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Keyton: Communication Research, 5e
Chapter 1
Introduction to Communication Research
Activity: Learning About the Research of Others in the Department
One way to generate interest in, and respect for, research methods is to demonstrate that faculty and
graduate students in your department are engaged in research activities. First, secure the willingness of
these colleagues. If you have time in your class schedule, you could invite a colleague or two in and let
them talk for 10–15 minutes about their research and answer questions from students. Or you could
assign pairs of students to jointly interview faculty and graduate students who conduct research.
Students should use a standard set of questions so that the information they bring back to class can be
compared with information brought back by other students. A standard set of questions might cover the
following information:
1. Researcher’s name
3. What prompted the researcher to start this line of inquiry?
4. Research methods used
6. Biggest lesson learned from conducting research
Activity: Assess What Your Students Know
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Keyton: Communication Research, 5e
Self-Evaluation
By the end of this semester, you should be able to complete the following activities. Read each activity
and choose your current comfort level. Circle your response using this scale:
Not at all comfortable 1----2----3----4----5----6----7 Very comfortable
Basic Research Tools
Know how to access communication journals
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Know how to use a journal database
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Research Design
Know the purpose of social science research
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Define research concepts and terms
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Distinguish between conceptualization and
operationalization
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Define and give examples of reliability and validity
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Identify independent and dependent variables
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Write research questions and hypotheses
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Design a simple experiment
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Data Collection
Distinguish among nominal, ordinal, and interval ratio
levels of measurement
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Select appropriate measurement methods and defend
choices made
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Using Computer for Statistics
Enter data into an Excel worksheet
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Successfully use the statistical features of Excel
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Data Analysis
Distinguish between the use of descriptive and prescriptive
statistics
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Calculate a mean, median, mode, and range
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Use chi-squares, correlations, and t-tests
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Have a fundamental understanding of ANOVA and
regression
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Research Reports
Understand what is in a research report and how it can be
useful to you
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
Write a research report
1----2----3----4----5----6----7
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Keyton: Communication Research, 5e
Activity: Reading Journal Articles
Select a fairly straightforward conference paper or article (or one presented or published by a colleague
in the department, or one of your favorite articles). Ask students to read the paper or article and develop
a list of questions they have about the research process. Answer these questions in class. Students’
questions and your responses are likely to mirror the syllabus you’ve developed for the course.
Activity: Distinguishing Between Informal and Formal Ways of Knowing
Draw three columns on the board. Label the first column everyday ways of knowing, label the second
column papers for college courses, and label the third column communication research. Suggest a brief
definition of each activity under the column headings. As you describe each way of knowing, list the
actions that occur in each activity. Questions for class discussion include the following:
• What are the similarities and differences among the columns?
• How do everyday ways of knowing differ from writing a course paper?
• How does writing a term paper differ from communication research?
Activity: Generating Questions About Communication
Ask students to think about their personal experiences and generate one research question for each of
the communication situations listed in the chart below. Then have students evaluate the questions in
the following way: Rate personal interest on a scale of 1 (little or no personal interest) to 5 (high personal
Situation
Your Question
Personal
Interest
1–5
Social
Importance
1–5
Theory
Communicating with family
members
Communicating with your
employer
Communicating with a
stranger who knocks on your
door
Communication among city
council members
Communication among
members of NATO
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Keyton: Communication Research, 5e
Activity: Generating Research Ideas from Naïve Researchers
I like to use this exercise during the first or second class session. It gets students involved with thinking
about the research process. It also helps me determine their research interests, allowing me to tailor other
class assignments to those interests. But, probably most important, it allows me to introduce quantitative
and qualitative methodologies as having unique qualities and not being in direct competition.
1. Select a concept with which students are familiar and for which you can provide a generally
agreed-upon definition (e.g., communication competence, compliance gaining, television
2. Ask students to write at least five questions they have about the concept.
4. Explain how information is conceptualized as data in the research process (e.g., information is
5. In a class discussion, ask students to describe the data they will need. Try to organize their
responses in a format similar to the following list of basic data collection methods. If their data, or
information needs, do not suggest one type of data collection, give a brief description of the
technique and ask students to think of a question for which this type of data would be needed.
Activity: Learning More About Proprietary Research
Students do not know much about proprietary research because much of it is hidden from public view.
However, employees with research skills will quickly separate themselves from other employees because
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Keyton: Communication Research, 5e
online about the company.
Worksheet—Introduction to Communication Research
1. Give three examples of the research you conducted in selecting this school or your major.
2. Give three examples of research you have conducted for other communication courses.
3. In what ways did the research you listed in #2 include descriptions of communication behavior,
causes of communication behavior, predictions of communication behavior, or explanations of
communication behavior?
4. As a student in communication courses, identify three theories with which you are familiar.
5. Write three questions you have about communication phenomena. Identify each question as a
question of fact, question of variable relations, question of value, or question of policy.
6. For any one of the questions in #5, what would constitute evidence for or data about the
phenomenon? From whom or what would you collect the data?
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Keyton: Communication Research, 5e
Additional Resources
doi:10.1080/17404622.2016.1244347
Professor Cvancara has created a series of assignments that are compiled into a seven-item report that can
be repeated with each method introduced in the course. The completed reports can also be used for exam
review and as an opportunity to compare and contrast different research methods.
Fife, E. (2008). Student reaction to research methods classes. Journal of the Northwest Communication
Association, 37, 103-117.
Using a case study approach, Professor Fife reviewed communication research methods texts and
scholarly literature, and interviewed students (in focus groups) about their research methods course
experiences. The report of the case study findings may change your mind about how you construct your
course. I highly recommend this article.
Gesler, D. (2007). Research is elementary: How Blue’s Clues can help teach communication research
methods. Communication Teacher, 21, 117-121. doi:10.1080/17404620701780448
The author describes an introductory activity, which is probably best used during the first week of the
course. The goal of the activity is to help students understand that research methods is not just about
statistics, including discovery, creative thinking, and logic.
Kelly, S., & Davis, J. M. (2011). Just another brick in the wall . . . or not? A paradigm introduction activity.
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Keyton: Communication Research, 5e
Web Resources
For a list of Internet resources, visit https://www.joannkeyton.com/research-methods
