CA 516 Qualitative Methods of Communication Research--Dr. Joan E. Aitken

 

  

 

COURSE SECTION WITH FEWER THAN 7 STUDENTS

 

Contact Information in the online course Announcements.

 

 

Required Readings:

Access scholarly articles through Ebsco’s Communication and Mass Media Complete http://www.park.edu/library/  Some articles are available here http://ourwayit.com/comps/Research Use the articles in the Qualitative folder.  There's also a number of interesting Content Analysis folder http://ourwayit.com/comps/ContentAnalysis  Contact Dr. Aitken for the password.

 

 

 

Assignment Point Value - 100 Points = 100%

 

Week 7 Core Assessment Due--See the course learning outcomes.  Make sure you demonstrate meeting most of those in your core assessment.

 

If there are fewer than 7 students enrolled, this course is an independent study course.  The information below is modified.  There will be no discussion and no weekly or minor assignments.  There are scholarly articles to read and one major paper (core assessment) due week 7.

 

Learning Outcomes

 

1. Examine the philosophical assumptions that inform the naturalistic/qualitative research methods used in the communication field.

2. Identify the rationales for selecting naturalistic/qualitative research methods to study communication.

involved in the planning and designing of naturalistic/qualitative communication research

4. Identify different ways to determine categories for content analysis.

5.Explain key concerns for those doing participant observation

6.Develop questions for interviews and focus groups.

7. Explain various methodological strategies for recording, managing, analyzing, and interpreting qualitative data.

8.Design a study using naturalistic/qualitative methods.

9. Assess the important of the ethical considerations in naturalistic/qualitative research.

10.Evaluate naturalistic/qualitative research studies.

 

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Week

Questions

Readings

Assignments

1

What is qualitative research?

Are you doing a thesis, project, or capstone course.

 

Using this course to prepare for the comprehensive exam:  Comprehensive Exams

Read about the program capstone options:  Capstone of Reflection or Project or Thesis - Defense of Thesis or Project

Heffner, C. L.  (2004). Qualitative research.  AllPsychOnline.  Retrieved from http://allpsych.com/researchmethods/qualitativeresearch.html

Contemplate what you learned from the week's reading assignments.

2

How can you use qualitative research?

 

AECT (2001).  Qualitative research methods.  Bloomington, IN:  AECT.  Retrieved from http://www.aect.org/edtech/ed1/40/40-02.html

Arnett, R. C. (2007). Interpretive inquiry as qualitative communication research. Qualitative Research Reports In Communication, 8(1), 29-35. doi:10.1080/17459430701617887

Contemplate what you learned from the week's reading assignments.  Begin Core Assessment--Literature Review and Writing Process for Thesis, Project, or Reflection Capstone

3

What can you learn about leadership through qualitative research?

Boerre, C. G. Qualitative methods workbook.  Shippenensburg University.  Retrieved from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/qualmeth.html

Part One: Introduction and Phenomenological Description

·        Part Two: Structural Analysis

·        Part Three: Observation

·        Part Four: Interviewing

Part Five: Other Techniques and Conclusion

Bolkan, S., & Goodboy, A. K. (2011). Behavioral indicators of transformational leadership in the college classroom. Qualitative Research Reports In Communication, 12(1), 10-18. doi:10.1080/17459435.2011.601520

Contemplate what you learned from the week's reading assignments.

4

What methods are used in qualitative research?

Participant Observation

Ethnography

Content Analysis

Direct Observation

Unstructured or Structures Interviews

Case Studies

Critical Studies

Toelken, K. (2012). Organizational discourses during planned change: A resiliency team case study. American Communication Journal, 14(2), 58-79.

 

Junghyun, K. (2003). Interpersonal interaction in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) : Exploratory qualitative research based on critical review of the existing theories. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-26. doi:ica_proceeding_11624.PDF

 

Larsen, P. (1991). Media contents textual analysis of fictional media content. In Handbook of Qualitative Methodologies for Mass Communication Research (pp. 121-134). Taylor & Francis Ltd / Books.

Contemplate what you learned from the week's reading assignments.

5

What qualitative method could you use in solving problems about communication and leadership?

