Exam 1&2

write research questions depending on the type of research being conducted

survey: attitudes/perceptions experiment: what is the effect of ___ on ___? content analysis: type/frequency textual/rhetorical analysis: analyze ____ in terms of _____?

What is a text?

the actual words or messages of a communicator that can be verbal, visual, and written

Referring to the question about catholic students, the number of levels of independent variables is: A. one B. two C. three D. none of the above

B. two

what are the four/five stages of research and how do they match up with sections of a research article?

conceptualization----literature review method----method data analysis----results discussion----discussion

fidelity

consistency with accounts that people have heard (does it make sense)

invention

the types and sources of ideas

rhetorical criticism

the use of standards of excellence to interpret and evaluative communication

what is the purpose of fisher's narrative paradigm?

the way to be persuasive is to tell stories

validity v reliability

validity: measures the intended variable reliability: can be repeated

if a test is valid, is it necessary to report information on reliability?

yes bc it proves that its a credible source and so it can be repeated

three communication journals

Journal of Applied Research Journal of Communication Journal of Business Communication

create a 4-5 sentence introducing a survey

-name -where you're from -conducting a survey -topic -participation is voluntary -you can stop at any time -results published, but names are anonymous -surveys will be destroyed after -contact info

___refers to how repeatable a measure is from test to test A. conceptual fit B. reliability C. sampling D. validity

B. reliability

what are possible problem questions inviting qualitative/critical methods?

-what are characteristics of the message that contributed to its level of effectiveness? -what are the reasons for the impact of the message? -does the message measure up to the standards of excellence?

what are the four steps in conducting a pentadic analysis?

1. formulate research question and select an artifact 2. select unit of analysis 3. analyze artifact 4. write critical essay

6 steps of conducting a content analysis

1. identify a population 2. determine a scheme 3. pick your sample 4. categorize schemes 5. analyze data 6. interpret results

3 characteristics of true experiments

1. random assignment of participants 2. control over manipulation of independent variables 3. control group

what are the steps of criticism?

1. standards of excellence are presented (grid) 2. data are described and applied against standards (texts in light of grid) 3. degree to which the data meet or fall short of the standard is described (analyze)

3 limitations of content analysis

1. you cannot determine cause and effect 2. often, the results cannot be generalized to a population 3. finding a sample can be hard and tedious

____ approach to research often attempts to explore research questions concerned with exploration, prediction, and/or communication phenomenon A. Critical B. Interpretivist C. Positivist D. Post-positivist E. Pre-positivist

A. Critical

Typically, researchers will meet with their coder teams over and over again until they meet an acceptable level of agreement. This level of agreement is known as: A. coder training B. inter-coder reliability C. scott's pi D. none of the above

B. inter-coder reliability

The best definition of a hypothesis is: A. an expectation about events based on generalizations of the assumed relationship between variables B. an educated guess C. a theory using applications of formal thinking D. a question stating two constants that prove that variables do not set limits on relevant information

A. an expectation about events based on generalizations of the assumed relationship between variables

The study of the effects of a variable manipulated by the researcher in a situaion which all other variables are controlled is: A. an experiment B. the concept of control C. a carefully controlled survey D. a test of a hypothesis

A. an experiment

When we say that research is sound argument, we mean that: A. claims are advanced on the basis of reasoning from evidence B. research is capable of rejection C. the effect is called serendipity D. researchers must find valuable things by looking for something else

A. claims are advanced on the basis of reasoning from evidence

A variable is: A. concepts that have the ability to take on more than one value B. something that can vary from person to person, time to time, and vary in intensity C. something that varies D. b&c E. all of the above

A. concepts that have the ability to take on more than one value

As a methodology, _______ allows researchers to quantify content of a textual message A. content analysis B. cross-sectional design C. experimental design D. interaction analysis

A. content analysis

A _______ survey describes the characteristics of a sample representing a population at one point in time A. cross-sectional B. longitudinal C.panel D. trend

