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Readings
Week 1
Brennen
Chapter 1
Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Quantitative → systematic, precise and accurate / determining validity and
reliability
Qualitative → Interdisciplinary, interpretive, political and theoretical in nature.
→ attempts to create a sense of realm of human relationship
→ consider alternative notions of knowledge and they undrestand that reality
is socially constructed.
→ the choice of methods is based on the questions the qualitative researcher
wishes to ask.
→ Qualitative researchers consider the diversity of meanings and values
created in the media.
The Development of Qualitative Research
Neil Postman → maintained that attempts to undrestand human feelings and
behavior should not be considered science because it was difficult to show
Readings 1
, cause-and-effect relationships within human behavior.
The view of communication as a cultural practice
Researchers found that quantitative methods could not help them to
answer central questions of comunication as the social production of
meaning.
Researchers began to turn to alternative theoretical perspectives and
qualitative methods to understand communication as a social and cultural
practice.
Conceptual Orientations
Both qualitative and quantitative researchers like to draw on intellectual
maps and models, referred to as paradigms → to help them represent
their philosophical world-views.
Paradigms
→ Provide a set of views and beliefs that researchers use to guide their work.
→ Find methodological questions of secondary importance to the larger phil‐
osophical issues and questions
Three conceptual elements in paradigms :
Epistemology → Asks how do we know the world ? What is the
relationship between the inquirer and the known?
Ontology → Raises basic questions about the nature of reality
Methodology → Focuses on how we gain knowledge about the world.
Positivism
Positivism remains the dominant paradigm of the physical and social
sciences
Positivists consider reality to exist and scientific truth to be knowable and
findable through rigorous testing that is free from human bias.
The value of research is determined through internal validity, external
validity, reliability and objectivity.
Internal validity → how findings correspond to the issue being studied,
External validity → the extent to which the findings can be generalized and
related to similar studies.
Readings 2
, Reliability → The extent to which the findings can be reproduced or rep licated
by another researcher.
Post-Positivism
Similar to Positivism
Difference between positivism and post-positivism → While Positivists
seek to verify their hypotheses, PostPositivists use a variety of
experimental methods, including some qualitative methods, in an effort to
falsify their hypotheses.
While reality is thought to exist, post positivists Consider that because
people are flawed, they may not be able actually to understand it.
Constructivism and critical theories
Both paradigms incorporate various non Positivist alternative worldviews
that blend research issues and theoretical positions.
Include a variety of theoretical positions → NeoMarxism, Feminism,
Cultural Materialism, Critical Race Theory, PostStructuralism and
Postmodernism.
Critical theorists consider reality and truth to be shaped by specific
historical, cultural, racial, gender, political and economic conditions, values
and structures.
→ they press for fundamental social change.
Constructivists lean towards an anti-foundational understanding of truth,
rejecting any permanent standards by which truth can be universally
known.
→ They favor negotiated agreements that are made by community members .
→ They replace Positivist concepts of external and internal validity with
notions of authenticity and trustworthiness.
Chapter 2 -Doing Qualitative Research-
The Ethics of Qualitative Research
fundamental concerns →
Readings 3
, All individuals who participate in qualitative research projects must
voluntarily agree to participate in the studies without any psychological or
physical pressure, manipulation or coercion.
Qualitative researchers must provide potential participants with accurate
information on the intention of their studies, and there can be no deception
regarding the motives of the research
Participants must be told that they are part of a research project and
should be explicitly informed about all aspects of the research.
Participants must be informed that they are able to withdraw from a
research project at any time they wish.
When appropriate, participants’ privacy and confidentiality should be
protected and secured, and all qualitative research should be based on
authentic and accurate research.
The Qualitative Process
Choosing a Research topic
Qualitative researchers look at media products in their entirety in an
attempt to understand common practices, issues and concerns.
Things to consider when choosing a topic:
think about the research studies that you read about, seen, heard about or
read about that you find more relevant and interesting.
Think about past research that caught your interest → will give you ideas
for potential research topics that are well suited to your interests.
The theoretical framework you choose for your study will also help you to
frame the topic area and the method that you use, as well as your
strategies of analysis.
Steps
After having the topic in mind, start doing some background research →
Check online search engines.
→ Research guides and databases.
→ Look through relevant academic journals and books.
Note : Checking the references of a research study that you like will often
lead you to similar published research in that area.
