The document discusses communication research methodology, highlighting the definitions and differences between scientific and social research. It distinguishes between descriptive and analytical research, as well as pure and applied research, while emphasizing the importance of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Additionally, it outlines objectives of research and considerations for selecting a research problem.

1. Communication Research
Methodology- 1
Prepared by
Ms Rijitha R
MA, M.Phil (Comm), SET
Assistant Professor, Department of EM

2. Research- Definition
• According to the American sociologist Earl
Robert Babbie, “Research is a systematic
inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and
control the observed phenomenon.
• Research- RE – Search
• Research is a careful and detailed study into a
specific problem, concern, or issue using the
scientific method.

3. Social science and Scientific research
• What is Scientific Research?
• Scientific theory is based on empirical knowledge came out of
observational experimentation (Freitas, 2009).
• Scientific research is connected with natural sciences like
physics, chemistry, etc. In scientific research also, scientists try
to generate new knowledge. Here, researcher investigates the
phenomenon by using empirical and measurable techniques.
• Scientific studies are mostly accurate and they are objective.
Scientific research usually starts with a hypothesis and then the
variables are tested in order to check whether the hypothesis is
true or false. If it is true, then the hypothesis may become a
theory and if proved to be false, it may leave out.

4. What is Social Research?
• Social research is used to investigate the behavior of humans in the
social life. Lately, the research methods of social sciences were
developed to be more objective and scientific. As mentioned above,
social research is either qualitative or quantitative or both.
• Qualitative approach can be seen in participant observation,
communication with research participants, etc. This approach is
related to the quality. The quantitative approach relies on
statistical data and social phenomenon is analyzed through
countable evidence. This is related to the quantity. At present,
most social researchers use both these methods in their findings and
the research field is stepping towards the objectivity.
• The most difficult thing related to social research is that sometimes
the researcher’s personal feelings may get involved in the findings
and the research may be subjective and biased.

5. Types of Research
(i) Descriptive vs. Analytical
(ii)Pure and Applied
(iii)Qualitative and Quantitative

6. Descriptive Research and
Analytical Research
Descriptive research
It includes
surveys and fact-finding
enquiries of different kinds.
• The main characteristic of this
method is that the researcher
can only report what has happened
or what is happening.
• Descriptive research attempts
to determine, describe, or
identify what is.
Analytical Research
Here, the researcher has to use facts
or information already
available, and analyze these to
make a critical evaluation of
the material.
• analytical research usually
concerns itself with cause effect
relationships. It basically
find out how actually the
entire thing has happened.
• analytical research attempts
to establish why it is that way
or how it came to be

7. Application of Research
Pure Research
• Exploratory
Applied Research
• Using instrument
Research is commonly defined as a systematic investigation with the intent to
verify facts and generate updated conclusions. Regarding its utility, research is
divided into two: basic and applied.

8. Pure/ basic Research
• Basic (fundamental or pure) research is driven
by a scientist's curiosity or interest in a
scientific question.
• The main motivation is to expand man's
knowledge, not to create or invent something.
• There is no obvious commercial value to the
discoveries that result from basic research

9. Applied Research
• The purpose of applied research is to know more about
a certain real-world problem and take steps to solve it.
• Most of the social science research are applied
research.
• Here the researcher measures the instrument to find the
result
• Ex: Anxiety disorders during lockdown period or
• An In-Depth Study on Mani Ratnam cinema's Roja,
Bombay and Dil Se

10. Applied vs. Fundamental:
Research can either be applied (or action) research or
fundamental (to basic or pure) research.
Applied research aims at finding a solution for an
immediate problem facing a society or an
industrial/business organisation,
whereas fundamental research is mainly concerned with
generalisations and with the formulation of a theory.
“Gathering knowledge for knowledge’s sake is termed
‘pure’ or ‘basic’ research.”

11. Quantitative and Qualitative:
Quantitative data are
measures of values or
counts and are expressed
as numbers.
Quantitative data are data
about numeric
variables (e.g. how many;
how much; or how often).
Qualitative data are
measures of 'types' and
may be represented by a
name, symbol, or a
number code.
Seeks to answer the question
• collects evidence

14. Content Analysis
This type of research aims at discovering the
underlying motives and desires, using in depth
interviews for the purpose.
Attitude or opinion research i.e., research designed
to find out how people feel or what they think
about a particular subject or institution is also
qualitative research.
• Qualitative research is specially important in the
behavioral sciences where the aim is to discover
the underlying motives of human behavior.

15. Objectives of Research
• Descriptive (Describing a Problem or Phenomena)
• Exploratory (Without any awareness, Which is new)
• Explanatory (5Ws and 1H, Remedies for a problem)
• Correlation (Establishing relationship between or
with in 2 aspects)

16. • Research Problem:
-What is to be studied, Significance and
Contribution.
-A research problem is a specific issue, difficulty,
contradiction, or gap in knowledge that you
will aim to address in your research. You
might look for practical problems aimed at
contributing to change, or theoretical problems
aimed at expanding knowledge.

17. Consideration in selecting a
Research problem
1. Interest
2. Magnitude - accessibility, Knowledge and interest
3. Measurement of Concepts (Indicators)
4. Level of Expertise
5. Relevance's
6. Availability of data (LR)
7. Ethical Issues (source Protection)

18. • Pilot test:
• Pilot testing is a rehearsal of your research
study, allowing you
to test your research approach with a small
number of test participants before you conduct
your main study.
• .
• The terms pretest and pilot test are sometimes
used interchangeably; however, in recent
years pretest has taken on the meaning of testing
within a survey laboratory, rather than in the field
with the general population. Some organizations
or survey researchers now refer to pilot tests
as field pretests.

19. Thank you