A. cross sectional

The method section of a study: A. describes what the researchers did in enough detail so that others could repeat or replicate it B. in historical-critical research usually has no method section C. tends to be highly abbreviated in quantitative studies D. in qualitative research is omitted

A. describes what the researchers did in enough detail so that others could repeat or replicate it

Quantitative research tends to be: A. explanatory, especially when experiments are involved B. study using descriptions of observations C. descriptive or interpretive of communication exchanges D. descriptive of humanity by using general views of social action

A. explanatory, especially when experiments are involved

In a ____ format, the questions begin with broad, often open-ended questions followed by narrow, more closed questions A. funnel B. inverted funnel C. inverted tunnel D. tunnel

A. funnel

A researcher conducts a highly controlled investigation of the influence and type of ad (humorous or serious) on attitude change. Participants come to a classroom on the CCU campus that has been set up. Participants are randomly assigned to view one of the ad types and then rate their attitude toward the advertised product. This type of study is best described as: A. laboratory experiment B. field experiment C. one group pretest-posttest design D. content analysis

A. laboratory experiments

In content analysis, it is important that coders use: A. mutually exclusive categories B. coding rules that place events in more than one category C. small samples D. categories derived from experience rather than history

A. mutually exclusive categories

Assigning a number 1 to women and number 2 to men in a survey to identify their group classification is an example of measurement on the: A. nominal level B. oridinal scale C. interval scale D. ratio scale

A. nominal level

Consider the hypothesis: protestant male students will view drinking alcohol more negatively than will Catholic male students. The independent variable is: A. religion B. perception of drinking alcohol C. negatively D. gender

A. religion

Reliability is: A. the internal consistency of a measure B. the consistency of a measure with a criterion C. the degree to which a measure actually measures what it claims D. the choice coefficients of external predictability

A. the internal consistency of a measure

Which problem statement would be useful for quantitative research? A. what is the relationship between self-esteem measures of school children and the severity of stuttering they exhibit in spontaneous speech? B. what changes in public funding have contributed significantly to the rise of the educational use of television? C. what conditions in education led to the development and spread of tournament debating in America? D. what were the major sources of influence on the development of the modern alphabet?

A. what is the relationship between self-esteem measures of school children and the severity of stuttering they exhibit in spontaneous speech?

The study of knowledge is known as: A. A priori B. Epistemology C. Tenacity D. Theory

B. Epistemology

The relationship between reliability and test validity is that: A. a reliable scale must be valid B. a valid scale must be reliable first C. a valid scale need not be reliable D. reliability of a scale is determined after showing validity

B. a valid scale must be reliable first

Some problems with everyday ways of knowing include: A. accuracy, cognitive conservatism, intuition B. accuracy, overgeneralization, cognitive conservatism C. experience, cognitive conservatism, overgeneralization D. intuition, overgeneralization, experience

B. accuracy, overgeneralization, and cognitive conservatism

Which of the following method is a type of quantitative study: A. fantasy theme analysis B. experiment C. ethnography D. narrative

B. an experiment

If a researcher had the lyrics to a random sample of country western songs produced during the 1980s, and wanted to objectively identify the most common song topics, he would probably use: A. interaction analysis B. content analysis C. rhetorical criticism D. archival research

B. content analysis

Questions asked only of some respodents, determined by their answers to other items are: A. paired comparison questions B. contingency questions C. conspiracy questions D. inventory questions

B. contingency questions

The first step in content analysis is to: A. sample messages B. define and limit the communication population to be studied C. select coding units and classification systems D. determine reliability of coding

B. define and limit the communication population to be studied

Experiments are completed to: A. prove the hypothesis B. establish casual relationships C. answer the hypothesis D. confound the data

B. establish casual relationships

simply looking at the measure or procedures and asking if it makes sense refers to: A.criterion validity B. face validity C. measurability D. predictive validity

