Communication Research Methods
Code: 103858 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2501933 Journalism | OB | 3 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Núria Simelio Sola
- 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:
- No
Teachers
- Luiz Peres Garzezi
- Laura Cervi
- Anna Tous Rovirosa
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.
The course will apply the gender perspective in a transversal way. Specifically in the following specific aspects:
-Knowledge on the inclusion of the gender perspective in all the processes of design and application of research, including methodologies and research techniques with a gender or feminist perspective.
-Reflection on the role of information and communication technologies in the transmission of gender stereotypes and in social transformation.
-Recognition of the contributions of women scientists to the discipline.
-Knowledge of the values of gender equity in professional practice.
Competences
- Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
- 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 critical and self-critical capacity.
- 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.
- 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.
- Introduce changes in the methods and processes of the field of knowledge to provide innovative responses to the needs and demands of society.
- Properly apply the scientific method, raising hypotheses regarding journalistic communication, validating and verifying ideas and concepts, and properly citing sources.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
- Analyse the indicators of sustainability of academic and professional activities in the areas of knowledge, integrating social, economic and environmental dimensions.
- Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
- Apply knowledge of the research context.
- Apply scientific research methods to the design of journalistic projects.
- Apply survey analysis and qualitative research techniques.
- Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
- Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
- Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
- Demonstrate a critical and self-critical capacity.
- Demonstrate a self-learning and self-demanding capacity to ensure an efficient job.
- Disseminate the area's knowledge and innovations.
- Explain the explicit or implicit code of practice of one's own area of knowledge.
- 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.
- Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
- Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one's own area of knowledge.
- Properly apply the scientific method in media research.
- Propose new ways to measure the success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
- Propose projects and actions that are in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and obligations, diversity and democratic values.
- Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
- Propose viable projects and actions to boost social, economic and environmental benefits.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
- Weigh up the risks and opportunities of both one's own and other people's proposals for improvement.
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 and analysis programs for Internet research.
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.
The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject.
Methodology
The teaching methodology will consist of in-class activities, lectures, laboratory activities, workshops and autonomous work.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Evaluation | 10 | 0.4 | 9, 2, 3, 1, 4, 17, 5, 6, 7, 11, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 15, 27, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 24, 22, 23, 8, 26 |
| Laboratory activities | 22 | 0.88 | 4, 17, 5, 6 |
| Lectures | 15 | 0.6 | 17, 6, 14 |
| Workshops | 15 | 0.6 | 4, 17, 5, 6, 12, 14 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorials | 14 | 0.56 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Autonomous work | 42 | 1.68 | 4, 17, 5, 6, 12, 14 |
Assessment
Evaluation
The subject consists of the following evaluation activities:
- Activity A: 3 practices, 30 % on the final grade.
- Activity B: research project,30 % on the final grade
- Activity C: 1 exam 20 % on the final grade
- Activity D: 1 exam 20% on the final grade.
To be able to pass the subject, it is necessary to obtain a minimum grade of 5 in activities C and D.
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.
In the event that the student performs any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that could be instructed. In the event, that several irregularities occur in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 exam | 20% | 1 | 0.04 | 4, 11, 10, 14, 25, 23 |
| 1 exam | 20% | 1 | 0.04 | 4, 11, 10, 14, 25, 23 |
| 3 practices | 30 % | 20 | 0.8 | 9, 2, 3, 1, 4, 17, 5, 6, 7, 11, 10, 12, 14, 16, 15, 27, 18, 25, 24, 22, 23, 8, 26 |
| Research project | 30% | 10 | 0.4 | 9, 2, 3, 1, 4, 17, 5, 6, 7, 11, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 15, 27, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 24, 22, 23, 8, 26 |
Bibliography
BERGER, Arthur Asa (2016) Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks. Sage.
BORGATTI, Stephen. P., EVERETT, Martin G.; JOHNSON,Jefrrey C. (2013). Analyzing Social Networks. London: Sage.
CORBETTA, Piergiorgio (2007) Metodología y técnicas de investigación social. Madrid: Mc Graw Hill.
DOMÍNGUEZ, Marius y SOLSONA, Montserrat. (2003) Tècniquesd’investigació social quantitatives. Barcelona, Edicions Universitat de Barcelona.
IGARTUA, Juan José (2006) Métodos cuantitativos de investigación en comunicación. Barcelona, Bosch
LIS, Irene y PATRICIA, Mariana. (2018) Investigaciones en comunicación en tiempos de big data: sobre metodologías y temporalidades en el abordaje de redes sociales. AdComunica. Revista Científica de Estrategias, Tendencias e Innovación en Comunicación, 15, 25-43
SIMELIO, Núria; GINESTA, Xavier; SAN EUGENIO, Jordi y CORCOY, Marta (2019) Journalism, transparency and citizen participation: a methodological tool to evaluate information published on municipal websites. Information, Communication & Society. 22 (3), 369-385
VILCHES, Lorenzo (coord.) (2011) La investigación en comunicación. Métodos y técnicas en la era digital. Barcelona, Gedisa
Software
Text editing software: Word or similar.
Data analysis software: PSPP and Excel or similar.
Social network analysis software: Netlytic, NodeXL or similar.