Understanding Communication Research Methods: A Theoretical and Practical Approach / Edition 2

by Stephen M. Croucher, Daniel Cronn-Mills

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138052680
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/26/2018
Edition description:	New
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Stephen M. Croucher is a Professor and the Head of the School of Communication, Journalism, and Marketing at Massey University, New Zealand. He serves on the editorial boards of more than ten journals, and served as the editor of the Journal of Intercultural Communication Research (2010–2019) and Speaker & Gavel (2010–2015). He has held and holds various leaderships position in the National Communication Association, International Communication Association, the World Communication, and holds Professorships at the University of Jyväskylä, Universidade Aberta, and the Universidade de Coimbra.

Daniel Cronn-Mills is a Professor and Distinguished Faculty Scholar at Minnesota State University, Mankato, USA. Dan has authored and co-authored three books, five book chapters, and a stack of journal articles. He served for more than a decade as the editor of Speaker & Gavel (1997–2010) and has served on the editorial board of 11 scholarly journals. Dan has served in numerous leadership roles from local to national levels including the National Communication Association, the American Forensic Association, and the Communication and Theatre Association of Minnesota.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Research and Research Paradigms

Chapter 1 – Introduction & Ethics

Chapter 2 – Social Scientific Paradigm

Chapter 3 – Interpretive Paradigm

Chapter 4 - Critical Paradigm

Research Design

Chapter 5 – Data

Chapter 6 – Evaluating Research

Chapter 7 – Hypotheses and Research Questions

Research Methods

Chapter 8 – Ethnography

Chapter 9 – Interviewing

Chapter 10 – Focus Groups

Chapter 11-Social Media

Chapter 12 – Content Analysis – Qualitative

Chapter 13 – Content Analysis – Quantitative

Chapter 14 – Discourse Analysis

Chapter 15 – Surveys

Chapter 16 – Descriptive Statistics

Chapter 17 – Inferential Statistics

Chapter 18 – Mixed Methods

Chapter 19 – Rhetorical Criticism

Chapter 20 – Critical Cultural Methods

Editorial Reviews

Nobody does it quite like Croucher and Cronn-Mills when it comes to offering a clear and comprehensive undergraduate communication research methods textbook. This book helps students understand how communication theory drives methodological decisions, creativity, and defendable results. Hands down, it’s the best, most relatable textbook for undergraduate students available today.” - Jayne Violette, Professor of Communication, University of South Carolina Beaufort, USA

“Croucher and Cronn-Mills is the only comprehensible book on research methods I’ve read. Other research methods books tell you what the method is—this book tells you how to do it. This textbook is now part of my permanent collection. Anyone learning about research, exploring research, or doing research needs to read this book.” - Halley Weinberger, Graduate Assistant, Minnesota State University, Mankato, USA

From the Publisher