MaLLhew !.

kushln, hu
Shepherd unlverslLy Course Syllabus .:. 1

CCMM 433: CommunlcaLlon 8esearch
Sprlng 2014 | 3 CredlL Pours

Lecture: 01: LocaLlon: kn C07 1lme: 1/1hurs 3:13-4:30pm

1ext: ! !"#$%&" ()#* !#**"&$+ ,-./-" 011.$ 21& 3-4"&$*#-4/-5
6%$*17"&$8 91:/#. !"4/#8 ;-5#5"7"-*8 #-4 <"= >".#*/1-$)/?$
@= A#/-" BC9DE+ FGFHIHJGIHFKILIHGM
! AddlLlonal requlred readlngs avallable onllne
1he Shepherd booksLore onllne Lool for flndlng besL prlce on new, used, renLals: hLLp://shepherd.verbacompare.com/

Course uocumenLs & AsslgnmenLs accesslble on Sakal: courses.shepherd.edu

Course Cverv|ew
1hls course examlnes Lhe role of research as a crlLlcal componenL of publlc relaLlons and sLraLeglc communlcaLlon.
SLudenLs learn skllls necessary Lo plan, conducL, and lnLerpreL baslc research. 8oLh quallLaLlve and quanLlLaLlve
Lechnlques of daLa collecLlon and analysls are explored. An emphasls ls placed on boLh undersLandlng audlences as
well as analyzlng medla conLenL. SLudenLs learn Lo conducL research across communlcaLlon modallLles lncludlng
Lhrough lnLerpersonal and compuLer-medlaLed means.

LLA Goa|s:
#1: knowledge of Puman CulLures & Lhe hyslcal & naLural World
#2: lnLellecLual & racLlcal Skllls LhroughouL Lhe Currlculum
Learn|ng Cutcomes:
SLudy of Lhe Soclal Sclences lnqulry &
Analysls CrlLlcal 1hlnklng Cral & WrlLLen
CommunlcaLlon lnformaLlon LlLeracy
CollaboraLlve Work Llfelong Learnlng
Cb[ect|ves:
0)/$ :1%&$"
rovldes Lhe skllls needed Lo undersLand and lnLerpreL research appllcaLlons, meLhods, and resulLs.
lnLroduces sLudenLs Lo a range of soclal sclenLlflc and communlcaLlon sLudles research meLhods (quallLaLlve and
quanLlLaLlve perspecLlves, daLa collecLlon procedures & analyLlcal procedures).
1eaches sLudenLs how Lo conducL varlous forms of research for sLraLeglc campalgns and 8.
Cffers pracLlce ln baslc research wrlLlng skllls.
rovldes hands-on pracLlce conducLlng surveys, focus groups, lnLervlews and conLenL analysls.
Lmphaslzes research across new medla, legacy medla, and lnLerpersonal and onllne envlronmenLs.
rovldes Lhe knowledge base and experlence wlLh whlch Lo pursue advanced research meLhods.
Assessment based on ab|||ty to:
! Analyze and lnLerpreL research flndlngs.
! WrlLe research proposals and manuscrlpLs.
! lan and execuLe conLenL analysls, compuLer-asslsLed senLlmenL analysls, surveys, lnLervlews, focus groups.
! uemonsLraLe undersLandlng of dlfferenL research approaches, Lhelr appllcaLlons, sLrengLhs, and weaknesses.
! Adhere Lo research eLhlcs and professlonal sLandards.
! Work effecLlvely ln Leams Lo compleLe course pro[ecLs

Software Learned:
CompuLer-asslsLed conLenL analysls (?oshlkoder)
ulglLal Survey programmlng wlLh xLS lorms
Cpen uaLa klL CollecLor - fleld daLa collecLlon
SSS
rofessor: MaLLhew !. kushln, hu
emall: mkushln[shepherd.edu
hone: 304-876-3361
Cfflce hours: L10k
MW:10-12/1:11-1, or by apL.


