NM 2103QUANTITATIVE COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH METHODS

Week 1 Overview

Today’s lecture

An overview of NM2103

An introduction to research methods− What is research?− What kinds of research methods are available for (new) media

research?− Why do we need them?− How do we get (reliable and valid) answer(s) to our research

questions/problems

Module Facilitators

Dr. Cho, Hichangcnmch@nus.edu.sg

Ms. Filippova Annaannaaf@nus.edu.sg

Ms. Wu Xuanwuxuan@nus.edu.sg

Similarities b/w NM2102 & NM2103

• For those who took NM2102, it is NOT compulsory for you to take NM2103 or NM2104!

NM2102: Communications & New Media Research (no longer offered)

NM2103: Quantitative Communications Research Methods

Qualitative & quantitative methods Quantitative methods

NM2104: Qualitative Communications Research Methods

Qualitative methods

Textbook

Wimmer, R. D. & Dominick, J. R. (2011). Mass media research: An introduction (9th ed.), Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Objectives/Aims• This module is to help students understand what quantitative research is.

More specifically, it aims to help students learn how to develop testable research questions and hypotheses, how to conduct a quantitative study, and how to interpret quantitative research results. The module covers fundamental concepts in research design, instrumentation, data collection, and data analysis. It also introduces basic concepts of statistics such as descriptive statistics, sampling distribution, and hypothesis testing. A set of computer lab assignments will give students extensive opportunities to become familiar with the relevant computer software package and experience at computing the various statistics reviewed in the class. Students will conduct a research project as a group, putting into practice the design, instrumentation, and analysis skills acquired throughout the class. The written report will be prepared in accordance with the professional criteria specified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).

Week Lecture Topic Tutorial Tutorial topic

1 Overview

2Elements of quantitative research

3 Survey research Tutorial 1Group project: team contract

4 Sampling Tutorial 2Survey design

5 Data analysis I Tutorial 3SPSS 1

6 Experimental Research Tutorial 4SPSS 2

Recess

7 Mid-term quiz Tutorial 5Group project: proposal presentation

8 Data analysis II Tutorial 6Public holiday. No tutorial

9 Content analysis Tutorial 7SPSS 3

10 Research ethics Tutorial 8CATI 1

11Newer research methods: Network analysis, (Big) Data analytics

Tutorial 9CATI 2

12Wrap up and/or Consultation week

Tutorial 10

SPSS quiz + Presentation

13 PresentationTutorial 11

Presentation

Schedule

Assessment

Component % Date

Mid-term quiz 15% Week 7: 2nd Oct in class

SPSS quiz 5% Week 12: in tutorial

Final exam 35% Exam week

Research participation 5%

Attendance & participation 10%

Group project- Presentation- Final report

25%- 5%- 20%

Week 12 & 13Reading week: 13th Nov, 5pm

- Peer evaluation 5% Reading week: 13th Nov, 5pm

Examination (55%)Mid-term quiz in Week 7 (15%)

Materials covered: week 1-6 Mostly, if not all, MCQs or True/False Lecture notes, slides, & textbook Closed book

SPSS quiz in Week 12 (5%) Materials covered: SPSS tutorial 1-3 Open book

Final exam in Exam week (35%) Materials covered: week 1-12 Lecture notes, slides, & textbook Closed book MCQ, True/False, matching Q, and/or short answers It is possible to have similar questions for mid-term and final exam (but not the

same)

SPSS Quiz (5%)

SPSS stands for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences a software package used for statistical analysis You will learn how to use it in tutorial To practice, you can download the 14-day trial from IBM SPSS website http

://www14.software.ibm.com/download/data/web/en_US/trialprograms/W110742E06714B29.html

Research Participation (5%)

Every 30-min (or less) research participation = 1 credit point Max = 5 points (≅ 2.5 hrs)

How to get research participation points?1. Participate in a graduate or faculty researcher’s project

Recruitment ads will be sent via emails and uploaded on IVLE Researchers may come to class & make announcements

2. Attend a CNM research talk and write a 500-word essay

Attendance & Class Participation (10%)

Tutorial:Attendance will be taken in tutorial

Lecture: Class starts at 12pm and ends at 1:35pm Group activity, reflection paper

Consultations Office hours: Thursday 3pm-5pm email request

- Please indicate NM2103 in email subject lines

Group Project (30%)

Each team: approximately 5 students (randomly assigned)

A complete research paper: Choose a research topic related to communications and new

media Testing hypotheses based on a theoretical framework Research method

Survey: Sample size: ≥ 100 Experimental research: sample size ≥ 40 per cell/condition Content analysis: sample size ≥ 40

Length: ≤ 4,000 words, plus title page, an abstract at a maximum of 100 words, references, tables, and questionnaire

