectives to ensure that they
have a good fix on a problem.
Q-methodology: approach that assumes that it is respondents’ subjective views of the world that are
of interest in but combine that focus with quantitative, computational approaches to recording and
assessing these views.
Approaches to human communication research:
1. Empirical: observe and measure form researchers perspective – often quantitative
2. Interpretive: observe and interpret from participants perspective – often qualitative
3. Critical theory: ask whose interest are advanced by communication – assumption that
communication maintains and promotes power structures in society?
We focus on: empirical studies, narrow field of study, dispassionate researcher, objective approach,
your questions, large sample, quantitative data, objective reporting.
LECTURE 2: FIRST DECISIONS AND ETHICS
Researchers differ in
Basic assumptions about communication (such as worldview)
Views on how theory and research relate
Reasons for doing research and therefore
Their research methods.
The focus and the research method are the outcome of the researchers’ interests and environments.
Starting points for research:
World view related with basic assumptions, what we really believe about human behavior.
- World view I, nomothetic approach: human communication is predictable, objectively
measurable, generalizable and summarized in rules. (experiments, quantitative, advertising).
Privileges the researchers perspectives
- World view II, idiographic approach: human communication is subjective, individualistic,
unpredictable, and must be described as such. (focus groups, qualitative). To describe and
assess the subjectivity and individuality of human communication, rather than universal laws
Privileges participants’ perspectives.
these can be related to different research methods.
ontology: addresses the nature of existence and what language actually refers to.
top one:
world view I
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, What? Related to interest area. You research tradition: metatheory
Why? Desire to understand communication. Goals and reasons for research, what is the
possible goal:
- Exploration – broad questions that you want answered. Curiosity-based research.
descriptions of what you’re interested in (qualitative, quantitative).
- Description – can be informative but is also not explanatory, it leaves us wondering why.
- Explanation – more specific questions, possible hypothesis
- Prediction – using theory to relate two or more variables (using deduction). Explanations
have greater credibility if they are capable of prediction. Also using hypothesis.
- Control –Researching with a view to being able to predict and manipulate the physical
processes (buying behavior, advertisers want to control responses to advertising)
- Interpretation – open-ended questions, leading to understanding. Researcher attempts
to understand communication form the point of view of the people doing it. We want to
capture the interpretations of others in a way our readers will get good understanding.
- Criticism – Understand the way in which communication is used to exercise and maintain
power in groups, organizations, societies. Starting point is assumption of power structure
How? Related to your method decision: surveys, experiments, observations, interviews,
focus groups, content analysis. Like when all research in that field have been done with 1
research method and you want to do it another way. Method decisions are rooted in:
- Epistemology: question of how we know what we know
- Tenacity: we’ve always done it or understood it that way
- Intuition: gut instinct
- Authority: because a credible source said so
- Rationalism: logical reasoning
- Empiricism: observation
Typically, empiricism, rationalism and positivism (idea that phenomena are governed by
and can be explained by rules) combined.
Work of others, the literature: other researchers, personal interest, books, conferences,
database, journals, meetings
Research questions, starting with a focus. Types of research questions:
- Open-ended (non-directional): the question is whether or to
what extend there is a relationship.
- Closed-ended (directional): you want to know about a specific
direction of a relationship.
Research questions are about constructs you’re interested in. You
need to operationalize your constructs, so you need to define it so
that they can be measured, and so other researchers can replicate
your study. A research question is more speculative.
Hypotheses: testable predictions, so statements about the expected relationships between
variables. Different kinds of hypotheses:
- Two-tailed (non-directional): there is a relationship between A and B. we say nothing about
the type of relationship
- One-tailed (directional): you’re not only saying that there is a relationship, but also a
certain type of relationship (as a increases, b decreases).
- Null (H0): there is no relationship between a and b.
Hypotheses are a bit more focused than research questions. Research questions are about
constructs (bigger theoretical constructs), the hypothesis is about the variables.
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