Applied Communication Research Class Syllabus Spring 14 PDF

Matthew
J. Kushin, PhD

Shepherd University Course Syllabus .:. 1
COMM 435: Communication Research

Spring 2014 | 3 Credit Hours
Lecture: 01: Location: KN G07 Time: T/Thurs 3:15-‐4:30pm Professor: Matthew J. Kushin, PhD
email: mkushin@shepherd.edu
Text: · Measure what Matters: Online Tools for Understanding Phone: 304-‐876-‐5361
Customers, Social Media, Engagement, and Key Relationships Office hours: L10K
by Paine (ISBN: 979-‐0-‐470-‐92010-‐7) MW:10-‐12/T:11-‐1, or by apt.

· Additional required readings available online
The Shepherd bookstore online tool for finding best price on new, used, rentals: http://shepherd.verbacompare.com/

Course Documents & Assignments accessible on Sakai: courses.shepherd.edu

Course Overview
This course examines the role of research as a critical component of public relations and strategic communication.
Students learn skills necessary to plan, conduct, and interpret basic research. Both qualitative and quantitative
techniques of data collection and analysis are explored. An emphasis is placed on both understanding audiences as
well as analyzing media content. Students learn to conduct research across communication modalities including
through interpersonal and computer-‐mediated means.

LEAP Goals: Learning Outcomes:
#1: Knowledge of Human Cultures & the Physical & Natural World ▪ Study of the Social Sciences ▪ Inquiry &
#2: Intellectual & Practical Skills throughout the Curriculum Analysis ▪ Critical Thinking ▪ Oral & Written
Communication ▪ Information Literacy ▪
Collaborative Work ▪ Lifelong Learning
Objectives:
This course
• Provides the skills needed to understand and interpret research applications, methods, and results.
• Introduces students to a range of social scientific and communication studies research methods (qualitative and
quantitative perspectives, data collection procedures & analytical procedures).
• Teaches students how to conduct various forms of research for strategic campaigns and PR.
• Offers practice in basic research writing skills.
• Provides hands-‐on practice conducting surveys, focus groups, interviews and content analysis.
• Emphasizes research across new media, legacy media, and interpersonal and online environments.
• Provides the knowledge base and experience with which to pursue advanced research methods.
Assessment based on ability to:
§ Analyze and interpret research findings.
§ Write research proposals and manuscripts.
§ Plan and execute content analysis, computer-‐assisted sentiment analysis, surveys, interviews, focus groups.
§ Demonstrate understanding of different research approaches, their applications, strengths, and weaknesses.
§ Adhere to research ethics and professional standards.
§ Work effectively in teams to complete course projects

Software Learned:
Computer-‐assisted content analysis (Yoshikoder)
Digital Survey programming with XLS Forms
Open Data Kit Collector -‐ field data collection
SPSS
Matthew J. Kushin, PhD
Tentative Schedule
Note: Readings are to be completed by the date listed below. Schedule is subject to change.
[Week#] Day Topic Reading Due

Week of Due assignments in bold; assigned in italics
[1] 1/13 Tues Intro to Class
Thurs Intro to Research: Applied; Qualitative http://www.xavier.edu/librar
y/help/qualitative_quantitati
ve.pdf
[2] 1/20 Tues Intro to Research: Quantitative; Role in strategic campaigns Chapter 1
Thurs Campaign Assumptions; The Research Plan Chapter 2
Participation 1: Problems, Objectives, Research Objectives (in class) http://bit.ly/470_BDRP
[3] 1/27 Tues How Do We Measure? Elements of Research Chapter 3
Group Contracts
Thurs Reliability & Validity Chapter 4
Participation 2: Levels of Measurement (in class)
[4] 2/3 Tues What are research methods?; Content Analysis http://www.audiencedialogu
Participation 3 Content Analysis – Part 1 (in class) e.net/kya16b.html

Thurs Coding; Reliability Read:
Participation 3 Content Analysis – Part 2 (in class) “Twitter Study Reveals…”
Participation 4: Twitter and Operationalization
Print and Bring to Class:

“How our study was
conducted..”:
“Criticisms of the coding
method.”
[5] 2/10 Tues Media Placement Content Analysis http://bit.ly/435_newmodel
Project #1: Media Placement

Thurs Data Entry; Analyzing results in SPSS Bring earphones to class!
[6] 2/17 Tues Finish SPSS analysis; Writing Results and Discussion Bring earphones to class!

Thurs Ethics & IRB; Exam 1 Review Chapter 5-‐6
Project #1: Media Placement
Group Report Card (in class)
[7] 2/24 Tues Exam 1
Thurs Sentiment Analysis http://nyti.ms/FSM_sentiment
Sentiment Analysis Exercise (in class) http://nyti.ms/11OsyLY
[8] 3/3 Tues Computer-‐assisted content analysis http://mashable.com/2011/
Computer Assisted Content Analysis Exercise (in class) 11/08/natural-‐language-‐
Project 2: Computer-‐assisted sentiment analysis processing-‐social-‐media/
Thurs Secondary Research; Benchmarks and KPIs Read and bring a copy: “Why
Participation – Dissecting a research article; Participation – Lit do consumers open direct
Reviews (both in class) mail?”

