p.4
Research Questions and Hypotheses
What is a crucial step in the research process?
Formulating researchable questions.
p.2
Importance of Research Culture
What did A. Marcus suggest about scientists and media attention?
He contended that competition for public attention encourages scientists to dramatize and popularize their views.
p.2
Ethics in Research Practices
What did the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation conceal in the 1960s?
They concealed research findings that nicotine was addictive and that cigarettes caused serious health issues.
p.1
Research as Conversation
What type of conversation occurs between researchers and research participants?
Conversations shaped by the research paradigm and methods employed.
p.1
Positivist vs. Naturalistic Paradigms
What is the focus of the text regarding research methods?
It primarily focuses on positivist research methods while also addressing naturalistic methods.
p.1
Research as Conversation
How do researchers' conversations with colleagues differ from those with participants?
Colleagues' conversations are more formal and scholarly, while participant conversations are more informal and exploratory.
p.2
Impact of Media on Research Perception
What was the media's role in Browning's earthquake prediction?
The media focused on Browning's claims while giving almost no coverage to the scientists' critiques, leading to widespread panic.
p.3
Impact of Media on Research Perception
What was the outcome of the media coverage of the Audi 5000's 'sudden acceleration' problem?
Audi's sales plummeted despite investigations showing the issue was due to driver error.
p.3
Importance of Research Culture
What is the importance of being a knowledgeable consumer of research?
To critically evaluate research findings and avoid being deceived by false claims.
p.1
Importance of Research Culture
What distinguishes scholarly research from other types of research?
Scholarly research is intended for other scholars and often published in academic journals.
p.2
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What was Toen Browning's prediction regarding earthquakes?
He predicted a 50-50 chance of an earthquake registering 6.5 or greater on the Richter scale along the New Madrid Fault on December 3, 1990.
p.2
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What was the outcome of Browning's earthquake prediction?
The predicted earthquake never occurred.
p.3
Importance of Research Culture
What is the responsibility of individuals regarding research claims?
Individuals must learn to differentiate between valid and invalid research to avoid being misled.
p.2
Ethics in Research Practices
How did the U.S. government engage in disinformation regarding research?
Senior officials colluded in the misrepresentation of facts related to AIDS research and manipulated car crash test results.
Where do researchers conduct their studies in naturalistic inquiry?
In natural settings where people normally behave.
p.3
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What is a major issue with the public's understanding of research?
The public is often ignorant of how research is produced, leading to vulnerability to misinformation.
p.4
Qualitative Research Methods
What is the primary focus of a communication research methods course?
To teach students about the research process, including its characteristics and common errors.
p.3
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What is 'junk science'?
Claims that appear to be serious science but lack empirical and conceptual credentials.
p.4
Importance of Research Culture
Why is it important to understand the research culture?
It helps distinguish valid from invalid information and understand the processes used in research.
p.2
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What was the scientific consensus on the relationship between tides and earthquakes?
Scientists agreed that there is absolutely no relationship between tides and earthquakes.
p.3
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What was the Frye rule?
A rule that allowed expert testimony in court only if based on methods generally accepted by scientists.
p.3
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
How did the Federal Rules of Evidence change expert testimony requirements?
It allowed expert testimony if it would assist in understanding evidence, regardless of general acceptance.
p.4
Research Questions and Hypotheses
How does the phrasing of research questions impact a study?
It determines the information gathered and the conclusions drawn.
p.3
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What impact did junk science have on the drug Bendectin?
It was pulled from the market due to lawsuits based on discredited expert testimony linking it to birth defects.
p.4
Communication Definitions
What does the term 'communication' encompass?
A variety of activities including public speaking, organizational communication, and journalism.
p.4
Communication Definitions
What historical meaning does the term 'communication' have?
It is derived from the Latin word 'communis,' meaning 'to make common.'
p.2
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What was the controversy surrounding Pons and Fleischmann's fusion experiment?
They claimed to have achieved nuclear fusion in a test tube, but their findings could not be replicated and were based on faulty research methods.
p.4
Communication Definitions
What are the two views of communication emphasized in definitions?
Making things common (shared meanings) and the process of making things common (transmission of messages).
p.2
Ethics in Research Practices
What ethical issues arose from the research conducted by Dr. Robert C. Gallo?
He was found guilty of scientific misconduct for falsifying an article related to AIDS research.
p.3
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What concerns were raised about forensic dentist Michael H. West?
He misrepresented evidence and did not follow accepted scientific techniques, yet continued to testify as an expert.
p.5
Importance of Research Culture
What are common perceptions students have about research methods?
Students often find research methods difficult, time-consuming, and boring, viewing them as the province of the elite.
p.5
Importance of Research Culture
How do faculty members typically view research methods?
Faculty members see research methods as the pursuit of truth, planned investigation, and proof.
p.5
Importance of Research Culture
What is a significant obstacle to learning about research methods?
The gap between the attitudes of teachers and students regarding research methods.
p.5
Importance of Research Culture
How do the authors aim to make research methods more accessible?
By framing research methods as learning about a new culture, making it relatable and engaging.
p.5
Importance of Research Culture
What analogy do the authors use to describe learning research methods?
They compare it to learning about a foreign culture, which has its own languages, rules, and customs.
p.5
Research as Conversation
What perspective do the authors suggest for understanding the research process?
They suggest viewing the research process as a series of conversations among researchers and their subjects.
p.5
Communication Definitions
What is the significance of subcultures in research methods?
Subcultures within research methods have their own specific language and phrases that may not be easily understood by outsiders.
What is the primary goal of naturalistic inquiry?
To gain a holistic understanding of the patterns and behaviors that characterize human beings.
What type of design do researchers use in naturalistic inquiry?
An emergent design, allowing for flexibility during the research process.
p.1
Qualitative Research Methods
What methods do researchers primarily rely on in naturalistic inquiry?
Qualitative methods, focusing on data that takes the form of symbols rather than numbers.
What is the significance of the personal voice in naturalistic research reports?
It reflects the subjective experience and insights of the researcher.
What is meant by 'context-bound findings' in naturalistic research?
Findings that apply to the specific people, situation, or time period studied.
p.1
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What challenges do consumers face regarding research findings today?
The increasing volume of research findings makes it difficult to separate valid information from invalid.
p.1
Positivist vs. Naturalistic Paradigms
How do positivist and naturalistic paradigms differ in research reporting?
Positivist reports are formal and impersonal, while naturalistic reports are informal and personal.
p.1
Research as Conversation
What is the significance of conversations in research according to Pearce (1996)?
Research can be viewed as a complex communication act or a form of conversation.
p.1
Qualitative Research Methods
What is the role of qualitative methods in understanding communication behavior?
They provide in-depth insights through methods like participant observation and interviews.
p.1
Research as Conversation
What are some other conversations researchers engage in beyond their studies?
Conversations with grant agencies, publication gatekeepers, and the general public.
p.1
Research as Conversation
How do researchers interact with research participants during studies?
Through structured conversations that vary based on the research method used.
p.1
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
Why is it important to distinguish research from pseudoresearch?
To become competent consumers of research and identify valid information amidst misleading claims.
p.1
Distinguishing Research from Pseudoresearch
What is the importance of understanding research conversations?
It helps in distinguishing valid research from pseudoresearch and enhances research literacy.
