Mass Communications Research Methods

<p>Originally published in 1988. Step-by-step, this book leads students from problem identification, through the mazes of surveys, experimentation, historical/qualitative studies, statistical analysis, and computer data processing to the final submission and publication in scientific or popular publications.</p> <p><strong>Part 1: Communication Research and Research Organization</strong> 1. Communication Science and Research 2. Research Orientation 3. Variables, Scales and Measurement 4. Conceptualization, Operationalization, Classification, Logical Division, and Hypothesis 5. Preparatory Steps in Research <b>Part 2: Survey Research </b>6. Sampling Techniques 7. Questionnaire Construction 8. Mail and Telephone Surveys 9. The Field Survey: Administration 10. The Field Survey: Interviewing <b>Part 3: Experimental Research </b>11. Experimental Methods 12. Experimental Techniques 13. Experimental Designs and Procedures <b>Part 4: Historical, Qualitative and Secondary Research</b> 14. Historical/Qualitative Research, Observation, Case and Trend Studies 15. Secondary, Archival, Cohort and Integrative (Meta) Analysis 16. Content, Trace, Focused Group, Evaluative Analysis, and Critical Studies <b>Part 5: The Taming of Statistics </b>17. Statistical Phobia and Terminology 18. The Index, Frequency Distribution, and the Central Tendency 19. Nonparametric Statistics 20. The Student t Test and Analysis of Variance 21. Correlation and Regression <b>Part 6: Data Processing and the Computer</b> 22. Data Processing Through Interactive Terminals 23. Job Control Language and FORTRAN 24. Use of Statistical Packages 25. Computer Composition and Formatting Programs <b>Part 7: Writing and Disseminating </b>26. Scientific Writing: Preparation 27. Scientific Writing: Procedure 28. Writing Popular Articles <b>Appendices</b> Statistical Table. Glossary</p>