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Research Methods in AD/PR

COMM 420Section 8

Tuesday / Thursday 3:35 pm -5:30 pm

143 Stuckeman Nan Yu

2007 Fall_COMM 420_Week 2(2) @ NY

Correction

Hocking, J. E., Stacks, D. W., & McDermott, S. T. (2003). Communication Research, 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Please change the reference on your syllabus.

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Group Topics

Five groups 1. Mellisa Chen (hometown; perception of race) 2. Han Ma (communication; strength of friendship) 3. Robert Corrado (sports; music) 4. Ashlyn Holsinger (professor-student communication,

academic performance) 5. Carli Clay (MTV, self-body image)

Each group should have 4-5 people.

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Obtaining Information Why we need to start from here?

We need to review what other researchers have discovered around the topic that we are interested in.

We need to understand the procedure that other researchers have used.

We need to know whether there are potentials that we can further investigate a question or make the previous research better.

We need to justify that our research has values – advancing theories, gaining knowledge, or improving the general understanding of human behaviors.

2007 Fall_COMM 420_Week 2(2) @ NY

Sources of Information (p.85)

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Books,Periodicals,TV,Music,Movie,Web,Emails,Conversations,…...

Computers and Internet have integrated all types of information and make them easier to be found.

2007 Fall_COMM 420_Week 2(2) @ NY

Electronic Sources: A two-edged sword

Advantage Allow us to access more information

than ever before. more efficient

Disadvantage explosion of information credibility?

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Before we start…

Parameters -- decide the boundaries of the search. Choose your “key words” (issue/theory-

related). Parameters may change.

Be critical with the sources of the information. Books Journals (p.88) News (magazine, newsletter, newspaper) 7

Credibility of the Sources (p.97) Content

Relevance Quality

Authority: reputable sources Publisher Books and journals For factual information, news or

official statistical reports are helpful.

Library Tour

Books – Library News -- LexisNexis Journal Articles

Most of the journal articles can be accessed at the PSU library and its database.

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Initiative Research

http://scholar.google.com/ Choose your keywords. and; or; “phrase”

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Google Scholar—Type in keywords

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Click “Get it @ Penn State”

12This function only works for computers that are logged in with your PSU id.

Click “Go”

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Communication-related Database

Web of Science (citation links) Communication & Mass Media

Complete Communication Abstracts LexisNexis Academic

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/eres/PSU_azlist.html#azlist

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Web of Science

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#27 looks useful

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Click “Cited References”

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Click “Times Cited”

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If you know an article and you want to locate it.

Trappy III, R. J., & Woodside, A. G. (2005). Consumer responses to interactive advertising campaigns coupling short-message-service direct marketing and TV commercials . Journal of Advertising Research, 45 (4), 382-401 .

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Step 1

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Step 2

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Step 3

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Step 4

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Literature Review (p.100) Identify previous significant studies in

your area of investigation. Review related theories and results Generate your own questions. Provide a background of why this area

is worth studying. Two examples of journal articles on

ANGEL. (Read the sections of Literature Review)

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2007 Fall_COMM 420_Week 2(2) @ NY

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In-class exercise Start looking for materials that are

related to your topic. Each group member at least find THREE

articles. Organize your sources with APA style. Upload your findings to the Drop Box

(find your group) on ANGEL. The materials that you find during class

could also be included in the Annotated Bibliography.

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Group Project Task #1

Annotated Bibliography Due at the beginning of next class

(9/11).