Communication Research and Scientific Ethics

Program Type:

Thesis

Course Code:

COMM 560

Semester:

Autumn

Course Type:

Core

P:

3

Lab:

0

Credits:

3

ECTS:

6

Course Language:

English

Course Objectives:

The aim of this course is to provide students with a broad introduction to the methodological foundations and tools to study communications. The course includes discussions on various research methods such as quantitative, qualitative, and critical cultural studies and the essential principles of scientific ethics. Students will learn how to identify problems to study, develop hypotheses and research questions, specify independent and dependent variables, check for the validity and reliability of studies and design research projects. Students are also introduced to the process of conducting their own research. Students will be exposed to the broad range of designs used in communication research from field experiments, surveys, content analysis, focus groups, participant observation, social role analysis, rhetorical analysis, (critical) discourse analysis, and in-depth interviewing.

Course Content:

The course includes discussions on various research methods - quantitative, qualitative, and critical cultural studies - with the goal of familiarizing students with different research methods. In doing this, the different research methods are compared and analyzed. Students are required to read material that exemplifies the use of each of these methods and discuss the methods used by the authors in class. Students are also introduced to the process of conducting their own research. Ultimately, the course explores current topic areas in which media research is conducted and students are required to prepare a research project.

Teaching Methods:

1: Lecture, 2: Question-Answer, 3: Discussion, 4: 1 on 1 Review Sessions

Assessment Methods:

A: Presentations B: Weekly Assignments C: Midterm Paper D: Final Paper

Vertical Tabs

Course Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes	Program Learning Outcomes	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
Quantitative and qualitative media research methods, techniques, and methodologies are compared.	1, 2, 3, 5
The suitability of various research approaches and techniques to specific research questions are examined.	1,2,13
Various mass media research techniques are employed.	1, 13
Research ethics for both quantitative and qualitative methods are discussed.	1, 3
Research projects in media studies are designed, relevant data collected, analyzed, evaluated and reported.	3,13

Course Flow

COURSE CONTENT
Week	Topics	Study Materials
1	Course policy, Introduction to Course Quantitative and Qualitative Research in Media Studies
2	Research Ethics, Research Process, Research Question	Read: Brennen, pp. 1-25.
3	Interviewing: Process, Analyses and Report	Read: Brennen, pp. 26-58.
4	Focus Groups: Moderator, Participants, Execution (Weekly Research Assignment: Interview)	Read: Brennen, pp.59-92. Hand in: Interview Assignment
5	History: Traditional and Cultural Histories, Collecting and Evaluating Historical Evidence, Research Using History (Weekly Research Assignment)	Read: Brennen, pp. 93-123. Hand in: Focus Group Assignment
6	Oral History: Interview Strategies, Listening, Editing, Research Using Oral History Transcripts (Weekly Research Assignment)	Read: Brennen, pp. 124-158. Hand in: Historical Analysis Assignment
7	Ethnography and Participant Observation: Ethnography in Media Studies, Analyzing and Interpreting Ethnographic Material (Weekly Research Assignment)	Read: Brennen, pp. 159-191. Hand in: Oral History Analysis Assignment
8	Draft Midterm Papers Presentations, Discussions and Reflections (Weekly Research Assignment)	Hand in: Ethnographic Research Assignment
9	Textual Analysis: Semiotics, Theory and Interpretation, Encoding/Decoding, Ideological Analysis, Genre Analysis, Discourse Analysis, Rhetorical Analysis (Weekly Research Assignment)	Read: Brennen, pp. 192-231. Hand in: Midterm Paper
10	Content Analysis: Definition, Limitations, Steps, Reliability, and Validity. (Weekly Research Assignment)	Read: Wimmer & Dominick, pp. 155-183. Hand in: Textual Analysis Assignment
11	Survey Research: Descriptive and Analytical Surveys, Constructing Questions, and Pretesting. (Weekly Research Assignment)	Read: Wimmer & Dominick, pp. 184-217. Hand in: Content Analysis Assignment
12	Writing research proposal. (Weekly Research Assignment)	Hand in: Survey Research Assignment
13	Writing research proposal (Continued) (Weekly Research Assignment)	Hand in: Draft Research Proposal
14	Academic writing techniques and styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago. (Weekly Research Assignment)	Hand in: Reviewed Research Proposal
15	Academic writing techniques and styles (Continued): APA, MLA, and Chicago. (Weekly Research Assignment) Presentations of Draft Final Research Projects, Discussions and Reflections	Hand in: Final Research Proposal & Draft Final Research Project Report

Recommended Sources

RECOMMENDED SOURCES

Textbook

Main texts

Brennen, S. Bonnie (2013). Qualitative Research Methods for Media Studies, N.Y. & Oxon: Routledge.

