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Group assignments and webpage linksRequired Texts: Boyle, M.P. & Schmierbach, M. (2015). Applied communication research methods: Getting started as a researcher. New York: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-7656-4233-2 (paperback) 978-1-315-71864-4 (ebook)
Strongly Recommended Text: APA Manual, Sixth Edition
You will need email and internet access for this course.
Objectives (in no particular order):
Class requirements:
Research papers (4) 80%
Sharing results (website, ppt, blog, and in-class) 5%
Class participation (homework and in-class exercises): 15%
90 - 93% A- 94 - 100% A 80 - 82% B- 83 - 86% B 87 - 89% B+ 70 - 72% C- 73 - 76% C 77 - 79% C+ 60 - 62% D- 63 - 66%; D 67 - 69% D+ 0 - 59% F
Research papers: Each student will be required to write four research papers. All four will be on the same/similar topic of human communication/organizational behavior and will utilize the same essential literature review (15 credible sources). However, they will use different methods of gathering and analyzing data. The first research paper will use a qualitative approach; the second will let you practice observational methods (content analysis) with statistical analysis; the third survey/scale methods with statistical analysis; and the final pseudo-experimental methods with statistical analysis. Class members can be used and can help recruit other participants. These papers will illustrate the students abilities to meet objectives two, three, four and five above. Papers must be in APA style, 15-20 pp. (25 pp. max) with cover page and no identifying self references within the text of the paper.
Research Paper Guidelines
Also check out the services available from Helmke Library
If you intend or want to be able to submit your paper for a conference or publication, you MUST complete and receive human subjects permission. You can find information on human subjects as well as the forms to complete under human subjects on the Purdue Human Subjects website.
Sharing results: Each student is also required to share the findings of the lit review and each pilot via the internet. You may utilitize Blackboard tools or another website/blog. Each
time a paper (or the lit review) is due, your results should be summarized and
added to your site the same day. Do not post your papers!! You will also share your findings in class. If you use something other than Blackboard, please send me the link no later than 24 hours before your literature review is due.
Class participation (homework and in-class exercises): Unless you are already very conversant with research methods and statistical procedures, your attendance and completion of homework assignments is essential to your learning as they offer you the chance to practice the skills you will need in your research papers both in this class and out. Please let me know when you have questions. There are many useful websites on statistics (some are listed under spcecific topics in the agenda below). Here is a general stats site:
HyperStat Online Textbook
Date | Topics | Research Due (Papers, webpages/blog/wiki, short presentations) |
Homework Due by Monday following class |
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January 11 |
Course orientation; Brainstorm topics |
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18 | Chapter 3: Reading the literature. Doing a literature search. Writing a research question (RQ) and hypothesis (H) | ||
25 | Chapter 4 Ethics of Research |
Group 1: Potential outline for lit review with references |
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February 1 |
Chapter 12 Qualitative Research Method
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Group 2: Potential outline for lit review with references |
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8 |
Group 1: Literature review due | ||
15 |
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Group 2: Literature Review Due |
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22 | Chapter 11 Content Analysis - method and intercoder reliability
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Group 1: Paper One Due | |
March 1 |
Chapter 15 Content Analysis - data analysis - read to page 376.
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Group 2: Paper One Due | Chi-Square homework - due Monday, March 13th |
8 | Spring Break - no class | ||
15 |
Chapter 6: Reliability and Validity
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Group 1: Paper Two Due | Extra credit homework - Confidence Interval Exercise |
22 | Scale Design and Descriptive Statistics: Chapter 14: pp. 332-341 |
Group 2: Paper Two Due | |
29 |
Chapter 15 pp. 381-385- Correlation questions you should be able to answer Chapter 15 Data Analysis 376-378: t-tests |
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April
5 |
Chapter 9 Experiments: pp. 211-227- general overview
Discussion of Paper Four |
Group 1: Paper Three Due |
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12 | Chapter 15 Experimental data analysis pp. 378-381: ANOVA
Set up statistics for Paper Four |
Group 2: Paper Three Due | ANOVA homework |
19 |
Paper Four Questions |
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26 |
Test your knowledge! Read this brief critique of published research. Do you agree or disagree with Shafer? What other information would you want to know to form an opinion about this research? |
Group 1: Paper Four Due | |
May 3
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6:00 - 8:45 pm | Group 2: Paper Four Due |