Table of Contents

Part 1: General Introduction 1. The Research ProcessResearch and Critical ThinkingTypes of ResearchWhat is a Theory?Types of TheoriesThe Criteria of a Good TheoryTheory, Research and PracticeThe ‘Ways of Knowing’The Research ProcessEpistemologies, Theoretical Perspectives, Methodologies and MethodsTypes of EpistemologiesApplications of Epistemology, Theoretical Perspectives, Methodologies and Methods in Research Projects2. Theoretical Paradigms and ConceptsGoals of ResearchTheoretical Perspectives (Research Paradigms)What is a Paradigm?The Basic ParadigmsA Summary of Theoretical ParadigmsMulti-Method ResearchMethodological TriangulationConcepts and ConstructsThe Systems of Logic in Scientific Reasoning3. From Choosing a Topic to Writing Scholarly ReportsSelecting and Narrowing the TopicSelecting a Research Topic or ProblemNarrowing the Topic AreaWhat Next?Other Factors to ConsiderThe Literature ReviewThe Unit of AnalysisOrientation in Time and SpaceChoosing Suitable Methodologies and Data Collection MethodsWriting a Scholarly Research Proposal and ReportWriting a Research Proposal4. Writing Research Reports for Non-academic SettingsCharacteristics of Effective ReportsWriting a Research ReportPlanning to Write the ReportThe Report and its PartsMatters of Format and Style in Writing Research ReportsPolishing the Final Product5. Research Ethics in Media and CommunicationEthical BehaviourWhat are Research Ethics?‘Ghosts’ from the PastEthical Issues in the Research ProcessEthical Issues in the Process of Conducting ResearchEthical Issues Arising During the Analysis of Data and Reporting of FindingsEthics in Research Related to Journalism, Public Relations, Media Content Production and Internet-Based ResearchNational Guidelines for Research Ethics in AustraliaHuman Research Ethics CommitteesThe National Ethics Application Form (NEAF)Obtaining Informed Consent from ParticipantsSupplementary Materials6. SamplingTaking a Census of the Targeted PopulationErrors in the Research ProcessTypes of SamplingDeciding on the Type of Sampling to Use in a Research StudyTypes of Non-Probability SamplesTypes of Probability SamplesSampling in Qualitative ResearchChoosing a Suitable Sample Size7. MeasurementMeasurement of Variables and ConceptsMeasurementCategories of VariablesLevels of MeasurementSummary of Variable CharacteristicsMeasuring an Observable VariableMeasuring an Unobservable VariableThe Significance of the Levels of MeasurementMeasures of Central TendencyPart 2: Research Approaches: Quantitative8. Survey ResearchFunctions of Survey ResearchWhat Surveys Can and Cannot DoSurvey MethodologyIssues of Reliability and Validity in Survey ResearchIssues of Measurement in Survey ResearchAdvantages and Disadvantages of Survey ResearchApplications of Survey Research in Journalism, Media and Communication, Public Relations and Online9. Content AnalysisEveryday Applications of Content AnalysisFunctions of Content AnalysisManifest vs Latent Content of MessagesHow to Conduct a Content AnalysisApplications of Content Analysis in Journalism, Media and Communication, Public Relations and on the Internet10. ExperimentsDifferent Types of Experimental ResearchConducting Experimental ResearchControlling for Confounding VariablesThe Experimental MethodThe Logic of True ExperimentsTesting the Reliability of an ExperimentImproving the Internal and External Validity of ExperimentsThreats to the Internal Validity of Experiments—Confounding FactorsTypes of Experimental DesignsThe Classic Experimental Design—Two-Group Pretest–Posttest Design: Solomon Four-Group DesignQuasi-ExperimentsTwo-Group Pretest–Posttest Without Random Assignment DesignThe Campbell and Stanley Posttest-Only Design With Random AssignmentThe One-Shot Case Study (Ex Post Facto Design)The One-Group Pretest–Posttest DesignThe Static Group Comparison (the Two-Group Posttest-Only Design Without Random Assignment)The Interrupted Time Series DesignNatural ExperimentsNaturalistic (Field) ExperimentsComparative Field ExperimentsEthics of Field ExperimentsApplications of Experimental Research in Journalism, Media and Communication, Public Relations, and Online ExperimentsPart 3: Research Approaches: Qualitative11. Research InterviewingStyles of Research InterviewsConducting Research InterviewsAdvantages of Research InterviewsDisadvantages of Research InterviewsTypes or Genres of Qualitative Research InterviewsApplications of the Qualitative Interview Method in Journalism, Media and Communication, Public Relations and Online12. Focus GroupsConducting Focus Group InterviewsAdvantages of Focus GroupsDisadvantages of Focus Groups13. Field StudiesHistory of Field StudiesConducting Field Study ResearchData Collection MethodsPart 4: Other Research Approaches14. Case Study ResearchCharacteristics of a Research Case StudyWhat can be Studied as a Case Study?Research Case Studies vs Teaching Case StudiesTypes of Case StudiesDoing Case Study ResearchAdvantages and Disadvantages of Case Study ResearchApplications of the Case Study Research Method in Journalism, Media and Communication, Public Relations and Online Studies15. Textual AnalysisTypes of Textual AnalysisSemiotic Analysis of TextsGenre AnalysisNarrative AnalysisDiscourse AnalysisTextual AnalysisPart 5: Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Data16. Analysing DataThe Grounded Theory MethodApplications of the Grounded Theory MethodAnalysing Qualitative DataTypes of CodingReliability ChecksCode More Rather Than LessThe Grounded Theory Method and Field StudiesCultural Issues and the Grounded Theory MethodComputers and Qualitative Data Analysis

About the Author

Niranjala Weerakkody, Associate Professor in Media and Communication, Course Director, Faculty of Arts and Education, School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University.