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2019/2020

Communication Research Methods

Code: 103858 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2501933 Journalism OB 2 2

Contact

Name:
Núria Simelio Solŕ
Email:
Nuria.Simelio.Sola@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
Yes

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites, but it is desiderable that students have previously attended the course "Theories of Communication". 

Objectives and Contextualisation

The course has the following main learning objectives::

a) To explain the different ways of approaching the scientific knowledge 

b) To explain the quantitative and qualitative methods and techniques applied to the analysis of communication and journalism.

c) To present and explain the most appropriate strategies for the planning and design of a research in communication and journalism. 

Competences

  • Adequately present the findings of the research process in oral, print, audiovisual or digital media forms, in accordance with the canons of journalism.
  • Demonstrate a self-learning and self-demanding capacity to ensure an efficient job.
  • Demonstrate adequate knowledge of the modern world and its recent historic development in terms of social, economic, political and cultural aspects.
  • Develop critical thinking and reasoning and be able to relay them effectively in Catalan, Spanish and a third language.
  • Differentiate the discipline’s main theories, its fields, conceptual developments, theoretical frameworks and approaches that underpin knowledge of the subject and its different areas and sub-areas, and acquire systematic knowledge of the media’s structure.
  • Disseminate the area’s knowledge and innovations.
  • Generate innovative and competitive ideas in research and professional practice.
  • Properly apply the scientific method, raising hypotheses regarding journalistic communication, validating and verifying ideas and concepts, and properly citing sources.
  • Rigorously apply scientific thinking.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply knowledge of the research context.
  2. Apply scientific research methods to the design of journalistic projects.
  3. Apply survey analysis and qualitative research techniques.
  4. Demonstrate a self-learning and self-demanding capacity to ensure an efficient job.
  5. Develop critical thinking and reasoning and be able to relay them effectively in Catalan, Spanish and a third language.
  6. Disseminate the area’s knowledge and innovations.
  7. Generate innovative and competitive ideas in research and professional practice.
  8. Identify and describe information and communication processes, as well as the main trends and theories that formalise and criticise them from a conceptual, methodological and research point of view.
  9. Properly apply the scientific method in media research.
  10. Rigorously apply scientific thinking.

Content

1. Introduction to the research in journalism and communication: a) Research training, research institutions and companies. b) Importance, opportunity and efficiency of communication research. c) Paradigms and theories in communication sciences: the main orientations and areas of research in communication d) The investigation in communication and its social demands. e) Research centers in communication. d) Scientific journals and network resources e) Research in communication and journalism in the digital era.

2. The research process and its applications. a) Quantitative and qualitative research. b). Organization, planning and process of scientific work: stages and phases of the research process. c) Study object. d) Research strategy. e) Planning researcj: structure and contents

3. Research techniques for the analysis of communication. Quantitative techniques I. Databases.

4.Quantitative techniques II a) Experiment b) Content Analysis. c) Surveys

5. Qualitative techniques a) Interview in depth and Life histories. 2. Group techniques: focus groups and Delphi method. 3. Participant and non-participating observation. 4. Semiotics analysis and discourse analysis.

Methodology

The teaching methodology will consist of in-class activities, lectures, laboratory activities, workshops and autonomous work.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Laboratory activities 22 0.88 1, 9, 2, 3, 4, 7
Lectures 15 0.6 9, 3, 5, 8
Workshops 15 0.6 1, 9, 10, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 16 0.64 4
Type: Autonomous      
Autonomous work 42 1.68 1, 9, 10, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8

Assessment

Evaluation

The subject consists of the following evaluation activities:

- Activity A: in-class activities, 24% on the final grade

- Activity B: research project, 36%% on the final grade

- Activity C: two exams 40 % on the final grade

To be able to pass the subject, it is necessary to obtain a minimum grade of 5 in activities A and C

The calendar detailed with the content of the different sessions will be presented on the day of presentation of the subject. It will be uploaded to the Virtual Campus, where students will also be able to access the detailed description of the exercises and practices, the various teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject.

The student will be entitled to the revaluation of the subject if he or she has been evaluated of the set of activities the weight of which equals a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject. 

The research project is excluded from the revaluation.

In the case of a second enrolment, students can do a single exam. The grading of the subject will correspond to the grade of the synthesis exam.

The student who performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism, identity theft...) that can lead to a significant variation of the qualification of an evaluation act, will be qualified with 0 this act of evaluation. In case there are several irregularities, the final grade of the subject will be 0.

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
In-class activities 24% 17 0.68 1, 9, 10, 3, 5, 8
Research project 36% 21 0.84 1, 9, 10, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Two exams 40% 2 0.08 4, 8

Bibliography

ADORNO, Theodor. W. Epistemología y ciencias sociales. Madrid, Cátedra (Valencia), Universitat de València, 2001.

BERGANZA, María Rosa y RUIZ José A. (coordinadores) Investigar en Comunicación. Guía préctica de métodos y técnicas de investigación social en comunicación. Madrid. McGraw Hill. 2005.

BERGER, Arthur Asa, Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks. Sage. 2016

BERICAT, Eduardo La integración de los métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos en la investigación social. Significado y medida. Barcelona, Ariel, 1998.

CORBETTA, Piergiorgio, “Causalidad y experimento”. En: P. Corbetta, Metodología y técnicas de investigación social. Madrid: Mc Graw Hill, p. 105-143. 2007

DOMÍNGUEZ, Marius y SOLSONA, Montserrat. Tècniquesd’investigació social quantitatives. Barcelona, Edicions Universitat de Barcelona, 2003

GALINDO CÁCERES, Luis. (coord.) Técnicas de investigación en sociedad, cultura y comunicación. México, Addison Wesley Longman, 1998.

IGARTUA, Juan José Métodos cuantitativos de investigación en comunicación. Barcelona, Bosch, 2006.

RUIZ OLABUENAGA,José Ignacio. Cómo elaborar un proyecto de investigación. Bilbao, Ediciones Universidad de Deusto, 1998.
SEBEOK, Thomas. A. Sherlock Holmes y Charles S. Peirce : el método de la investigación. Barcelona, Paiaidós, 1994, 2ª ed.

SIMELIO, Núria; GINESTA, Xavier; SAN EUGENIO, Jordi y CORCOY, Marta “Journalism, transparency and citizen participation: a methodological tool to evaluate information published on municipal websites”. Information, Communication & Society. p. 1-17. 2017

SORIANO, Jaume L'ofici de comunicòleg. Mètodes per investigar la comunicació. Barcelona, Eumo Editorial, 2007.

TAYLOR, Steven J. i BOGDAN, Robert Introducción a los métodos cualitativos de investigación. La búsqueda del significado. Barcelona, Ediciones Paidós, 1992.

VILCHES, Lorenzo (coord.) La investigación en comunicación. Métodos y técnicas en la era digital. Barcelona, Gedisa, 2011

WIMMER, Roger D. i DOMINICK, Joseph R. Introducción a la investigación de medios masivos de comunicación. México, International Thomson cop. 2001, 6ªed.