ABSTRACT

Using an engaging how-to approach that draws from scholarship, real-life, and popular culture, this textbook offers students practical reasons why they should care about research methods and a guide to actually conducting research themselves. Examining quantitative, qualitative, and critical research methods, this new edition helps undergraduate students better grasp the theoretical and practical uses of method by clearly illustrating practical applications. The book features all the main research traditions within communication including online methods, and provides level-appropriate applications of the methods through theoretical and practical examples and exercises, including new sample student papers that demonstrate research methods in action.

Also featuring dedicated student resources on the Routledge.com book page and instructor resources at https://routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/instructor_downloads/. These include links, videos, outlines and activities, recommended readings, test questions, and more.

part 1|2 pages

Introduction to Research and Research Paradigms

part 2|2 pages

Reseach Design

part 3|2 pages

Research Methods

chapter 8|14 pages

Ethnography

chapter |6 pages

Undergraduate Ethnographic Paper

How Does Self-Disclosure Differ in Dyadic Relationships?

chapter 9|12 pages

Interviewing

chapter |4 pages

Undergraduate Interviewing Paper

No Matter the Letter, We’re All Greek Together

chapter 10|11 pages

Focus Groups

chapter |7 pages

Undergraduate Focus Group Paper

Communicating Emotions through Visual Framing and Influence

chapter |5 pages

Undergraduate Qualitative Content Analysis Paper

A Content Analysis of Gender Stereotypes in Videogames

chapter |5 pages

Undergraduate Quantitative Content Analysis Paper

Good Housekeeping and Negative Social Comparison

chapter 14|11 pages

Discourse Analysis

chapter |3 pages

Undergraduate Discourse Analysis Paper

The Gradual Production of a Humorous Event in a Finnish Talk Show (translated from Finnish)

chapter 15|15 pages

Surveys

chapter |7 pages

Undergraduate Survey Paper

Social and Gender Theory in the Cinema

chapter |6 pages

Undergraduate Descriptive Statistics Paper

The Role of Sex in Automobile Accident & Violation History

chapter |4 pages

Undergraduate Inferential Regression Paper

Students’ Use of Online Media and Attitude toward Intellectual Property

chapter 18|10 pages

Mixed Methods

chapter |6 pages

Undergraduate Mixed Methods Paper

Television and Terror

chapter |5 pages

Undergraduate Rhetorical Criticism Paper

Secondhand Smoke and the Five Canons of Rhetoric

chapter 20|5 pages

Critical/Cultural Methods

chapter |5 pages

Undergraduate Critical/Cultural Paper

The Ethics of Pimpthisbum.com