Mass media research : an introduction / Roger D. Wimmer, Joseph R. Dominick.

Format:

• Book

Author/Creator:

• Wimmer, Roger D.

Contributor:

• Dominick, Joseph R.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

• Mass media--Research.

Physical Description:

xi, 499 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

Sixth edition.

Place of Publication:

Belmont, CA : Wadsworth Pub., [2000]

Contents:

• Part 1 The Research Process 1
• Chapter 1 Science and Research 2
• Why Should We Learn About Research? 3
• The Development of Mass Media Research 6
• Media Research and the Scientific Method 9
• Characteristics of the Scientific Method 11
• Research Procedures 13
• Two Sectors of Research: Academic and Private 14
• The Internet 15
• Chapter 2 Research Procedures 18
• Selecting a Research Topic 19
• Determining Topic Relevance 24
• Reviewing the Literature 27
• Stating a Hypothesis or Research Question 28
• Research Suppliers and Field Services 28
• Data Analysis and Interpretation 32
• Presenting Results 38
• Replication 38
• Supplement on Incidence Rates and CPI 39
• Chapter 3 Elements of Research 43
• Concepts and Constructs 44
• Measurement 48
• Discrete and Continuous Variables 54
• Measurement Scales 54
• Chapter 4 Research Ethics 65
• Ethics and the Research Process 66
• Why Be Ethical? 66
• General Ethical Theories 67
• Ethical Principles 68
• Specific Ethical Problems 69
• Chapter 5 Sampling 80
• Population and Sample 81
• Probability and Nonprobability Samples 82
• Sample Size 92
• Sampling Error 94
• Part 2 Research Approaches 101
• Chapter 6 Qualitative Research Methods 102
• Aims and Philosophy 103
• Field Observations 111
• Focus Groups 119
• Intensive Interviews 122
• Chapter 7 Content Analysis 133
• Definition of Content Analysis 135
• Uses of Content Analysis 136
• Limitations of Content Analysis 138
• Steps in Content Analysis 139
• Reliability 150
• Validity 154
• Examples of Content Analysis 156
• Chapter 8 Survey Research 160
• Descriptive and Analytical Surveys 161
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Survey Research 161
• Constructing Questions 162
• Questionnaire Design 169
• Pretesting 175
• Gathering Survey Data 175
• Achieving a Reasonable Response Rate 186
• General Problems in Survey Research 187
• Chapter 9 Longitudinal Research 191
• Development 192
• Types of Longitudinal Studies 193
• Special Panel Designs 202
• Analyzing Causation in Panel Data 203
• Longitudinal Design in Experiments 205
• Chapter 10 Experimental Research 209
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Laboratory Experiments 210
• Conducting Experimental Research 212
• Control of Confounding Variables 214
• Experimental Design 216
• Quasi-Experimental Designs 222
• Field Experiments 223
• Part 3 Data Analysis 231
• Chapter 11 Introduction to Statistics 232
• Descriptive Statistics 233
• Sample Distribution 247
• Data Transformation 252
• Chapter 12 Hypothesis Testing 254
• Research Questions and Hypotheses 255
• Testing Hypotheses for Statistical Significance 259
• Chapter 13 Basic Statistical Procedures 266
• History of Small-Sample Statistics 267
• Nonparametric Statistics 268
• Parametric Statistics 272
• Part 4 Research Applications 293
• Chapter 14 Research in the Print Media 294
• Types of Print Media Research 297
• Print Media Research and the Internet 311
• The Journalist As Researcher 312
• Chapter 15 Research in the Electronic Media 319
• Ratings Research 321
• Nonratings Research 336
• Chapter 16 Research in Advertising and Public Relations 345
• Copy Testing 346
• Media Research 355
• Campaign Assessment Research 363
• Public Relations Research 364
• Chapter 17 Research in Media Effects 374
• Antisocial and Prosocial Effects of Media Content 375
• Uses and Gratifications 385
• Agenda Setting by the Media 390
• Cultivation of Perceptions of Social Reality 395
• Social Impact of the Internet 400
• Chapter 18 Mass Media Research and the Internet 410
• Brief History of the Internet 411
• Internet Resources 412
• Uses of the Internet for Media Researchers 414
• Practical and Ethical Considerations 422.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

0534560075

OCLC:

41143096