Key, J. P. (2002).  Qualitative.  Oklahoma State University.  Retrieved from http://www.okstate.edu/ag/agedcm4h/academic/aged5980a/5980/newpage21.htm

REQUIRED READING.  This article is an example of the autoethnography method (a qualitative method).  More importantly, the article has personal perceptions that are relevant to the thesis and project capstone experience in our program.  Read this one!  Gearity, B. T., & Mertz, N.  (2012). From “bitch” to “mentor”: A doctoral student’s story of self-change and mentoring.   The Qualitative Report, 17(59), 1-27.  Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17/gearity.pdf

Junghyun, K. (2003). Interpersonal interaction in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) : Exploratory qualitative research based on critical review of the existing theories. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-26. doi:ica_proceeding_11624.PDF

Contemplate what you learned from the week's reading assignments.

6

What is your proposal for your thesis, project, or reflection capstone?

No additional rading.

Finalize your Core Assessment--Literature Review and Writing Process for Thesis, Project, or Reflection Capstone

7

How will you find faculty to guide you in the research process?

Russ, T. L. (2009). Developing a typology of perceived communication challenges experienced by frontline employees during organizational change. Qualitative Research Reports In Communication, 10(1), 1-8. doi:10.1080/17459430902751303

Core assessment due.

8

What have you learned and what do you still need to learn about qualitative research?

Young, J. T., & Foot, K. A. (2005). The construction of work in online career sites of Fortune 500 companies. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-43.

Contemplate what you learned from the course.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION
CA 516 Qualitative Methods of Communication Research: A study of the processes used by social researchers to describe human communication. The class will emphasize ethnography, field research and interviewing for data gathering and analysis.

COURSE POLICIES

http://ourwayit.com/Guidelines.html


REFERENCES

No required textbook other than the APA Publication Manual. 

To obtain full texts of articles, go to Ebsco, Communication and Mass Media Complete, access here: http://www.park.edu/library/  Copies for currently enrolled student use only may be available here: http://ourwayit.com/comps/Research  

 

AECT (2001).  Qualitative research methods.  Bloomington, IN:  AECT.  Retrieved from http://www.aect.org/edtech/ed1/40/40-02.html

Arnett, R. C. (2007). Interpretive inquiry as qualitative communication research. Qualitative Research Reports In Communication, 8(1), 29-35. doi:10.1080/17459430701617887

Boerre, C. G. Qualitative methods workbook.  Shippenensburg University.  Retrieved from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/qualmeth.html

  1. Part One: Introduction and Phenomenological Description

  2. Part Two: Structural Analysis

  3. Part Three: Observation

  4. Part Four: Interviewing

  5. Part Five: Other Techniques and Conclusion

Bolkan, S., & Goodboy, A. K. (2011). Behavioral indicators of transformational leadership in the college classroom. Qualitative Research Reports In Communication, 12(1), 10-18. doi:10.1080/17459435.2011.601520

Gearity, B. T., & Mertz, N.  (2012). From “bitch” to “mentor”: A doctoral student’s story of self-change and mentoring.   The Qualitative Report, 17(59), 1-27.  Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17/gearity.pdf

Heffner, C. L.  (2004). Qualitative research.  AllPsychOnline.  Retrieved from http://allpsych.com/researchmethods/qualitativeresearch.html

Junghyun, K. (2003). Interpersonal interaction in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) : Exploratory qualitative research based on critical review of the existing theories. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-26. doi:ica_proceeding_11624.PDF

Key, J. P. (2002).  Qualitative.  Oklahoma State University.  Retrieved from http://www.okstate.edu/ag/agedcm4h/academic/aged5980a/5980/newpage21.htm

Larsen, P. (1991). Media contents textual analysis of fictional media content. In Handbook of Qualitative Methodologies for Mass Communication Research (pp. 121-134). Taylor & Francis Ltd / Books.

Russ, T. L. (2009). Developing a typology of perceived communication challenges experienced by frontline employees during organizational change. Qualitative Research Reports In Communication, 10(1), 1-8. doi:10.1080/17459430902751303

Young, J. T., & Foot, K. A. (2005). The construction of work in online career sites of Fortune 500 companies. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-43.