Quantitative Research Methods in Communication: The Power of Numbers for Social Justice

Cover
Half Title
Series
Title
Copyright
Brief Table of Contents
Detailed Table of Contents
Author Biographies
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 Foundations and Definitions
	Purpose of Social Science Research
	Approaches to Social Science Research
		Quantitative Research
		Qualitative Research
		Mixed Methods Research
		Community-Based Research
	Research Paradigms
		Positivist and Post-Positivist Paradigm
		Constructivist Paradigm
		Critical Paradigm
	Types of Social Justice Research
	Why Do Numbers Have Power?
	The Rise of Quantitative Criticalism
	Key Features of Quantitative Social Science Research
		The Principle of Objectivity
		Aggregation of Numerical Data
		Deductive Reasoning
	Summary
	Discussion Questions
	References
2 Ethical Considerations
	The Significance of Ethics within Social Justice Research
	History of Ethical Violations in Scientific Research
	Belmont Report and Institutional Review Boards
	Types of Ethical Research Guidelines
		Procedural Ethics
		Professional Ethics
		Personal Ethics
	Ethics and Social Justice Research
	Self-Reflexivity and Cultural Responsiveness in Social Justice Research
	Avoiding Exclusion, Tokenism, and Deficit-Based Thinking
	Ethical Considerations Specific to Quantitative Communication Research
	Summary
	Discussion Questions
	References
3 Operationalization and Otherness
	An Introduction to Measurement
	Two Types of Definitions: Conceptual and Operational
	Operationalizing Indicators and Dimensions of Concepts
	Variables, Values, and Attributes
	Using Closed-Ended Measures
	Levels of Measurement
		Categorical Variables
			Nominal Variables
			Ordinal Variables
		Continuous Variables
			Interval Variables
			Ratio Variables
		Deciding What Level of Measurement to Use
	Validity
	Reliability
	Balancing Validity and Reliability
	Social Justice, Measurement, and Avoiding Othering
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
4 Sampling and Representation
	Samples and Populations
	The Representativeness of Samples
	Probability Sampling
	Nonprobability Sampling
	Getting Mathy
	Having “Confidence” in Your Sample
	Determining Sample Size
	How Do You Actually Use This Information? The Realities of Research
	Representing Minoritized Groups
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
5 Soliciting Opinions Through Survey Research
	Advantages and Disadvantages of Surveys
	Role of Surveys in Social Justice Research
	Cross-Cultural Survey Research
	Omnibus Surveys and Publicly Accessible Datasets
	Cross-Sectional Versus Longitudinal Survey Designs
		Trend Studies
		Cohort Studies
		Panel Studies
	Creating Reliable and Valid Survey Measures
		Are the Items Necessary, Unbiased, and Clear?
		Are the Response Options Appropriate?
		Are Respondents Able to Answer the Items?
		Are Respondents Willing to Answer the Items?
	Deciding the Order and Presentation of Selected Items
		Organizing the Items in the Right Order
		Making the Questionnaire Accessible
	Pretesting Questionnaires
	Deciding How to Administer Surveys
		Personal or Face-to-Face Interviews
		Telephone Interviews
		Mail Surveys
		Online Surveys
	Finding Ways to Improve Survey Response Rates
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
6 Studying Responses Through Experimental Methods
	Independent, Dependent, Control, and Confounding Variables
	Role of Experiments in Establishing Causation and Causal Mechanisms
	True Experiments
	Quasi-Experiments
	Pre-Experiments
	Field or Natural Experiments
	Using Experiments for Social Justice Research
	Designing and Conducting an Experimental Study
		Recruiting Participants
		Obtaining Consent
		Manipulating the Independent Variable
		Randomly Assigning Participants to Conditions
		Controlling for Extraneous Variables
		Measuring the Dependent Variable
		Debriefing
	Improving the Internal Validity of Experiments
	Increasing the Generalizability of Experiments
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
7 Examining Communication Content in Content Analysis Research
	Using Content Analysis for Social Justice
	Coding and Coders
	Steps Involved in Content Analysis
	Making Sound Observations
	Sampling Considerations in Content Analysis
	Determining Units
	Intercoder Reliability
	Digital and Interactive Media
	Critiques of Big Data Analysis and Critical Approaches to Datafication
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
8 Calculations and Complexity
	Individual Data Points Aggregated Together
	Different Types of Statistics
	Hypothesis Testing
	Error, Uncertainty, and Rejection: Oh, My!
	Making an Inference
		Introducing the Probability Value
		What Explains Statistical Significance?
		Some Finer Points Regarding Statistical Significance
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
9 Statistical Analysis: From Principles to Practice
	Steps Involved in Creating and Analyzing Quantitative Data
	Creating a Data File in SPSS
	Dealing with Missing Values
	Measures of Central Tendency
	Measures of Variability
	Data Reduction and Transformation
		Recode
		Creating an Index and Testing Its Reliability
		Compute
		Select Cases
	Inferential Statistics
		Tests of Differences: T-Tests
		Tests of Differences: Analysis of Variance
		Tests of Relationships: Cross Tabulation with Chi Square
		Tests of Relationships: Pearson’s Correlation
		Tests of Relationships: Multiple Regression
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
10 Mixed Methods: Triangulating with Qualitative Research
	Triangulation: Approaching Research from Multiple Perspectives
	Mixed Methods Approaches in Communication
	An Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Social Justice Research
	Types of Qualitative Methods
		Textual Analysis
		Ethnography
		In-Depth Interviewing
		Focus Group Discussions
		Case Study Approach
		Arts-Based Research
	Types of Mixed Methods Approaches
	Mixed Methods for Social Justice in Communication: Some Considerations
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
11 Community Partnerships and Participatory Research
	Types of Communities
	Community-Based Research in Communication
	Socio-Ecological Approach to Social Justice Research
	Level of Community Participation
		Participatory Action Research
		Community-Based Participatory Research
		Program Evaluation Research
		Engaged Scholarship
	Identifying the Topic in Community-Based Research
	Establishing Partnerships with Relevant Stakeholders
	Developing Research Materials for Community-Based Projects
	Implementation of Community-Based Research Projects
	Evaluation and Feedback in Community-Based Research Projects
	Making Research Findings Available to Communities
	Practical Considerations in Community-Based Research Approaches
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
12 Communicating Research for Publication, Policy, and the Public
	Writing for Publication
		Forms of Academic Writing
		Elements of a Journal Article
		Peer Review
	Limitations of the Publication Landscape
	Writing for the Wider Public
		Engaging with the News Media
	Writing to Shape Policy
		Forms and Guidelines for Policy-Related Writing
		Examples of Quantitative Communication Research Connected to Policy
	Summary
	Discussion Questions and Activities
	References
Index