MaLLhew !. kushln, hu
Shepherd unlverslLy Course Syllabus .:. 2

1entat|ve Schedu|e
Note: 8eadlngs are Lo be compleLed by Lhe daLe llsLed below. Schedule ls sub[ecL Lo change.
[Week#]
Week of
Day 1op|c
!"# %&&'()*#)+& ') ,-./0 %&&'()#/ ') '+%.'1&
kead|ng Due
[1] 1]13 1ues lnLro Lo Class
1hurs lnLro Lo 8esearch: Applled, CuallLaLlve hLLp://www.xavler.edu/llbrar
y/help/quallLaLlve_quanLlLaLl
ve.pdf
[2] 1]20 1ues lnLro Lo 8esearch: CuanLlLaLlve, 8ole ln sLraLeglc campalgns ChapLer 1
1hurs Campalgn AssumpLlons, 1he 8esearch lan
2%3+'1'4%+'-) 56 23-,.#*&7 8,9#1+':#&7 ;#&#%31< 8,9#1+':#& =') 1.%&&>
ChapLer 2
hLLp://blL.ly/470_8u8
[3] 1]27 1ues Pow uo We Measure? LlemenLs of 8esearch
N&1%? 61-*&#:*$
ChapLer 3
1hurs 8ellablllLy & valldlLy
2%3+'1'4%+'-) ?6 @#:#.& -A B#%&"3#*#)+ =') 1.%&&>
ChapLer 4
[4] 2]3 1ues WhaL are research meLhods?, ConLenL Analysls
2%3+'1'4%+'-) C D-)+#)+ E)%.F&'& G 2%3+ 5 =') 1.%&&>

hLLp://www.audlencedlalogu
e.neL/kya16b.hLml
1hurs Codlng, 8ellablllLy
2%3+'1'4%+'-) C D-)+#)+ E)%.F&'& G 2%3+ ? =') 1.%&&>
2%3+'1'4%+'-) H6 IJ'++#3 %)/ 84#3%+'-)%.'K%+'-)

>"#4+
1wlLLer SLudy 8eveals."
A&/-* #-4 D&/-5 *1 6.#$$+
Pow our sLudy was
conducLed..":
CrlLlclsms of Lhe codlng
meLhod."
[S] 2]10 1ues Medla lacemenL ConLenL Analysls
A&1O":* PL+ !"4/# A.#:"7"-*



hLLp://blL.ly/433_newmodel
1hurs uaLa LnLry, Analyzlng resulLs ln SSS 8rlng earphones Lo class!
[6] 2]17 1ues llnlsh SSS analysls, WrlLlng 8esulLs and ulscusslon

8rlng earphones Lo class!
1hurs LLhlcs & l88, Lxam 1 8evlew
ro[ect #1: Med|a |acement
L3-"4 ;#4-3+ D%3/ =') 1.%&&>
ChapLer 3-6
[7] 2]24 1ues Lxam 1
1hurs SenLlmenL Analysls
M#)+'*#)+ E)%.F&'& NO#31'&# =') 1.%&&>
hLLp://nyLl.ms/lSM_senLlmenL
hLLp://nyLl.ms/11CsyL?
[8] 3]3 1ues CompuLer-asslsLed conLenL analysls
D-*4"+#3 E&&'&+#/ D-)+#)+ E)%.F&'& NO#31'&# =') 1.%&&>
A&1O":* K+ 617?%*"&H#$$/$*"4 $"-*/7"-* #-#.=$/$
hLLp://mashable.com/2011/
11/08/naLural-language-
processlng-soclal-medla/
1hurs Secondary 8esearch, 8enchmarks and kls
2%3+'1'4%+'-) G !'&&#1+')( % 3#&#%31< %3+'1.#0 2%3+'1'4%+'-) G @'+
;#:'#J& =,-+< ') 1.%&&>

Issue a 1eam member A Warn|ng Dead||ne
8ead and brlng a copy: Why
do consumers open dlrecL
mall?"
[9] 3]10 1ues Sprlng 8reak - no Class
1hurs Sprlng 8reak - no Class
[10] 3]17 1ues Analyzlng and lnLerpreLlng daLa
arLlclpaLlon
We wlll do ro[ecL #2 daLa analysls ln class, !umpsLarL
rlnL and brlng Lo class:
http://bit.ly/435_methodsexer
cise1
MaLLhew !. kushln, hu
Shepherd unlverslLy Course Syllabus .:. 3

