Communication Research Methods in Postmodern Culture explores communication research from a postmodern perspective while retaining key qualitative and quantitative research methods. The author uses easy-to-understand language to incorporate new research methods inspired by contemporary culture and includes review questions and suggested activities designed to help readers understand and master communication research. The blend of new and traditional methods creates a book appropriate to the study of communication in an increasingly complex cultural environment.
The second edition of Communication Research Methods in Postmodern Culture continues to explore research from a postmodern perspective. Typical qualitative and quantitative research methods are adjusted to fit the needs of contemporary culture. Each chapter is updated with new information and fresh examples. Included in the second edition is a new chapter on Internet and social media research. The author uses straightforward and easy-to-understand language. Both individual and group projects are among the suggested activities. This book is important for the study of communication in a changing political, social, economic, and technological environment.
This step-by-step introduction to conducting media and communication research offers practical insights along with Arthur Asa Berger’s signature lighthearted style to make discussion of qualitative and quantitative methods easy to comprehend. The Fifth Edition of Media and Communication Research Methods includes a new chapter on discourse analysis; expanded discussion of social media, including discussion of the ethics of Facebook experiments; and expanded coverage of the research process with new discussion of search strategies and best practices for analyzing research articles. Ideal for research students at both the graduate and undergraduate level, this proven book is clear, concise, and accompanied by just the right number of detailed examples, useful applications, and valuable exercises to help students to understand, and master, media and communication research.
This essential textbook provides a clear and authoritative introduction to qualitative and quantitative methods for studying media and communication. Written by two highly experienced researchers, the book draws on a wide range of media and communication research to introduce students to the relative strengths of the different research approaches. Beginning with an overview of the changing contexts and trends in media and communication research approaches, the book demystifies 'research' and the 'research process' by offering practical and accessible guidance on how to design, plan and carry out successful research projects in media and communication. This is an indispensable text for all students of media and communication studies, particularly those undertaking their own research projects or taking modules in research methods.
In this book, Arthur Asa Berger combines a practical focus, the use of numerous examples, a step-by-step approach, and humour to examine both qualitative and quantitative research methods in media and communication research.
The rise of postmodern theories and pluralist thinking has paved the way for multicultural approaches to communication studies and now is the time for decentralization, de-Westernization, and differentiation. This trend is reflected in the increasing number of communication journals with a national or regional focus. Alongside this proliferation of research output from outside of the mainstream West, there is a growing discontent with communication theories being “Westerncentric”. Compared with earlier works that questioned the need to distinguish between the Western and the non-Western, and to build “Asian” communication theories, there seems to be greater assertiveness and determination in searching for and developing theoretical frameworks and paradigms that take consideration of, and therefore are more relevant to, the cultural context in which research is accomplished. This path-breaking book moves beyond critiquing “Westerncentrism” in media and communication studies by examining where Eurocentrism has come from, how is it reflected in the study of media and communication, what the barriers and solutions to de-centralizing the production of theories are, and what is called for in order to establish Asian communication theories.
This book states that whilst academic research has long been grounded on the idea of western or scientific epistemologies, this often does not capture the uniqueness of Indigenous contexts, and particularly as it relates to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were announced in 2015, accompanied by 17 goals and 169 targets. These goals are the means through which Agenda 2030 for sustainable development is to be pursued and realised over the next 15 years, and the contributions of Indigenous peoples are essential to achieving these goals. Indigenous peoples can be found in practically every region of the world, living on ancestral homelands in major cities, rainforests, mountain regions, desert plains, the arctic, and small Pacific Islands. Their languages, knowledges, and values are rooted in the landscapes and natural resources within their territories. However, many Indigenous peoples are now minorities within their homelands and globally, and there is a dearth of research based on Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies. Furthermore, academic research on Indigenous peoples is typically based on western lenses. Thus, the paucity of Indigenous methodologies within mainstream research discourses present challenges for implementing practical research designs and interpretations that can address epistemological distinctiveness within Indigenous communities. There is therefore the need to articulate, as well as bring to the nexus of research aimed at fostering sustainable development, a decolonising perspective in research design and practice. This is what this book wants to achieve. The contributions critically reflect on Indigenous approaches to research design and implementation, towards achieving the sustainable development goals, as well as the associated challenges and opportunities. The contributions also advanced knowledge, theory, and practice of Indigenous methodologies for sustainable development.
While many volumes discuss qualitative methods, only Qualitative Communication Research Methods focuses on the history and diversity of their use within the communication discipline. This volume is written by, for, and about communication scholars. It introduces readers from any background to every step of the qualitative research process, from developing research topics and questions, all the way through writing a final report. In addition to covering the scope of theories and methods currently used in qualitative communication research, this book also discusses important trends influencing the future of that research. Key features in this new edition include: - A more clear and direct writing style, suitable for use in both undergraduate and graduate courses. - Numerous practical examples and exercises designed to reinforce student learning of concepts. - A critical guide to the contexts of qualitative research. More than ever, qualitative researchers operate in institutional contexts that present new dilemmas. The book brings readers up to date on related ethical, political, and practical issues, including: the influences of globalization on the design and conduct of research; the appropriate use of recording technology in conducting fieldwork; the unique challenges and opportunities related to studying multi-media, on-line environments; and ongoing innovation and controversy surrounding genres and formats of qualitative writing. - An integrated "suite" of chapters on data-producing methods. In addition to updated discussions of participant-observation and qualitative interviewing, this edition includes a new chapter on the study of material culture and documents. Together, these three chapters help readers to learn how fieldwork methods can successfully combine in a flexible, integrated fashion. - Cutting-edge technological developments. The book informs and advises readers about the latest developments in technology for qualitative communication research. This discussion focuses on how "new" media - such as e-mail, texting, cell phone video, and blogging - not only form topics of research, but also the means of recording, analyzing, and textually "representing" data.
Researching Interpersonal Relationships: Qualitative Methods, Studies, and Analysis, by Jimmie Manning and Adrianne Kunkel, explores and demonstrates methodological tools and theories used to guide relationships research, especially studies of interpersonal communication. Featuring chapters illustrated by research studies conducted by leading communication scholars, this book introduces both classic and cutting-edge methodological approaches to qualitative inquiry and analysis. Each chapter highlights a particular method, context, and analytical tool. Through the methodological and analytical overviews, illustrative research studies, and post-study interviews with the researchers, readers can better understand how qualitative research approaches can expand and solidify understandings of personal relationships.
This book offers a critical look at celebrity and celebrities throughout history, emphasizing the development of celebrity as a concept, its relevance to individuals, and the role of the public and celebrities in popular culture. Tabloid magazines, television shows, and Internet sites inundate us with daily updates about movie stars, musicians, athletes, and even those who have achieved celebrity status simply for being rich and extravagant. Disturbingly, it appears that the harder our celebrities fall, the more fascinating they are to us. As popular culture becomes more influential, it is important to understand both the positive and negative aspects of celebrity. This volume traces the development of the concept of celebrity, discusses some of the problems facing both celebrities and their followers, and points to future trends and developments in our cultural understanding of celebrity. The author's treatment is unflinchingly honest, revealing the importance of the public's role in celebrities' lives and establishing firm criteria for determining who is a celebrity—and who is not.
