School of Communication, Information and Library Studies

Methods of Inquiry
Term Project

Methods of Inquiry Syllabus:514

Gustav W. Friedrich

The term project for this course is a research report. The methodology may involve experimental research, survey research, textual analysis, or ethnography. The research can be conducted either individually or as part of a research team (up to four individuals).

While there are no hard and fast rules governing the form and content of a research report, it normally contains four major sections (additional guidelines are in the textbooks and will be discussed in class):

1. Problem. The problem section contains the theoretical and empirical rationale for conducting the research and a statement of the research problem.

A. Rationale. The rationale sets forth the reasons for conducting a given research project. One's "reasons" normally grow out of relevant theory underlying the research problem and research findings bearing directly on the proposed research. Thus, the rationale section is a theoretical and empirical discussion. It should read like a good argument leading to the problem to be investigated.

B. The Problem Statement. The research problem is framed either as a hypothesis, a research question, or a purpose statement.

2. Method. The section on method describes the researcher's strategy for gathering data, along with all required supporting materials and measuring instruments. Moreover, it specifies the analytical method, either statistical or argumentative, that is suitable for testing the hypotheses and questions selected. The following five kinds of information typically appear in a proposal's method section.

A. Research Design. This subsection describes in detail the nature of the chosen research plan, whether an experiment, a survey, a textual analysis, or an ethnography. The researcher should specify why the chosen design is an appropriate mechanism for testing the research hypotheses.

B. Variable Specification. This subsection details the conceptual and operational definitions of all pertinent variables, including any independent and dependent variables. Additionally, the researcher should discuss procedures for certifying the validity and reliability of all variables. Finally, the means for controlling any potentially confounding effects should be described.

C. Elements and Sampling Method. The number and pertinent characteristics of the proposed study's elements or units of analysis are identified next. Elements include any individuals who will serve as research participants in the proposed project as well as communication artifacts (television programs, films, public speeches, conversational episodes) that are targeted for study. Additionally, the sampling method used to secure a sample (typically, a representative sample) of the elements must be specified and its appropriateness defended.

D. Procedure. This subsection describes the researcher's plan for conducting the proposed research, including any cover story and debriefing materials used, instructions given to research participants, and the setting and time frame for the research. In general, it is a step-by-step narrative detailing how the researcher administered the proposed research from initiation to completion.

E. Data Analysis. This final subsection describes any statistical procedures the researcher used to analyze results, including the specific statistical tests performed. If one's data are narrative rather than numerical, all descriptive, inferential, interpretative, and critical tools should be detailed. The subsection concludes with a statement indicating why the chosen data analytical methods will provide an adequate test of one's hypotheses, research questions, or general research aims.

3. Results and Discussion. This section describes the findings of the study and discusses the implications of them.

3. References. The final part of the prospectus lists all reference materials the researcher has consulted during the course of the research. For social science research, the style of the reference list should conform to the stylistic format of APA, 4th ed.

The final project is due on the last class period of the semester (December 12). I do not believe in Incompletes. While the content of your prospectus is the most important concern, I value close attention to matters of spelling, grammar, and form. I will expect you to use the guidelines contained in APA, 4th ed.

To assist your preparation of the final project, the following preliminary exercises will be used:

1. For September 12th: Go to a library or information center where you might reasonably expect to find published material on a topic of your choice broadly related to the work of a communication/information professional. Look particularly for articles of books on what has been done before on this topic. Examples of topics might be, but are not limited to, crisis communication, marketing, public relations, information systems design and/or implementation, organizational communication, mass media, communication/information ethics, managing information organizations, use of information technology, information policy (free speech, privacy, security, governance, public/private, etc.).

a. Describe your topic, including why you are interested in it and what you would like to know about it.
b. Find at least three references related to the topic. Choose one of the three, using any criteria, and write an abstract of it.
c. Keep a chronological, conceptual, and experiential diary of your encounter with the library/information center and your search process. Show what you did as well as how you thought and what you felt about what you were doing.
d. Hand in nos. 1-3 using APA style. This means a cover sheet, running head, and specific citation style for references.
e. Be prepared to discuss in class what assumptions of users are embedded in the library/information system where you did this work.

2. For the third, fourth, and fifth class meetings, you will turn in a one to two page abstract of an empirical research report in which you:
a. Summarize or describe the work by presenting the author's essential ideas.
b. Include the author's thesis, arguments or hypotheses, proof or evidence, and conclusions.
c. Identify the type of methodology used.
d. Identify one or two of the strengths and weaknesses of the study.
e. Identify one or two of the features of the study that you do/don't/want to understand.
The goals of this assignment are multiple: work on writing style, master APA, practice critical reading, read research.

3. On October 10th, you will turn in a one to two page mini proposal that describes, in outline fashion, what is likely to be included in the four major sections of your term project (problem/method/results/references).

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