I|na| Lxam Date & 1|me: ____________ (see calendar on shepherd.edu)

Ass|gnments
ro[ecL 1: Medla lacemenL ConLenL Analysls 11
ro[ecL 2: Soclal Medla CompuLer AsslsLed SenLlmenL Analysls 13
ro[ecL 3: roposal 7
ro[ecL 3: lnLervlews/locus Croups, Surveys 21
1eam 8eporL Card 18 ( pro[ecLs 1, 2: 3 each, pro[ecL 3: 8)
Lxam 13
MeLhods & 8esulLs secLlons
1hurs CuallLaLlve 8esearch, lnLervlews & locus Croups

Measure WhaL MaLLers -
7-10
[11] 3]24 1ues Surveys
arLlclpaLlon: WrlLlng Survey CuesLlons
Q/-#. A&1O":*
ro[ect #2 Due
ro[ect #2: Group report card (|n c|ass)
8ead: A greaL example of an
applled survey research
sLudy: uLLlng Lhe
'communlLy' back ln College"
(on Sakal)

Check ouL: olllngreporL.com
- look aL wordlng of some
surveys, and resulLs
reporLed.
1hurs lnformed ConsenL, MeasuremenL, Measurlng 8elaLlonshlps
Measur|ng ke|at|onsh|ps Lxerc|se (|n c|ass)

I|re a 1eam Member Dead||ne


hLLp://blL.ly/433_measurerel
aLlonshlps (long, buL worLh
lL!)
rlnL and brlng
[12] 3]31 1ues Sampllng & Sampllng Lrror
2%3+'1'4%+'-) 55 G E I%&+# -A M%*4.')(7 2%3+ 5 =') 1.%&&>
N&1%? !""*/-5 9/5- 3?

Measure WhaL MaLLers -
11,13
1hurs Sampllng: lssues of Slze & Lrror CalculaLlons
2%3+'1'4%+'-) 5? G E I%&+# -A M%*4.')(7 2%3+ ? =') 1.%&&>
I|na| ro[ect: roposa| Due


[13] 4]7 1ues ulglLal Surveys & lleld uaLa CollecLlon, Croup 1lme
2%3+'1'4%+'-) 5C P !'('+%. M"3:#F 23-(3%**')( J'+< Q@M R-3*& =')
1.%&&>
uo noL begln any daLa collecLlon unLll you have my approval Loday, Powever,
you can begln recrulLlng sub[ecLs for lnLervlews/focus groups.
hLLp://blL.ly/433_guldellnesf
orsLaLs
1hurs uaLa CollecLlon Analysls (Cpen Lab: ALLendance CpLlonal,
excepL for requlred group meeLlngs)
*?ou should be elLher recrulLlng sub[ecLs or ouL collecLlng daLa!

[14] 4]14 1ues uaLa CollecLlon Analysls (Cpen Lab: ALLendance CpLlonal,
excepL for requlred group meeLlngs)
*?ou should be ouL collecLlng daLa!

1hurs Sprlng 8ecess - no class
[1S] 4]21 1ues lnferenLlal SLaLs, 1esLs of Slgnlflcance, SSS analysls
Plgh-flve awards
Course evaluaLlons
* We wlll analyze your daLa ln class
Loday. 1o download survey daLa
from lormPub see arL 4:
hLLp://blL.ly/433_lab_dlglLalsurvey
1hurs uaLa CollecLlon Analysls, SSS help ln lab (Cpen Lab:
ALLendance CpLlonal)

