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Theory, Research & Practice Theory in research Theory on practice e.g. Research during the 1992 US Presidential campaign Some theories and research challenge or contradict each other e.g. Evolution vs Creationism or Intelligent design 3
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ALC208- Researching ALC208- Researching Media: Texts, Audiences Media: Texts, Audiences & Industries & Industries
Week 2- TOPIC 1 The Research Process
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Criteria of a Good TheoryCriteria of a Good TheoryTheoretical scope- generalisabilityPower- higher in scope or more
situations coveredAppropriatenessHeuristic Value- extends our
knowledgeParsimony- ‘short & sweet’Internal consistencyFalsificationEthical and morally responsible
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Theory, Research & Theory, Research & PracticePracticeTheory in research
Theory on practice
e.g. Research during the 1992 US Presidential campaign
Some theories and research challenge or contradict each other e.g. Evolution vs Creationism or Intelligent design
3
The Research ProcessThe Research Process (Research) inquiry starts with
curiosity, an idea or with the questions:
What is? Why? If then, what? and What if?AnomalyAlternative explanations
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Alternative Explanations to Alternative Explanations to Gen Y Violence Gen Y Violence Reading 1.1: McCrindle (2010) Reading 1.1: McCrindle (2010) Population increasesNew technologies and increased media
reporting; easy and fast to gather as groupsChanges in rules of the streetCulture of binge drinking/by women & knife
culturePermissive parenting (‘peerents’)Lack of boundaries: choices without
understanding consequencesFreedom too early and ‘safety net
syndrome’5
The Research Process The Research Process (Contd.)(Contd.)The Research question – idea for
research Methods - techniques of collecting
dataMethodology - Strategy, plan,
designTheoretical perspectives -
Philosophy guiding the methodologyEpistemologies - Theory of
knowledge6
Types of EpistemologiesTypes of EpistemologiesObjectivism- ‘Truth is out there’;
An objective/absolute truth /reality/meaning exists even if we do not know of its existence;
Researcher must find it.
Most often used in the natural sciences
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ConstructionismConstructionismNo objective truth/meaning waiting
to be discoveredMeaning not discovered but
‘constructed’ as the same thing means different things to different people. e.g. A car.
The subject (a person) and object (the thing made meaning of) join together to create meaning
Often used in qualitative research8
SubjectivismSubjectivismSees meaning as imposed on the
object by the subject.
Meaning based on what society has placed on the object e.g. A Ferrari
Object as passive
Subject as active9
The ‘Great Divide’ between The ‘Great Divide’ between Qualitative & Quantitative Qualitative & Quantitative ResearchResearchNot seen as polar opposites anymoreJust different- no hierarchySome projects combine both methodsMethods considered quantitative and
positivist in the past, today considered qualitative and constructionist. e.g Ethnography.
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Quantitative ResearchQuantitative ResearchInvolves ‘counting’ and provides
numerical data e.g. Surveys, content analysis
Data seen as objective as the researcher stays away from data during collection
Uses standard procedures and instruments to collect data. e.g. questionnaires for surveys
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Qualitative ResearchQualitative ResearchData non-numerical and
embedded in their context. e.g. Texts, opinions expressed during interviews
Data are subjective and carry values of the researcher
Researcher is the data collection instrument. e.g. Interviewer, participant observer
Not conducted under strict conditions as with quantitative
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Qualitative vs Qualitative vs QuantitativeQuantitativeDiffer at the methods level - not
epistemological or theoretical perspective levels
Quantitative is generally objectivist/ positivist and qualitative is constructionist/ subjectivist
But sometimes quantitative is used in non-positivist research
Use whatever is best suited to the projectBe conversant with both quantitative and
qualitative methods13
Word of CautionWord of CautionNot practical to be both objectivist
and constructionist/subjectivist as they are contradictory
One says there is an objective meaning and the others say there is not.
Therefore, needs to be consistent when using them together.
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Any Questions?
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