Wimmer, R.D. & Dominick, J.R.. (2011). Mass Media Research: An Introduction, London: Thomson & Wadsworth, 9th edition.

Additional Resources

Additional Readings

Berger, A. A. (2000). Media and Communication Research Methods. London: Sage Pub.

Corner, J., Schlesinger, P. & Silverstone, R. (2005). International Media Research: A

Critical Survey, London & N.Y.: Routledge. (1st published in 1997).

Dicle, Atilla (2002). Manual for Writing Research Papers, Theses & Dissertations, İstanbul: Yeditepe Ün. Yayınları.

Perry, David K. (2002). Theory and Research in Mass Communication: Contexts and Consequences, London: Lawrance Erlbaum Associates, Pub.

Priest, S. H. (2009). Doing Media Research: An Introduction, London: Sage Pub., 2nd edition.

Messenger Davies, M. & Mosdell, Nick (2006). Practical Research Methods for Media and Cultural Studies: Making People Count, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Material Sharing

MATERIAL SHARING
Documents	Books: Knowledge Centre
Assignments	This course requires carrying out researches every week, writing draft papers, presenting the work, re-writing research reports after reviews and comments. For the final research project report, academic writing techniques and styles must be strictly followed. Weekly research assignments (Total number = 8), min 2 - max 5 pages. Midterm Paper (Well designed and executed research on a selected broadcast program, newspaper/magazine/internet site or film), min. 10 - max. 15 pages. Research Proposal (For the Final Research Paper). Final Research Paper (Well designed, executed and written report of a research carried out with a qualitative research method, min. 20 max. 25 pages excluding the bibliography).
Exams	Presentations, Written Reports, Discussions & Term paper

Assessment

ASSESSMENT
IN-TERM STUDIES	NUMBER	PERCENTAGE
Homework	8	40
Midterm paper	1	40
Research Proposal	1	20
Total		100
CONTRIBUTION OF FINAL PAPER TO OVERALL GRADE		60
CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE		40
Total		100

Course’s Contribution to Program

COURSE'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRAM
No	Program Learning Outcomes	Contribution
		1	2		3		4		5
1	To develop the scientific cognition, comprehensive knowledge of critical theories, concepts and scientific data collection methods and to be competent in discussion skills in the field of media and communication.									X
2	To be able to define and analyze the historical development of mass communication in relation with its social and cultural results.			X
3	To be able to relate the contemporary concepts like post-modernism, globalization, post-colonialism, post-structuralism to the tradition of critical thought which is constructed on mass media.	X
4	To be able to analyze and discuss the economical, political and cultural facts and developments which are mediated by the forms of mass media, and their impacts on social life.					X
5	To be able to define the interdisciplinary structure of cultural studies and to be able to interpret the mutual effects between the traditional scientific disciplines and communication studies.									X
6	To be competent in the classical and modern aesthetic theories established in audio, visual and written history of art, and to be able to analyze and discuss the narrative types and styles under the light of these theories.							X
7	To be able to critically evaluate how political actions and actors in social life use mass media and the way that they take place in them, in connection with their sociopolitical results.									X
8	To be able to comprehend the national and international relationship of broadcasting policies and to be able to evaluate the social and cultural causes and effects accordingly.					X
9	To be able to recognize the economical and cultural operations at the national and international levels, through the relations of media ownership, their channels and the media products, and to be able to connect and combine with the marketing techniques and items.			X
10	To be able to connect the marketing techniques, devises and styles with media theories, and to be able to examine the practice methods.					X
11	To be able to name the theoretical studies on national and international film history and culture, and to be able to recognize the major examples and to correlate them with theories.	X
12	To be competent in the distinct writing formats of narrative styles of film and television, and to be able to apply them.									X
13	To be able to recognize the technical structures and potentials of the mass media, and to be able to follow the technological developments and to apply them.			X
14	To be able to scrutinize advanced aesthetic approaches and the visual effects with the national and international examples and to be able to apply them skillfully.					X
15	To be able to combine the narrative genres, the aesthetic approaches, technical knowledge and the theoretical knowledge in media and communication with a creative design, and to become skillful at embodying it with a project.									X

ECTS

ECTS ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD BY THE COURSE DESCRIPTION
Activities	Quantity	Duration (Hour)	Total Workload (Hour)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	1	16
Homework	8	2	16
Midterm Paper	1	20	20
Research Proposal	1	15	15
Final paper	1	30	30
Total Work Load			145
Total Work Load / 25 (h)			5.8
ECTS Credit of the Course			6

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