Always remember Hofstadter’s Law: “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you account for Hofstadter’s Law.” 

---

 Assignments for this course consist of online Discussion on the readings, in class and online workshops, and two research projects with presentations.

 

Hybrid Classes

This is hybrid course which means that a large portion of the class takes place outside the physical classroom. This means you are responsible for completing multiple major and minor tasks and assignments outside of class. Many assignments require you to complete tasks outside of class PRIOR to the physical class meeting. This also means that since we have fewer physical; class meetings it is critical that you attend every meeting.

 

Discussing and Reporting on Readings (8x15=120)

Readings are discussed on the Discussion Board on the D2L website. See the Course Schedule for specific discussion topics and weeks where we are having online discussion. The purpose of this exercise is (1) to encourage completing the week's readings in a timely fashion (2) to help prepare for the quiz (3) and to provide a forum to discuss the reading materials and "check-in" with other students on the major concepts covered in the material. Discussion is not free form and there are specific requirements and deadlines for discussion.

 

Students are required to post to the discussion board 2 times per week minimum. Post as often as you wish.

 

Posts must be a minimum of 12 hours apart, this is a discussion, not a monologue. Posts closer than 12 hours will earn no credit.

 

Posts must be at least 150 words.

 

Reading Review Post [1] (due no later than 1:15 pm Tuesday) [10 points]

Each student must identify the 4 most important aspects of each reading and the 4 most interesting findings, facts, concepts, etc. Include the reason WHY it is interesting/important. Do not simply transcribe sections of the text. Students earn 10, 5, or 0 points based on quality and following directions.

 

If there are multiple readings, then each reading needs to have at least 2 things from each category. For example, for three readings there should be a total of 6 things from the reading you found interesting and why and 6 things from the reading you think were the most important takeaways. Each set of interesting/important items should be clearly labeled.

 

Reply Post [2]

Reply post #1 due no later than 12 noon Thursday [5 points]

Each student must post a reply message to another student's Reading Review Post and make a substantive comment on its content.

 

Workshops (9x20=180)

Workshops teach specific skills that students need to complete the course projects. Workshop tasks must be completed and submitted as described in the workshop AND students must attend the in-class workshop to earn credit. No partial credit is awarded.

 

Workshops are basic slide presentations (in pdf) on selected topics that provide critical information to help you understand the text, the subject, and prepare for your research projects. While students are not quizzed on workshop content, you are responsible for the material and will find it hard to succeed in the course without them. These workshops also provide good information sources that you may revisit for your course work. To get credit for these workshops you must complete the workshop as directed, submit any required materials either on the workshop wiki or in class, AND attend the in-class workshop. No partial credit is awarded.

 

The only exception is the APA+ workshop which has a quiz.

 

Research Projects (2x250=500)

The research projects are where you get the chance to apply what you have learned in the readings and workshops and demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of course materials.Since this is a qualitative methods communication course its is expected that projects focus of a communication process and use qualitative methods.

 

This section contains assignment descriptions, my expectations for both assignments, and detailed breakdown of what is expected for each phase of each assignment. Please see the Method Requirements page for details on what is expected for the use of specific methods,

 

Students will conduct a full rigorous research project that includes a literature review, a data collection research design, data collection and analysis, and a discussion of findings as well as an self-analysis of the research process.

 

Students are encouraged to work in pairs or teams of 3 (max). The most common comment made by students who worked solo was that they wished that had worked with someone. Basic requirements for teams are the same as individuals with the exception of the amount of data required which doubles for each team member. For example, a single student needs 20 completed surveys, a pair would need 40, and a team of three 60. 

 

All materials are submitted via the course email address comm156@gmail.com using the forms provided. Submissions not on required forms will not be accepted.

 

Methods

This is a qualitative research methods course, therefore you must you at two (2) qualitative research methods (note: scholarly literature is NOT a method!):

Observation

Interviewing

Qualitative survey

Focus Group

Semiotic Analysis

Website/document analysis

Each of these methods has a set of criteria that MUST be followed to get full credit. Go to the Methods page for details.

 

WARNING: Research projects are complex and time consuming! Read all directions and explanations on this page and the method requirements page carefully. Your are responsible for understanding and following all assignment directions and avoiding the common mistakes listed. If anything is unclear, then ask.

 

 

Research Project #1 Participant Observation in the College Classroom (50+100+100 = 250 points)

Getting to know the culture and hidden rules of a scene is one of the most challenging aspects of qualitative research. Therefore, for the first project you will be exploring a scene that you are very familiar with - the college classroom. The primary method you will utilize is participant observation. You need to select a second method of your own choosing.