B. face validity

trend studies, panel studies, and cohort studies are all types of: A. cross-sectional design B. longitudinal design C. sampling D. none of the above

B. longitudinal design

The rules, guidelines, we follow to make sure we are protecting the people we are studying are known as: A. human subjects protection B. nuremberg code C. relationship ethics D. belmont report

D. belmont report

The activity of conducting intellectual investigations into the observable world is known as: A. Applied research B. Media research C. Research D. Scholarly research

C. Research

Which format may be used to construct worthwhile problem statements? A. does _____ make _____ more persuasive? B. Does _____ persuade ____? C. What is the relationship between ____ and _____? D none of the above

C. What is the relationship between ____ and _____?

You want to test the effectiveness of an anti-smoking PSA. You develop two types of PSAs: one that uses fear appeal to attempt to scare people into compliance, and one that does not. You then show fear ad to one group of people, and the non-fear ad to another group. In this instance, the type of ad that is being shown is: A. confound variable B. dependent variable C. independent variable D. none of the above

C. independent variable

When original research is published in a journal, it is often called: A. a synthesis of the literature and is primary research B. synthesis of literature and is secondary research C. primary research D. none of the above

C. primary research

fluctuation of measurements is called A. alternate form B. consistency methods C. random error D. reliability

C. random error

Which of the following is NOT true about laboratory experiments: A. the setting is created by researchers B. control of the extraneous variables is high C. they tend to maximize external validity D. conclusions are typically based on a comparison of groups

C. they tend to maximize external validity

This type of quasi-experimental design is geared to primarily rule out history and maturation as validity threats: A. multiple time series design B. nonequivalent control group design C. time series design D. none of the above

C. time series design

In an experiment, random assignment of subjects means that: A. each person has an equal chance of being placed in any particular experimental group B. individual differences will be randomly distributed across groups C. all confounding variables will be eliminated D. both a & b are true of random assignment

D. both a & b a) each person has an equal chance of being placed in any particular experimental group b) individual differences will be randomly distributed across groups

Field experiments: A. involve the manipulation of independent variables B. occur in naturalistic environments C. take place in a laboratory D. A&B

D. A&B a) involve the manipulation of independent variables b) occur in naturalistic environments

Consider this scale: wise__:____:___:___:__foolish

D. a semantic differential-type scale

As part of the informed consent process, a researcher must: A. disclose all relevant information to potential participants B. disclose any risks, benefits, or uncertainties of the intervention C. inform potential participants that they are unable to withdraw front he study at any time D. A and B

D. a&b a) disclose all relevant information to potential participants b) disclose any risks, benefits, or uncertainties of the intervention

New research may be justified by showing that it would: A. fill a gap in knowledge B. solve a practical problem C. extend and improve on past research D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Qualitative research: A. involves in-depth, case oriented study of a relatively small number of cases B. seeks detailed knowledge of specific cases, often with the goal of finding out "how" things happen C. has the primary goal to make the facts understandable, and often place less emphasis on deriving inferences or predictions from cross-case patterns D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Research is: A. systematic B. data driven C. capable of replication D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Students do well in the research methods course if they have: A. the ability to think in an orderly way B. the ability to write clearly C. the ability to set aside personal prejudices in light of data D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Operational definitions are: A. highly specific definitions that researchers use to explain the meaning of variables and concepts B. very intensive philosophic inquiries into the essences of concepts C. statements that define one concept by reference to another D. definitions that describe what is observed by specifying what researchers must do to make observations of the variable of interest

D. definitions that describe what is observed by specifying what researchers must do to make observations of the variable of interest

Your textbook is an example of: A. a conference paper B. a primary research report C. a scholarly journal D. a secondary research report

D. secondary research report

The primary purpose of experimental research is to: A. describe the content of communication texts B. examine the human behavior in depth in natural settings C. examine the relationships between variables in the real world D. test hypothesis about casual relationships among variables

