FACULTY OF ARTS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION SCIENCE

COURSE OUTLINE

Module Title

Communication Research Methods C

Module Code

ACOM351

Programme in which the module is offered

BACHELOR OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Year of offering

3rd Year

SAQA Credits

15

NQF level

06

Name of Lecturer / Lecturers

GABRIEL JABULANI ZONDI

Date: 02 January 2018

Dear Student,

Welcome to the module Communication Research Methods C (ACOM351). This

module prepares a learner for research skills required for further research work in the

field of Communication Science.

Lecturer’s expectations:

Please refer to Annexure A: Guidelines for Communication Science Students.

Lecturer’s expectations will be discussed with students on the first day of schooling

which will take place on the 5th of February 2018. Please observe your timetable for

the exact times and venues of lectures and please be there on time.

Lecturer’s contact details

Telephone: 035-902 6375

Office: 611 4th Floor

Department of Communication Science

Inkanyiso Building

KwaDlangezwa Campus

Table of Contents DEFINITION OF TERMS ............................................................................................................................ 3

MODULE PURPOSE .................................................................................................................................. 4

MODULE OUTCOMES .............................................................................................................................. 5

TOPICS WITH SCHEDULING ..................................................................................................................... 5

NOTIONAL HOURS................................................................................................................................... 7

Consultation times .................................................................................................................................. 7

Mode of delivery ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Practicals ................................................................................................................................................. 7

Tutorials .................................................................................................................................................. 8

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES .................................................................................................................... 8

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ................................................................................................................... 8

REFERENCING STYLE ........................................................................................................................... 8

ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET ............................................................................................................... 8

PRESCRIBED READINGS, AND ADDITIONAL (RECOMMENDED) READINGS ........................................ 8

Research Methodology: Business and Management Contexts .......................................................... 8

APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................................ 9

APPENDIX 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 10

APPENDIX 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 11

DEFINITION OF TERMS MODULE OUTLINE: Module outline of work represent a contract between the lecturer

and student stipulating the requirements for each course: its aims, learning outcomes,

course requirements and assessment.

STUDENT GUIDE: A student guide helps in organising lecture notes and textbook

material so that students can increase their comprehension and memory of large

amounts of information. Specific outcomes on topics covered, the summary of content,

as well as revision questions, are included.

TUTORIAL: A tutorial is an interactive method of transferring knowledge in the

learning process. A tutorial seeks to teach by example and supply the information to

complete a certain task.

PRACTICAL: A practical is a lesson in which theories and procedures learned are

applied to the actual making or doing something.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: The goal of formative assessment is to develop and

monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by lecturers to

improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT: The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate

student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some

standard or benchmark.

GENERIC OUTCOMES: These are critical cross-field outcomes that inform all

teaching and learning as stipulated by SAQA Regulations.

Each module should enable students to:

work effectively as individuals and with others as members of a team;

organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and

effectively;

identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative

thinking;

collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information;

communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language skills in

various modes;

use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility

towards the environment and the health of others; and

demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by

recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

SPECIFIC OUTCOMES: Learning outcomes are statements of what students will

learn in a lecture. Each lecture has its specific outcomes. The statements are

focused on student learning.

MODULE PURPOSE

This module seeks to introduce the learner to theoretical guidelines and practices of

conducting research in human and social sciences. . Due emphasis is on historical

and institutional contexts of research methods and methodologies. In this instance,

consideration is focused on synthesizing (i) key concepts in social theory, (ii) actual

practice of social & cultural research.

MODULE OUTCOMES

Broad Outcome:

The Learner will be able to:

Undertake basic communication research into media content-audiences and

research in other areas of organisational and development communication.

Specific outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an awareness of research methods and techniques as learning

skills that can be applied in practice (via analysis, writing, researching and

data gathering)

2. Apply research skills for problem-solving in communication-related

professions and for purposes of experiential learning,

3. Schedule, conduct, report and critically analyse on a research study according

to learned research skills.

4. Undertake basic communication research into media content-audiences and

research in other areas of organisational and development communication.

5. Comprehend the relationship between texts and their contexts, media-society

relations and how these are shaped by political economy and sociology of

institutions.

TOPICS WITH SCHEDULING

The Scheme of Work:

DATES/WEEKS ACTIVITIES OF THE WEEK COMPLETED/COMMENT

CONTENTS

WEEK 1 – 05-09 FEB RESEARCH: TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITION

The essence of human research The human mind Critical thinking Deductive thinking Inductive thinking The scientific thinking Theory building

WEEK 2 – 12-16 FEB QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACH

Qualitative Research Designs Case Study Ethnography Phenomenology Studies Grounded Theory Studies Content Analysis

WEEK 3 – 19-23 FEB QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS

Descriptive research design Observation studies Correlation studies Developmental design Survey design

WEEK 4–26 FEB-02 MA RESEARCH PARADIGMS

Positivism Post-positivism Interpretivism Realism The Critical Approach

WEEK 5 – 05-09 MAR QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROCEDURES

The idea or problem Review of existing literature Definition of problem Research design and experiment Data collection Statistical analysis

WEEK 6 – 12-16 MAR QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROCEDURES

Interpretation of data Conclusion and recommendations

WEEK 7 – 19-23 MAR SAMPLING METHODS

Probability and Non-probability samples

WEEK 8 – 03-06APRIL SAMPLING METHODS

Method of data collection Personal interview The telephone interview Postal questionnaire Self-administered questionnaire

WEEK 9 – 09-13 APRIL THE TECHNIQUES OF QUALITATIVE SURVEY RESEARCH

Group interview or group discussion The individual in-depth interview

Experimental or laboratory research Field experiments

WEEK 10 – 16-20 APRIL MASS MEDIA RESEARCH

Readership Radio Listening Television viewing

WEEK 11 – 23-26 APRIL QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AS AN INDEPENDENT FIELD OF RESEARCH

The process of verstehen Participant observation Contextualization Validity and objectivity of qualitative research Research Ethics

REVISION WEEKS:02-18 MAY 2018 EXAMINATION (SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT DATE) TBA

NOTIONAL HOURS

Contact Study Notional Hours Self-Study Notional Hours

Lectures 45 Lecture related 15

Practicals 30 Practical Related 10

Fieldwork Assignments 20

Tutorials 5 Revision 20

Guided revision 5 Assessments

Total 85 Total 65

Total notional hours (16 weeks) 150

Consultation times

Kindly take note of consultation times posted on my office door and on Moodle.

Mode of delivery

1. Formal Lectures

2. Practicals

3. Tutorials

4. Guided revision

Practicals

This module will include practicals in the form of public speaking, presentations,

group sessions and debates on topical issues in South Africa.

Tutorials This module will offer students tutorials. Dates and times will be discussed in class

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

Assessment weighting: ACOM351

ASSESSMENT DUE DATE WEIGHT TYPE

Class Test 1 21 March 2018 15% Formative Assessments

50% DP

Individual Assignment 20 March 2018 20%

Class Test 2 18 April 2018 15%

EXAMINATION TBA 50% Summative Assessment

50

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Evidence of competency

Levels of thinking according to Bloom’s Taxonomy should be considered in the

design of assessment activities. Assessment criteria should be clearly

described.

REFERENCING STYLE

Both Harvard and APA referencing styles can be used in the writing of tasks.

Visit https://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/harvard_quick_guide_tcm44-47797 and

www.apastyle.org

ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET

Use university approved assignment cover sheet to submit your assignments

PRESCRIBED READINGS, AND ADDITIONAL

(RECOMMENDED) READINGS

Research Methodology: Business and Management Contexts

A. Bryman, E. Bell, P. Hirschsohn, A. dos Santos, J. du Toit, A. Masenge

APPENDICES

FINAL%

APPENDIX 1

ASSIGNMENT COVER

FACULTY OF ARTS

DEPARTMENT:

MODULE TITLE

MODULE CODE

ASSIGNMENT TOPIC

NAME OF LECTURER

DUE DATE

NON - PLAGIARISM DECLARATION

I know that plagiarism means taking and using the ideas, writings, works or inventions of another as if they were one’s own. I know that plagiarism not only includes verbatim copying, but also the extensive use of another person’s ideas without proper acknowledgement (which includes the proper use of quotation marks). I know that plagiarism covers this sort of use of material found in textual sources and from the Internet. I acknowledge and understand that plagiarism is wrong. I understand that my research must be accurately referenced. I have followed the rules and conventions concerning referencing, citation and the use of quotations as set out in the Departmental Guide. This assignment is my own work, or my group’s own unique group assignment. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment, or part of it, is wrong and that submitting identical work to others constitutes a form of plagiarism. I have not allowed, nor will I in the future allow, anyone, to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as their own work. By signing this cover sheet, I agree that I have read and understood the above. I acknowledge that should it be found to be higher than the acceptable similarity percentage, I may receive 0 (ZERO) for my assignment.

STUDENT NAME STUDENT NO SIGNATURE

LECTURER’S REMARKS

APPENDIX 2

ASSIGNMENT MARKING GRID

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTION M

AR

K O

BT

AIN

ED

No

/Hard

ly

an

y

att

em

pt

to

maste

r

cri

teri

on

Cri

teri

a

no

t yet

maste

red

Cri

teri

on

maste

red

part

iall

y

Cri

teri

on

maste

red

fully

Cri

teri

on

su

rpas

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1 2 3 4 5

Below

40%

40 – 59% 50-59% 60-69% 70% &

above

Structure of

assignment (cover page

with necessary

information, table of

contents well organised;

appropriate numbering

and sub-headings,

correct length,

paragraphing, correct

font type and font size)

Introduction (Subject

well introduced,

introduction of major

concept (s), what does

the reader expect to find

in the assignment)

Language (grammar,

correct spelling and full

sentence construction)

Logic and coherence of ideas (Flow of ideas, Connectedness of ideas to one another; logical flow of thoughts from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph and linking each paragraph with the topic )

Subject matter (Was

the question answered?)

Subject matter (Is the

information provided

relevant and well

researched)

Quantity and quality of

sources used

(comprehensiveness of

sources Were the

sources used adequate,

relevant and up to date?)

Originality (Is the

information original? Are

the sources used in the

text acknowledge?)

Conclusion (summary

of discussion linked to

the introduction, critical

thought based on the

discussion).

Referencing (Harvard

style, Correct in-text

citation, listing all

relevant references in

alphabetical order, use

of different sources or

references)

Total