Issue a Team member A Warning Deadline
[9] 3/10 Tues Spring Break – No Class
Thurs Spring Break – No Class
[10] 3/17 Tues Analyzing and interpreting data Print and bring to class:
Participation http://bit.ly/435_methodsexer
We will do Project #2 data analysis in class, Jumpstart cise1
Methods & Results sections

Thurs Qualitative Research; Interviews & Focus Groups Measure What Matters –
7-‐10
[11] 3/24 Tues Surveys Read: A great example of an
Participation: Writing Survey Questions applied survey research
Final Project study: “Putting the
Project #2 Due ‘community’ back in College”
Project #2: Group report card (in class) (on Sakai)

Check out: Pollingreport.com
– look at wording of some
surveys, and results
reported.
Thurs Informed Consent; Measurement; Measuring Relationships http://bit.ly/435_measurerel
Measuring Relationships Exercise (in class) ationships (long, but worth
it!)
Fire a Team Member Deadline Print and bring

[12] 3/31 Tues Sampling & Sampling Error Measure What Matters –
Participation 11 – A Taste of Sampling, Part 1 (in class) 11;13
Group Meeting Sign Up

Thurs Sampling: Issues of Size & Error Calculations
Participation 12 – A Taste of Sampling, Part 2 (in class)
Final Project: Proposal Due

[13] 4/7 Tues Digital Surveys & Field Data Collection; Group Time http://bit.ly/435_guidelinesf
Participation 13 -‐ Digital Survey Programming with XLS Forms (in orstats
class)
Do not begin any data collection until you have my approval today; However,
you can begin recruiting subjects for interviews/focus groups.
Thurs Data Collection Analysis (Open Lab: Attendance Optional;
except for required group meetings)
*You should be either recruiting subjects or out collecting data!
[14] 4/14 Tues Data Collection Analysis (Open Lab: Attendance Optional;
except for required group meetings)
*You should be out collecting data!
Thurs Spring Recess – no class
[15] 4/21 Tues Inferential Stats; Tests of Significance; SPSS analysis * We will analyze your data in class
today. To download survey data
High-‐five awards
from FormHub see Part 4:
Course evaluations http://bit.ly/435_lab_digitalsurvey
Thurs Data Collection Analysis; SPSS help in lab (Open Lab:
Attendance Optional)
Final Exam Date & Time: ____________ (see calendar on shepherd.edu)

Assignments
Project 1: Media Placement Content Analysis 11%
Project 2: Social Media Computer Assisted Sentiment Analysis 15%
Project 3: Proposal 7%
Project 3: Interviews/Focus Groups, Surveys 21%
Team Report Card 18% ( projects 1, 2: 5% each; project 3: 8%)
Exam 15%
Participation Assignments 13%

Final Grades: Final grades will be determined with the following scale. There is no rounding:
A = 100-‐90% B = 89.9-‐80% C= 79.9-‐70% D= 69.9-‐60% F =0-‐59.9%
All assignments due by the start of class on the due date unless specified otherwise.

Resources
If you are intent on studying strategic comm, you need to 1)read, and 2) be professionally active on social media. I
post and share content related to school, social media, and PR.
Follow me on Twitter:
• @mjkushin
• Follow these lists I cultivate:
o https://twitter.com/mjkushin/social-‐media -‐ General Social Media News
o https://twitter.com/mjkushin/shep -‐ Shepherd and local – play your cards right and you might end up
on this list!
o https://twitter.com/mjkushin/strategic -‐ PR, marketing, etc., w/ a bend toward new media.
Social Media Policy

Will you be my friend on Facebook? No. I keep Facebook as my “private” space.
I will interact with you on: Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn

Equipment Checkout: For some of the projects in this class you’ll need media equipment. If you don’t have your
own, you can check them out from the library. I suggest planning ahead. You are responsible for any equipment
you check out and for adhering to all library policy. Find equipment & policy info here:
http://www.shepherd.edu/libweb/libservices/borrowing.html

Course Policies
Classroom Environment: Play (mp3 players, games on handheld devices, etc), reading non-‐course related
materials, or working on assignments for other classes is distracting. We’re all here to learn and people pay a lot of
money for their education. Use of Internet devices to take notes & gather information to inform classroom
discussion is strongly encouraged. But browsing & social interaction are not so please minimize use during class. If
your use of any device becomes disruptive, it will negatively impact your participation grade. Although I may speak
with you about this, do not expect a warning prior to reduction nor for the instructor to inform you that your grade
has been reduced. If your ringer goes off during class, please turn it off. If you feel the call may be an emergency,
please step out of class.
Participation Grade: A portion of your grade comes from participation. These are not “free” points distributed to
students just for showing up. They must be earned. This grade is calculated based on various “participation
challenge” assignments I will assign throughout the semester, general participation in classroom discussion and
evidence of preparation (e.g., attending class having completed the readings), and the student’s contribution to a
productive, inclusive and respectful educational environment for the professor and fellow students.