Readings 4
Readings
Week 1
Brennen
Chapter 1
Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Quantitative → systematic, precise and accurate / determining validity and
reliability
Qualitative → Interdisciplinary, interpretive, political and theoretical in nature.
→ attempts to create a sense of realm of human relationship
→ consider alternative notions of knowledge and they undrestand that reality
is socially constructed.
→ the choice of methods is based on the questions the qualitative researcher
wishes to ask.
→ Qualitative researchers consider the diversity of meanings and values
created in the media.
The Development of Qualitative Research
Neil Postman → maintained that attempts to undrestand human feelings and
behavior should not be considered science because it was difficult to show
Readings 1
, cause-and-effect relationships within human behavior.
The view of communication as a cultural practice
Researchers found that quantitative methods could not help them to
answer central questions of comunication as the social production of
meaning.
Researchers began to turn to alternative theoretical perspectives and
qualitative methods to understand communication as a social and cultural
practice.
Conceptual Orientations
Both qualitative and quantitative researchers like to draw on intellectual
maps and models, referred to as paradigms → to help them represent
their philosophical world-views.
Paradigms
→ Provide a set of views and beliefs that researchers use to guide their work.
→ Find methodological questions of secondary importance to the larger phil‐
osophical issues and questions
Three conceptual elements in paradigms :
Epistemology → Asks how do we know the world ? What is the
relationship between the inquirer and the known?
Ontology → Raises basic questions about the nature of reality
Methodology → Focuses on how we gain knowledge about the world.
Positivism
Positivism remains the dominant paradigm of the physical and social
sciences
Positivists consider reality to exist and scientific truth to be knowable and
findable through rigorous testing that is free from human bias.
The value of research is determined through internal validity, external
validity, reliability and objectivity.
Internal validity → how findings correspond to the issue being studied,
External validity → the extent to which the findings can be generalized and
related to similar studies.
Readings 2
, Reliability → The extent to which the findings can be reproduced or rep licated
by another researcher.
Post-Positivism
Similar to Positivism
Difference between positivism and post-positivism → While Positivists
seek to verify their hypotheses, PostPositivists use a variety of
experimental methods, including some qualitative methods, in an effort to
falsify their hypotheses.
While reality is thought to exist, post positivists Consider that because
people are flawed, they may not be able actually to understand it.
Constructivism and critical theories
Both paradigms incorporate various non Positivist alternative worldviews
that blend research issues and theoretical positions.
Include a variety of theoretical positions → NeoMarxism, Feminism,
Cultural Materialism, Critical Race Theory, PostStructuralism and
Postmodernism.
Critical theorists consider reality and truth to be shaped by specific
historical, cultural, racial, gender, political and economic conditions, values
and structures.
→ they press for fundamental social change.
Constructivists lean towards an anti-foundational understanding of truth,
rejecting any permanent standards by which truth can be universally
known.
→ They favor negotiated agreements that are made by community members .
→ They replace Positivist concepts of external and internal validity with
notions of authenticity and trustworthiness.
Chapter 2 -Doing Qualitative Research-
The Ethics of Qualitative Research
fundamental concerns →
Readings 3
, All individuals who participate in qualitative research projects must
voluntarily agree to participate in the studies without any psychological or
physical pressure, manipulation or coercion.
Qualitative researchers must provide potential participants with accurate
information on the intention of their studies, and there can be no deception
regarding the motives of the research
Participants must be told that they are part of a research project and
should be explicitly informed about all aspects of the research.
Participants must be informed that they are able to withdraw from a
research project at any time they wish.
When appropriate, participants’ privacy and confidentiality should be
protected and secured, and all qualitative research should be based on
authentic and accurate research.
The Qualitative Process
Choosing a Research topic
Qualitative researchers look at media products in their entirety in an
attempt to understand common practices, issues and concerns.
Things to consider when choosing a topic:
think about the research studies that you read about, seen, heard about or
read about that you find more relevant and interesting.
Think about past research that caught your interest → will give you ideas
for potential research topics that are well suited to your interests.
The theoretical framework you choose for your study will also help you to
frame the topic area and the method that you use, as well as your
strategies of analysis.
Steps
After having the topic in mind, start doing some background research →
Check online search engines.
→ Research guides and databases.
→ Look through relevant academic journals and books.
Note : Checking the references of a research study that you like will often
lead you to similar published research in that area.
Readings 4