 

PO Assignment Proposal due Tuesday 9/13 by noon for 5 points of EC

PO Assignment Proposal due Thursday 9/15 by noon

PO Literature and Research Design due Tuesday 9/27 by noon for 5 points EC

PO Literature and Research Design due Thursday 9/27 by noon

Participant Observation Assignment due Tuesday 10/18 by noon for 5 points of EC

Participant Observation Assignment due Thursday 10/20 by noon

 

 

Each research method you will use has specific minimum requirements such as number of completed surveys or interview questions. See the Method Requirements for details.

 

Research projects are broken up into 3 sections or phases - a Proposal, Literature Review and Research Design, and a Final Narrative write-up. Please see the detailed descriptions for each phase as well as common errors below.

 

This project uses templates for each phase. Use the templates provided below. submissions must follow these guidelines:

1. Include your last name(s) in the title of all submitted documents (eg. Coopman_Proposal1_comm 156i.doc) as well as in the document itself.

 

2. Submit as a .doc and not a .docx. Go to "save as" and in the "Format" pull down menu select Word 97-2004 document (.doc)."

 

3. Other than expanding or shrinking different sections to accommodate your text, do not alter the forms or order of sections. 

 

Proposals for Research Project #1 Form: PO_Proposal_form_Comm156I_F2011.doc

Literature and Research Design #1 Form: PO_Lit_Design_form_Comm_156I_F2011 .doc

Research Project #1 Form: PO_Final_project_form_Comm_156I_Fall2011 .doc

 

Research Project #2: Semiotic Analysis (4th unit) (50+100+100 = 250 points)

The second research project uses semiotic analysis (see Arning article in the readings and the workshop for an explanation of this approach) as its primary approach. Semiotics is a theory and study of signs and symbols, especially as elements of language or other systems of communication. You will need to chose one other method in addition to semiotics. Useful methods might include include surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Typically, the researcher performs a semiotic analysis of a particular set of symbols such as pictures, graphics, color use, placement of items, logos, etc., researches the producers intention, and then looks at how others interpret their meaning. In the past, students have looked at corporate logos, graffiti, political websites, advertising online, comparisons of websites, album cover art and lyrics, portrayal of women and minorities in film, and use of brands among others. The primary method you will utilize is semiotics analysis. You need to select a second method of your own choosing.

 

Semiotics Assignment Proposal due Tuesday 11/1 by noon for 5 points of EC

Semiotics Assignment Proposal due Thursday 11/3 by noon

Semiotics Literature Review and Research Design due Thursday 11/11 by noon for 5 points of EC

Semiotics Literature Review and Research Design due Tuesday 11/15 by noon

Semiotics Assignment due Tuesday 11/29 by noon for 5 points of EC

Semiotics Assignment due Thursday 12/1 by noon

 

Research projects are broken up into 3 sections or phases - a proposal, Literature Review and Research Design, and a Final Narrative write-up. Please see the detailed descriptions for each phase as well as common errors below.

 

Each research method you will use has specific minimum requirements such as number of completed surveys or interview questions. See the Method Requirements for details.

 

This project uses templates for each phase. Use the templates provided below. submissions must follow these guidelines:

1. Include your last name(s) in the title of all submitted documents (eg. Coopman_Proposal2_comm 151i.doc) as well as in the document itself.

 

2. Submit as a .doc and not a .docx. Go to "save as" and in the "Format" pull down menu select Word 97-2004 document (.doc)."

 

3. Other than expanding or shrinking different sections to accommodate your text, do not alter the forms or order of sections.

 

Proposals for Research Project #2 Form: Semiotics_Proposal_form_Comm156I_F2011.doc

Literature and Research Design #2 Form: Semiotics_Lit_Design_form_Comm_156I_F2011 .doc

Research Project #2 Form: Semiotics_Final_project_form_Comm_156I_Fall2011 .doc

 

Project Phases

 

Proposal (100)  

The proposal is your road map and key to a successful project. I will give you feedback that will help you fine-tune your project into something that is doable and that will yield good results. Your proposal consists of 4 elements.

 

1. Your general topic and research question: the general topic is broadly what area you are interested in (eg. political party websites). Your research question is the question you wish to answer with your research (eg. What are the differences/similarities between the Republican and Democratic Party websites?). It is critical that you choose a question that can reasonably be answered with the data you can collect in the time you have.

 

2. Data collection plan: the 2 or more methods you plan to use, how you plan to use them, and when. For example, you could do a semiotic analysis and interviews to examine the Republican and Democratic Party websites.  You could have 4 people (2 each male and female independents) explore these sites and then interview them about their perceptions and feelings on the design and organization of these websites. This would entail combining your semiotic analysis and interviews to answer your research question. It is also perfectly acceptable to replicate or modify a study from a journal article as long as you collect original data for it.