Attendance, Being On Time, & Leaving Early:
Department Attendance policy: 1 week of classes worth of unexcused absences permitted, full grade deduction for
each absence thereafter, and 5 or more is automatic F. Attendance will be taken every class.

You MUST attend your classes regularly and engage in the requirements for each class; otherwise, your financial
aid may be revoked either partially or in full. This would result in an amount due by you to the University
immediately. Please refer to shepherd.edu/faoweb for more details. If you know you will be missing classes – work
with me ahead of time. High-‐fives will be given to students who miss no more than 2 classes at the end of the
semester; two-‐handed high fives for students who miss no classes.

Class participation is important for the success of the class and to your success. You are expected to attend class
regularly and on time and to stay for the duration of class. Students who arrive more than 5 minutes late or leave
lecture before it is complete without notifying the instructor prior to the start of class will receive a reduction in
their overall attendance & participation grade. Do not expect a warning or notification of grade reduction.
Make-‐up Exams: Make up exams will be offered only once per student with proper documentation (e.g., doctor’s
note) of absence and will be evaluated on a case-‐by-‐case basis. Make-‐up exams will be offered during office hours
and must be complete by the end of the same working day the student returns to class. Make up exams will not be
offered beyond 2 weeks after it is scheduled on the syllabus.
Late assignments: Late means turned in ANYTIME AFTER the end of scheduled class time on the due date. 2
minutes late and 2 hours late are treated equally. Late assignments will be accepted for a 20% reduction in grade.
(except participation challenges – which can only receive 50% credit if the student is not present when due; and
presentation assignments which cannot be made up). Late assignments will not be accepted beyond 1 class period
late. Students are responsible for remembering to turn in assignments (whether online or in person) prior to end
of class on the due date. In the rare case that a student is not able to attend class on the date an assignment is
due, the student may submit the assignment electronically BEFORE the end of class on the assigned day for full
credit. If you are having email/internet issues, you can fax it to the communication department or slide it under Dr.
K’s office door. There will be no exceptions to the late assignment policy.

Email & Electronic Communication Policy: I will prioritize & make every effort to respond to communications sent
during virtual office hours ASAP. However, for electronic communication occurring outside of established Office
Hours:
v Students can expect to get a response to an email from me within 48 hours of sending it, often much
sooner. If you don’t hear from me within 48 hours, send a polite reminder.
v If you send me an email or any other electronic communication and I do not respond to it, then I did not
receive it. You will always get a response from me if I received something.
v Students should not expect responses on weekends or after 6pm.
v Email subject lines should include: Class Title & Your name. e.g., “Comm 203 – Jane Doe”
v In case of real emergency needing response ASAP, add “[emergency]” to subject line. Don’t abuse this!

Academic Dishonesty. Each student in this course is expected to abide by the Shepherd University Academic
Integrity Procedures found in the Shepherd University Student Handbook
(http://www.shepherd.edu/students/studenthandbook.pdf).
By submitting academic work, students warrant that the work is their own and that unauthorized materials or
resources were not used. Plagiarism, fraud, unauthorized use of resources–cheating in all its forms is not
tolerated. All members of the Shepherd community are responsible for maintaining their own academic integrity
and for reporting suspected academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism is the act of stealing and using, as one’s own, the ideas of another or the written expression of the ideas
of another. Students guilty of academic dishonesty in any course will receive sanction from the course instructor
and may face sanctions by the University, particularly if there is a second reported offense. Sanctions may include
dismissal from the University. In this course you will fail any assignment you plagiarize on. Additional sanctions
may be taken at the discretion of the instructor including but not limited to reporting the incident to the proper
university authorities.
Disability Support Services: Disability Support Services at Shepherd University believes that every student should
succeed, and works closely with students to meet their needs. Students requesting any disability related
accommodation should contact the Disability Coordinator at 304-‐876-‐5453. This includes students with learning
disabilities needing classroom accommodations, students requesting specific housing accommodations for health-‐
related reasons, and all other disability accommodations. Accommodations need to be documented and provided
to instructors. Please see http://www.shepherd.edu/mcssweb/dss/default.html for more information.
.

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Matthew

J. Kushin, PhD

COMM 435: Communication Research

[Week#] Day Topic Reading Due

Methods & Results sections

Participation Assignments 13%

Social Media Policy

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