Chapter 2: The Research process; getting started

handbook

Lastly, check to see if your library has a .....related to your area of research. .... are focused on one context of communication and provide extensive reviews and critiques of literature, theories, and methods in a particular area.

third

Literature reviews are written in the ....person.

books

Your library also has a collection of .... to use. Communication scholars often write or edit books about their research expertise. If you have identified an author who writes in the area you are conducting research, use his or her name in a search of the library catalog.

utility

all theory should be judged by some aspect of ....When the ..... criterion is added as a test of the theory-building process, you can see not only that the theory-research relationship is reciprocal, but also that it is grounded in the practical issues of human communication.

internet

finding information on the ..... is not a problem. But finding credible, authoritative information can be. Remember that all search engines are not the same; each search engine has a different mechanism for finding websites even when you use the same keywords for searches

deductive

Theory-based research relies on.... thinking or reasoning in that theory presumes what will result and the research verifies those claims. It is ....... because the researcher is moving from a position that has already been worked out by others.

Rephrasing

..... the communication problem as a preliminary question is the first step in seeking answers. Phrasing your question helps define your research area and narrow your search. Most important, questions help you uncover the links between concepts and help you identify assumptions you have made.

problem statement

After reading through the abstract of journal article, read the ......, which is usually part of the literature review or precedes the literature review in a journal article or book chapter. It identifies the research objectives. Although the exact research questions or hypotheses may not be presented here, the problem statement generally sug- gests them. The problem statement answers the question "Why did the researchers conduct this study?"

word for word

Each in-text citation includes the authors' last names, year of publication, and the page number if material is quoted .......

abstracts

For journal articles and chapters, read through the ......, and then read the discussion section. Read the foreword or intro- duction and first chapter of each book. Check the list of references at the end of the articles or chapters.

theory

Formal....building involves 6 basic steps 1. the researcher describes an event or observation that needs understanding. 2. the researcher creates an explanation for the event. 3. the researcher moves from the specific event or observation to a more generalized form. 4.Derive predictions from explanations 5. the researcher must select a focus and test the proposed theory. 6.uses the obtained data to confirm, revise, expand, generalize, or abandon the proposition tested

scholarly articles

Generally, your initial search should be for ......published in academic journals. Articles in journals give you the opportunity to see what research questions and hypotheses have been studied by communication scholars.

two

If the theoretical framework is revised or if ..... alternative and competing explanations are present, the theory-building process starts again.

preliminary

It is time to stop adjusting the ..... research question when two conditions are satisfied. -First, you should be comfortable that your question is specific enough to be interesting. -Second, you should be comfortable with the quality and quantity of resources you can use to help you answer your question.

discussion

Read the research questions and hypotheses carefully because the results or conclusions from the study are tied directly to them. For now, skim the methods and results section, and then move on to the .... section. What did the scholars find?Remember that the conclusion to the investigation is found in the ...... section.

inductive

Research is also necessary to develop theory. In the case of developing theory, research relies on ..... thinking or reasoning in that theory, or generalization, is derived from the cases explored. The researcher is moving from the specifics of the data to the more general explanation of theory. -inductive reasoning typically relies on qualitative methods

body

The ..... of the literature review provides detail about existing studies—those that both support and contradict the position you are advocating.

introduction

The.....of the literature review describes the communication problem to be examined and notes very briefly the significant research results or theory that exists.

patterns

Theory is used four ways in the research process 1. theory provides .... for interpreting data. 2.theory links one study to another, helping to provide a continual conversation about our understanding of communication phenomena. 3.theory provides a framework for understanding how concepts and issues are important or significant in our interactions. 4.theory helps us interpret the larger meaning of research findings.

taxonomies

Theory, or less formalized versions of theory called models, frameworks, or ......., is the basis of the research process and the literature review you conduct before designing a study and collecting data.

Communication Yearbook

When conducting research, you should also check to see if your library carries .... This annual series is an edited collection of literature reviews and topical critiques.

conclusion

the literature should be developed as an argument—one that leads the reader to the research questions or hypotheses you are examining or testing, which is all included in the ...... of your literature review.

encyclopedias

using print or online .... is a good first step in looking for resources for your preliminary question. The .... entries cover all aspects of communication. Each entry provides definitions, major themes of research, and several key citations.

organizing

ways of....the work in your literature review -chronological order -general to specific -contrast to comparsion -trend identification -methodological focus -problem-cause-solution -topical order

literature review

your ..... is the framework of the research investigation. More specifically, it interprets, integrates, and critically analyzes the published literature relevant to your study. It includes a summary of the scholarly literature the researcher studied to design and develop his or her research study.