D. test hypothesis about casual relationships among variables

the tendency of subjects to respond differently when they know they are being observed is known as: A. evaluator apprehension B. participant reliability C. participant validity D. the hawthorne effect

D. the hawthorne effect

In a ______ study, measurement occurs at two or more points in time, from different samples selected from the same population A. cross-sectional design B. panel design C. sampling D. trend

D. trend

In content analysis, _____ is the process of deciding exactly what it is that should be observed A. analyzing B. sampling C. structuring D. unitizing

D. unitizing

_____ refers to whether or not researchers are measuring what they intended to measure A. conceptual fit B. reliability C. sampling D. validity

D. validity

Qualitative research: A. Embraces a naturalistic, interpretive paradigm B. is best used when there is not much previously known about a topic C. is concerned with generalizing to a wider population D. represents and explains objective reality with the overarching goal of simplifying, organizing, predicting, and controlling human behavior E. a&b

E. a) embraces a naturalistic, interpretive paradigm b) is best used when there is not much previously known about a topic

Ethical research: A. does what it says its going to do B. is research that is designed and conducted validly, reliably, legitimately, and representatively C. protects participants' rights D. B & C E. all of the above

E. all of the above

Plagiarism is: A. form of cheating and stealing B. a violation of copyright laws C. Illegal D. failure to properly cite sources E. all of the above

E. all of the above

three professional associations

Internal Association of Business Communication Public Relations Society of America National Communication Association

Chief differences between three research perspectives

Positivist: -goal is to explain -says that science is the best tool -knowledge comes from science Interpretivist: -goal is to understand -says that knowledge is subjective -our knowledge of the world comes from our experience Critical: -goal is to use theories to enact social change -knowledge should be used to change policies -social action is key

What are the chief differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods?

Qualitative: -inductive -typical of interpretivists -uses interviews, open-ended questions -uses specific, small pool of participants -goal is to understand -results applied to specific subjects Quantitative: -deductive -typical of positivists -uses surveys, scales, experiments -uses wide, general pool of participants -goal is to explain - results applied to general populations

An independent variable is the variable likely to be what a researcher manipulates or what research manipulates, while a dependent variable is what the researcher measures True or False

True

dramatic pentad

act: text, symbolic action that's being exchanged (what was done) scene: setting in which the act takes place (when/where) agent: communicator who performs the act (who did it) agency: strategies used to create identification with the audience (how he did it) purpose: intent of communicator (why he did it)

write a directional and non directional hypothesis with a categorical relationship

categorical: split in hypothesis D: females are more likely to buy jesus products than males ND: males and females differ in the likelihood of purchasing jesus products

style

choice of words

write a directional and non directional hypothesis with a continuous relationship

continuous: associations/relationships & increase/decrease D: as humor increase, the quality of the relationship increases ND: there is a relationship between humor and quality of the relationship

what is the purpose of aristotle's standards of excellence?

establish common ground

ethos/logos/pathos

ethos: creditability in the form of expertise, knowledge, trustworthiness, goodwill, charisma, attractiveness logos: logical appeal in the form of stats, data, evidence pathos: emotional appeals in the form of stories and levels of passion

fantasy theme analysis???

fantasy: story rhetorical vision: chain of stories/fantasies that people tell

arrangement

flow, organization, structure, and composition

identification

ideas, images, attitudes

what is the purpose of burke's dramatistic criticism method?

identify with our audience

probability (coherence)

likelihood that the story could occur

diagram a full experiment

manipulation and posttest (then compare) with control group

is a test is reliable, then does it mean its valid?

no, because you can replicate the same results over and over but you might not be testing the right (intended) variable

create survey questions based on the four types of measurement levels

nominal: are you a male or female oridnal: ranking interval: established scale (likert/semantic differential) ratio: how many of ______?

delivery

nonverbal cues used to deliver your message (visual aids)