 

3. 2 scholarly sources with annotated bibliographies (AB): These are sources that would give you the background of either the focus of your study (eg. political websites) or the methods you might use (semiotic analysis of political advertising).  Use academic journal articles only. 

Books or edited volumes may only be used with PRIOR  instructor permission (physical copies or complete pdfs required). You may use other sources as well, but they do not count toward your required references. See the APA, Scholarly Sources, and Annotated Bibliography Workshop for details.

 

4. Research plan and schedule for completion: how you plan to execute each phase of the project and the exact dates you plan to complete each phase.

 

Common Errors in Proposal Submissions

Here are some common errors to avoid in your proposal.

 

1. Asking questions you cannot answer with the data you can collect in the time you have. For example, "What is the impact of Facebook on society today?" WAY to broad. Better to ask "How do students use Facebook on a daily basis?" or "How do users of Facebook manage their privacy settings?"

 

2. Asking non-communication based questions. For example, 'How do people choose to buy items online versus in a physical store?" This is a communication course and you need to select research that deals with human communication issues.

 

3. Not selecting enough research methods to use. You need a minimum of two research methods. Please note that collecting literature is not a research method.

 

4. Trying to do too much. Research is always constrained by time and resources. Interviewing 10 and surveying 100 people is probably not a reasonable amount of work for a single project (unless you are working in a 3 person team).

 

5. Time line/schedule is not detailed enough or does not provide enough time to accomplish tasks. Schedules should be date specific with deadlines. Interviewing, coding data, and analyzing data takes a great deal of time.

 

 

Literature Review and Research Design (100)

This section is where you take the instructor’s feedback on your proposal, make corrections and improvements, and then expand on them to create a solid foundation for data collection and analysis.

This section consists of 4 elements.

 

1. Finalized topic and research question: incorporate instructor feedback (if needed) to come up with your final research question.

 

2. 6 Scholarly sources with annotated bibliographies:  Use the sources from your Proposal (if they still apply/qualify) and bring in other sources with annotations. These are sources that would give you the background of either the focus of your study (eg. political websites) or the methods you might use (semiotic analysis of political advertising). See the APA, Scholarly Sources, and Annotated Bibliography.  Books or edited volumes may only be used with PRIOR instructor permission (physical copies or complete pdfs required). You may use other sources as well, but they do not count toward your required references.

 

3. Detailed research plan and design. Based on instructor feedback, refine your design and the methods you are using for your project. Use as much detail as possible in planning how you will execute your study. What is the rationale for doing whatever you are planning to do and how will it help you answer your RQ? Who are you going to interview and why are they a good interviewee? How many surveys are you planning to distribute and to who? Workshop for details. It is perfectly acceptable to replicate or modify a study from a journal article as long as you collect original data for it.

 

4. Preliminary coding scheme with definitions: It is critical than you have a basic framework for coding your data. This involves coming up with possible categories and the definition of the terms you are try to describe. For example, if you are exploring how people participate in a classroom, you need to define participation. Is it simply talking? Asking questions? Attentive listening and note taking? It is helpful to use the literature combined with your own experiences to help define your terms. However, you must realize that these coding categories are PRELIMINARY – as you actually begin to do your research they will change and you will add more based on what you are finding. See the Coding Workshop for details.

 

Common Errors in Literature and Research Design Submissions

Here are some common errors to avoid when submitting your Literature Review and Research Design.

 

1. Completely changing your project RQ without checking in with the instructor first. Run any significant changes by me first.

 

2. Failure to fix errors or issues flagged in your Proposal.

 

3. Not enough scholarly sources, use of non-scholarly sources, or of non-compliant sources such as conference papers or textbooks. You may use these but they DO NOT count toward the 6 scholarly sources required.

 

4. Lack of detail in your coding scheme. You should have a draft of a coding table or chart that is detailed enough so I can help you refine it. Please do not simply copy and paste examples from workshops or example assignments.

 

5. Useless definitions. For example, "participation is if people participate or not" or defining common terms such as website or literature. Definitions of key terms should have some basis in the literature or other sources. For example, for a semiotic analysis you will want to clearly identify what specific symbols/colors/placements mean.

 

Final Project (100 points)

Final Project Narrative Version (1000 word minimum)

Here is where you bring it all together. With your graded Proposal and Literature Review and Research Method sections you already have a head start for your project. For you final submission, you need to weave it all together into one narrative. This will be organized in a traditional academic style. Please see the form to see how your paper should be formatted. Format as directed and use all section headings. Make sure to add page numbers.

