Full Description
Communication Research: Asking Questions, Finding Answers covers basic research issues and processes, both quantitative and qualitative, appropriate for communication students with little or no previous research methods experience. The text's guiding principle is that methodological choices are made from one's research questions or hypotheses. This avoids the pitfall in which students learn one methodology or one methodological skill and then force that method to answer all types of questions. Instead of working with one methodology to answer all types of questions, students come away understanding a variety of methods and how to apply them appropriately.
This approach is strengthened in the new edition with a suite of Connect tools designed to improve student outcomes while streamlining grading for instructors:
•SmartBook 2.0 provides a personalized and adaptive learning experience for students, while highlighting the most impactful communication concepts the learner needs to study at that time.
•Progress dashboards to quickly show how students are performing on assignments and tips for improvement.
Contents
Preface
SECTION 1: RESEARCH BASICS
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Communication Research
CHAPTER 2 The Research Process: Getting Started
CHAPTER 3 Research Ethics
SECTION 2: QUANTITATIVE COMMUNICATION RESEARCH
CHAPTER 4 Introduction to Quantitative Research
CHAPTER 5 Measurement
CHAPTER 6 Populations, Samples, and Sample Size
CHAPTER 7 Quantitative Research Designs
CHAPTER 8 Surveys and Questionnaires
CHAPTER 9 Descriptive Statistics, Significance Levels, and Hypothesis Testing
CHAPTER 10 Testing for Differences
CHAPTER 11 Testing for Relationships
CHAPTER 12 Quantitative Analysis of Text
CHAPTER 13 Reading and Writing the Quantitative Research Report
SECTION 3: QUALITATIVE COMMUNICATION RESEARCH
CHAPTER 14 Introduction to Qualitative Research
CHAPTER 15 Designing Qualitative Research
CHAPTER 16 Qualitative Methods of Data Collection
CHAPTER 17 Analyzing Qualitative Data
CHAPTER 18 Reading and Writing the Qualitative Research Report
Glossary
G-1 References
R-1 Name Index
I-1 Subject Index
I-9