APA reference style; 12 point font size; double-spaced; one inch margins around

Research TopicEach team has to select one of the 2 research areas listed below:

1. Communication technologiesExamples: Privacy, Self-censorship, and Self-disclosure on Facebook Prosocial behavior and Wikipedia Smartphone usage and psychological - wellbeing (e.g. anxiety, depression, addiction etc.) Impact of smartphone usage on adolescents (academic achievement, parent-adolescent

relationship etc.) mobile devices and us (e.g. addiction, changing social norms, concepts of private and

public space, fitness trackers, the quantified self, and so on) social media usage and individual's social capital (online & offline) trust in virtual participatory marketplaces and crowdfunding (such as carousell, qoo10,

kickstarter, haystakt and others) How virtual communication impacts coordination in social groups Other

2. Health/Risk Communication/Communication managementExamples: Risk perception and self-protection behavior related to Haze or Dengue fever Other

Research Paper (20%) Title page Abstract (≤ 100 words) Introduction

Background information Purpose of the research

Literature review A review of previous studies Theoretical framework Research statements (Hypotheses)

Method Participants Sampling & Data collection process Measures

Findings Results of hypothesis testing

Discussion, limitations, & conclusion References Appendixes

Due: 13th Nov (Thr), 5pm

Research Proposal

Prepare to present & discuss your research proposal in Tutorial 5 (week 7)

Title Theoretical framework Hypotheses Participants, sampling method, & data collection Measures The research proposal will not be graded. However, it will be

extremely useful for you to think through the data collection process & stay with the timeline

Presentation (5%)

• Summary of your research– Process– Outcomes– 10 min for presentation and 5 min for Q&As– Weeks 12 & 13 (in class and tutorial)

Peer evaluation (5%)

Due: 13th Nov (Reading week)

Group project is about teamwork• Discuss contents of your team contract in Tutorial 1 (Week 3)• Decide your own policies regarding workload, each person’s

responsibility, coordination, etc.

What interests you?What is your purpose of study?

Specify your research What are your Hrs or RQs?

Which research method would you use?How do you collect data?

Select a research topic

Develop research statements

Method selection &data collection

Basic Research Process

Data analysis & findings

How do you analyze data?What are the findings?

What have been done?What have not been done (well)?

Review existing studies

Discussion, limitations & conclusion

How do you interpret the results? What is the conclusion?

Find a good research topic

What is a GOOD academic research topic?

Some general rules– Significant-- theoretical and practical values– Specific, doable, analyzable– Appropriate & ethical

Student 1

I want to do a study

about the tray return campaign.

Student 2

I want to know:What are the factors that motivate people to return their trays to the tray-return racks?

What are the factors that prevent people from returning trays to the tray-return racks?

Which student has a better research topic?

Student 3

I want to research

NUS students’ smoking behavior

Student 4

I want to find out the

relationship between

perceived social norms and

NUS students’ smoking

behavior

Which student has a better research topic?

Intro to research methods Some fundamental questions to begin with

− What is (scientific) research?− Why do we need it?− What kinds of research methods are available for (new) media research?− What are advantages or disadvantages of using different research methods?− How do we get (right, reliable and valid) answer(s) to our research

questions/problems?− What is the best (or most appropriate) way(s) to get accurate/correct/valid

answers?

Does TV Kill?

• Do violent media make people more aggressive?– Age-old question/topic– More than 3000 research papers have been

published– Yet, it is still ongoing issue

• Research question: Do violent media (TV) make people more aggressive?

• Hypothesis: Exposure to violent TV is associated with higher level of aggression– What are the evidences that support this hypothesis?– What are the counter-evidences (or weakness of research

methods)?• A number of research methods have been used.

– What kinds of research methods have been utilized?– If you’re a researcher, which method(s) would you use to

address this research question? Explain why

Example 1: Survey

TV watching• How often• How many hours• What kinds of TV programs• Who are favorite TV

characters

Violence• Level of aggressive behavior• Attitudes

TV watching

Aggression(Behavioral or Attitudinal)

xx

xx x

x xx x

xx

x x

x

x

Sample: School Children

Example 2: authority or personal opinion

• Is it valid/reliable?

Example 3: Experimental Research

Treatment Group

Control Group

Treatment Group

Control Group

Time 1 (before) Time 2 (after)Treatment

Measure

Aggression

Aggression

Example 4: personal interview and observational study

• Qualitative or quantitative?• What would be advantages and

disadvantages?

Example 5: Field study (longitudinal)

Pre test Post test

Time 1 (before) Time 2 (after)Treatment

Natural setting

Aggression Aggression

Example 6: Content Analysis

0102030405060708090

1968

1973

1979

1982

1985

% wviol

Wrap up

• You will learn how to use some of the research methods

• More importantly, you will learn how to get more valid answers to your (research) questions