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With the unbundling of Mass Communication programme in Nigeria, the face of communication education in the country has changed. The programme has transited into a full college/faculty while individual courses have adapted to the change. While several new courses now exist in the seven new departments, some of the courses you used to know before have also taken a new shape. We have done a thorough research on what these courses offer in universities across the world; and we have provided prototype syllabus for students to study ahead. This is also to assist lecturers who might be facing new challenges with several new courses to have an idea of what the syllabus of each course offers.
COURSE COMPACT
Faculty: Communication and Media Studies Department: Journalism & Media Studies
Course Code: CMS 205 Unit(s): 2 Semester: First
Course Title: Foundations of Communication Research
Lecturer: Programme: B.Sc.
(A). BRIEF OVERVIEW OF COURSE
This is designed to introduce students to the basic methods of research in communication. It also exposes students to the principles of research design, instrumentation, data collection and analysis techniques, including how to apply them in real life research study. Students will learn the basic skills in gathering, organizing, interpreting and presenting research information using relevant methods. The course will also introduce students to the rudiments of writing project works and research papers, including various modes of analysis of research findings as well as the application of statistical packages such as the SPSS to data analysis.
(B). COURSE OBJECTIVES/GOALS
By the end of this course, students will have learned:
- Meaning of basic communication research concepts
- Major research methods (experimental, survey, content analysis/textual analysis, etc.)
- Skills necessary for conducting communication research
- The ability to clearly communicate, both orally and in writing, the findings of original communication research to a lay audience
- The structure and contents of project research work, including other research papers
- The basic differences between formal and informal research; and primary and secondary data, quantitative and qualitative research approaches; among others
- Basic data-gathering techniques; difference between data gathering techniques and research methods
- Importance/Functions of communication research
- The strengths and weaknesses of different research methods
- How to formulate research questions, objectives and hypotheses, develop research instruments, and collect data using these methods
- How to analyze and synthesize data obtained by these research methods
- How to apply research findings to address real-world issues and research problems
- How to examine research problems through primary and secondary research
(C). METHOD OF LECTURE DELIVERY
- Lectures
- Quizzes
- Assignments
- Practical Classroom Sessions
(D). COURSE OUTLINE
1. Introduction
What is research?
Functions of research
Characteristics of social science/behavioural research
Research in communication studies
2. Research Approaches
Qualitative
Quantitative
Pragmatic/Mixed Method
Advocacy/ Participatory
Explanatory
Descriptive
Exploratory
3. Communication Research
Meaning of communication research
Functions of communication research
Stages of communication research
4. Basic Research Methods
Survey
Content analysis
Focus group discussion
In-depth/Intensive interview
Observation
Experimentation and Quasi-experimentation
Case study
Strengths and weaknesses of different research methods
5. Data Gathering Instruments in Research
Questionnaire
Interviewing guide
Focus group discussion guide
In-depth interviewing guide
Screener Questionnaire
6. Methodology
Population
Sample size and sampling techniques
Data gathering and analysis methods
Validity/Reliability
7. Basic Steps In Research Writing
Topic selection
Delimiting the topic
Determining the feasibility of the study
Analyzing the situation and defining the problem
Establishing research objectives
Writing a research proposal
Conducting formal research
8. Writing a Project Research Work
Chapter 1- Introduction: Statement of the problem, purpose of study, significance of the study, research questions and/or hypotheses and/or null hypotheses
Chapter 11- Literature review and theoretical framework
Chapter 111- Methodology: Population and sampling, instrumentation, procedure and time frame, analysis plan, reliability and validity, scope and limitations, assumptions
Chapter 1V- Results: Description of the sample, analyses
Chapter V- Conclusion and recommendations: Discussion and recommendations
9. References
Different styles of referencing
Close look at APA Style of citing references
10. Class activities and Assignments
Practical classroom exercises (Research activities/Application of research findings to address real-world issues and research problems)
(E). RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Wimmer, R.D & Dominick J.R (2003). Mass Media Research: An Introduction. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., Haridakis, P. M. & Piele, L. J. (2010). Communication research: Strategies and sources.(7th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
(F). IMPORTANT LINKS
Importance of Communication Research
Importance of Research, Aims and Motives
Four main approaches to research
Communication research methods
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