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Higher Education
Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development
School of Communication, Culture and Languages
Campus St Albans.
Prerequisite(s) Nil.
Content There are many problems in applied communication and public relations which require the use of evaluative or formative research to develop solutions. Research helps set objectives for communications programs and campaigns, enables communication practitioners to monitor issues and organisational image and persona and provides a way to evaluate and judge the success of particular campaigns. This unit of study will consider the use of research methods in applied communication and public relations. Students will learn how to research audiences and publics in the context of developing actual communication programs and how to interpret the results of commissioned research. The unit will familiarise students with a range of relevant research methodologies and develop students' skills in the practice of a selection of research techniques that are most relevant to the communication professional. Students will be familiarised with a range of relevant research methodologies and methods, including qualitative research and action research, surveys, content analysis, interviewing and focus groups. They will be introduced to theoretical discourses in research methodologies, in order to better choose and evaluate appropriate research tools. Ethical considerations in the choice of research methods, as well as in communicating and interpreting research data is a major focus. On completion of this unit, students should have a thorough understanding of how to develop a research question and design; interpret, examine and present findings and recommendations in an applied situation. Students will learn how to schedule work; work in groups on a major project; develop interpersonal skills in group situations; understand the difficulties associated with undertaking communication research.
Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this unit, students are expected to be able to:Identify the major characteristics of communication research methods and applications; List a range of methods and describe how they are applied in communication research;Define research questions and choose a research design;Distinguish and describe the uses of market research, audience studies and public research;Critically read research studies undertaken in public relations and communication research;Identify the range of research skills needed when dealing with human informants, including issues of ethical practice;Present and interpret data in a professional manner.
Required Reading ACY2005 Communication Research Book of Readings.
Recommended Reading Weerakkody, N 2008, Research methods for media and communications, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Daymon, C & Holloway, I 2002, Qualitative research in public relations and marketing communications, Routledge.
Class Contact Thirty hours over one semester, delivered in various modes including weekly seminar.
Assessment Literature review and research proposal 20%; In-class tests and exercises 30%; Group research report and assignment 30%; Group presentation 20%. (Equivalent to 3000 words).
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