1st Edition

Mass Communications Research Methods A Step-by-Step Approach

By H.J. Hsia Copyright 1988
    646 Pages
    by Routledge

    646 Pages
    by Routledge

    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.

    Part 1: Communication Research and Research Organization 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 Part 2: Survey Research 6. Sampling Techniques 7. Questionnaire Construction 8. Mail and Telephone Surveys 9. The Field Survey: Administration 10. The Field Survey: Interviewing Part 3: Experimental Research 11. Experimental Methods 12. Experimental Techniques 13. Experimental Designs and Procedures Part 4: Historical, Qualitative and Secondary Research 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 Part 5: The Taming of Statistics 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 Part 6: Data Processing and the Computer 22. Data Processing Through Interactive Terminals 23. Job Control Language and FORTRAN 24. Use of Statistical Packages 25. Computer Composition and Formatting Programs Part 7: Writing and Disseminating 26. Scientific Writing: Preparation 27. Scientific Writing: Procedure 28. Writing Popular Articles Appendices Statistical Table. Glossary

    Biography

    H.J. Hsia