 

Section #1 Introduction (brief)

In this section, you introduce your topic, why you are interested in it, your research question and why the answer matters.

 

Section #2 Literature Review

Here is where you go over your literature. Take your annotations for your references and arrange then in paragraph form. Use the articles you have reviewed for your project to see how a literature review is formatted. Rather than 6 separate paragraphs, try reducing it to 3 and combining two related sources in one paragraph. PLEASE make sure you DO NOT just copy and paste your ABs, take the time to edit them down so they flow well. Make the case for the utility of each reference. Tell us why it is useful to your project.

 

Section #3 Method

This section is where you discuss your research design, data collection method, coding scheme, and definition of terms. Make sure you reference any sources you used in your design. Interview schedules, surveys, and master coding sheets should be inserted at the end of the document.

 

Section #4 Findings and Discussion

This is the crucial write-up where everything comes together. Whatever you do, DO NOT simply copy and paste information contained in earlier sections. We already know the details of the journal articles. Here is where you connect the literature with your data. Make sure to reference each source at least once. We already know the details of your coding scheme. Here is where you tell us what you have found and, more importantly, what it means and how it answers your research question. Use lots of specific examples and quotes from the data you collected. Tell us what you found and the show us how the data supports it.

 

Section #5 Limitations and Future Research

A process critique and evaluation of your project: this is where you reflect and critique YOUR own research process NOT the courses assignment design. This section is very important because it shows what you have learned from this project. For example, did your coding scheme work? If not, what could you have done? Do you wish you had used a different method, such as interviews? Try to avoid discussing things beyond our control such as collecting more data, having more time, and so forth. What might you do next time and what kind of further study could you undertake to further explore this topic?

 

Sections #6 References

This is where you put your references in alphabetical order by author’s last name and in APA style. This is for your journal articles only.

 

Section #7 Materials

Here is where you put interview schedules, surveys, and master coding sheets. If you used a different program (eg. excel) attach as another file. If materials are in a word processing program please add them here and do not attach as separate files. Interview consent forms must either be scanned or clearly photographed and attached.

INTERVIEWEE CONSENT FORM:

FOCUS GROUP CONSENT FORM:

 

Common Errors in Final Narrative Submissions

 

1. Completely changing your project RQ or other major elements without checking in with the instructor first. Run any significant changes by me first. This can be a fatal mistake.

 

2. DO NOT simply copy and past your annotated bibliographies into the literature review. The literature review in a synthesis of the literature you used for your project. Your literature review should briefly describe how each source contributed to your understanding of the topic, its utility to your study, and how it integrates with the other sources.

 

3. All sources must be referenced in APA (author, year) as they are discussed in every section. DO NOT reference article by their full titles, discuss the authors institutional affiliations, or the journal title. Basically, other than the authors last name and the year of publication, do not repeat information that is contained in the reference section.

 

4. Failure to reference all literature in the Discussion section. Here is an example of integrating your literature, data, and analysis:

Hampton (2004) suggests it depends on the student’s character to see if laptop usage will influence focus level on the class or not. However, the data I collected conflicts with this suggestion. All but 2 students observed are active participants in the class observed but when they had their laptops they barely participated.

5. Failure to (a) answer your RQ clearing and definitively; (b) use the data you collected in the Discussion section; (c) include needed supporting materials; (d) put the correct materials in the right sections; (e) leaving sections out.

6. Dropping/disappearing methods. A minimum of 2 methods must be used and should be clearly articulated in both the method and discussion section. If a method turned out to be of little use, do the best you can and then discuss the issues in the Limitations section.

7. Finally, simply not including enough material to make your case. Do not worry about just making the minimum word count. A major issue is students collecting a bunch of data and then not writing about it. Your presentation does not substitute for the actual paper

 

8. This is approximately how your final write-up should be distributed among your different sections

 

 

Project Presentations (2x25 = 50)

Project presentations are required for all projects. The amount of time available will be announced, since the number of teams and individual projects will vary. Based on past experience it should wind-up being about 5 minutes. Presentations should include visual elements as examples and cover your topic so students can ask informed questions. Presentations should be organized and well-rehearsed. 

You should cover the following elements in your presentation:

1. The topic, research question and a concise answer to it (don’t make us wait), and why you chose it.

2. How you gathered your data, challenges you faced, things you learned about research.

3. Your results. What did you find? What was interesting, confusing, etc..

To get credit for your presentation you must attend all presentations days. Presentations will be graded on organization and professionalism. You don’t have to dress-up, but you do have to come off as competent, confident, and well-informed.