MaLLhew !. kushln, hu
Shepherd unlverslLy Course Syllabus .:. 4

arLlclpaLlon AsslgnmenLs 13

I|na| Grades: llnal grades wlll be deLermlned wlLh Lhe followlng scale. 1here ls no roundlng:
A = 100-90 8 = 89.9-80 C= 79.9-70 u= 69.9-60 l =0-39.9
!"" $%%&'()*(+% ,-* ./ +0* %+$1+ 23 4"$%% 2( +0* ,-* ,$+* -("*%% %5*4&3&*, 2+0*16&%*7


kesources
lf you are lnLenL on sLudylng sLraLeglc comm, you need Lo 1)read, and 2) be professlonally acLlve on soclal medla. l
posL and share conLenL relaLed Lo school, soclal medla, and 8.
lollow me on 1wlLLer:
[m[kushln
lollow Lhese llsLs l culLlvaLe:
o hLLps://LwlLLer.com/m[kushln/soclal-medla - Ceneral Soclal Medla news
o hLLps://LwlLLer.com/m[kushln/shep - Shepherd and local - play your cards rlghL and you mlghL end up
on Lhls llsL!
o hLLps://LwlLLer.com/m[kushln/sLraLeglc - 8, markeLlng, eLc., w/ a bend Loward new medla.

Soc|a| Med|a o||cy
Wlll you be my frlend on lacebook? no. l keep lacebook as my prlvaLe" space.
l wlll lnLeracL wlLh you on: 1wlLLer, Coogle+, Llnkedln

Lqu|pment Checkout: lor some of Lhe pro[ecLs ln Lhls class you'll need medla equlpmenL. lf you don'L have your
own, you can check Lhem ouL from Lhe llbrary. l suggesL plannlng ahead. ?ou are responslble for any equlpmenL
you check ouL and for adherlng Lo all llbrary pollcy. llnd equlpmenL & pollcy lnfo here:
hLLp://www.shepherd.edu/llbweb/llbservlces/borrowlng.hLml


Course o||c|es
C|assroom Lnv|ronment: lay (mp3 players, games on handheld devlces, eLc), readlng non-course relaLed
maLerlals, or worklng on asslgnmenLs for oLher classes ls dlsLracLlng. We're all here Lo learn and people pay a loL of
money for Lhelr educaLlon. use of lnLerneL devlces Lo Lake noLes & gaLher lnformaLlon Lo lnform classroom
dlscusslon ls sLrongly encouraged. 8uL browslng & soclal lnLeracLlon are noL so please mlnlmlze use durlng class. lf
your use of any devlce becomes dlsrupLlve, lL wlll negaLlvely lmpacL your parLlclpaLlon grade. AlLhough l may speak
wlLh you abouL Lhls, do noL expecL a warnlng prlor Lo reducLlon nor for Lhe lnsLrucLor Lo lnform you LhaL your grade
has been reduced. lf your rlnger goes off durlng class, please Lurn lL off. lf you feel Lhe call may be an emergency,
please sLep ouL of class.

art|c|pat|on Grade: A porLlon of your grade comes from parLlclpaLlon. 1hese are noL free" polnLs dlsLrlbuLed Lo
sLudenLs [usL for showlng up. 1hey musL be earned. 1hls grade ls calculaLed based on varlous parLlclpaLlon
challenge" asslgnmenLs l wlll asslgn LhroughouL Lhe semesLer, general parLlclpaLlon ln classroom dlscusslon and
evldence of preparaLlon (e.g., aLLendlng class havlng compleLed Lhe readlngs), and Lhe sLudenL's conLrlbuLlon Lo a
producLlve, lncluslve and respecLful educaLlonal envlronmenL for Lhe professor and fellow sLudenLs.

Attendance, 8e|ng Cn 1|me, & Leav|ng Lar|y:
ueparLmenL ALLendance pollcy: 1 week of classes worLh of unexcused absences permlLLed, full grade deducLlon for
each absence LhereafLer, and 3 or more ls auLomaLlc l. ALLendance wlll be Laken every class.

?ou MuS1 aLLend your classes regularly and engage ln Lhe requlremenLs for each class, oLherwlse, your flnanclal
ald may be revoked elLher parLlally or ln full. 1hls would resulL ln an amounL due by you Lo Lhe unlverslLy
lmmedlaLely. lease refer Lo shepherd.edu/faoweb for more deLalls. lf you know you wlll be mlsslng classes - work
MaLLhew !. kushln, hu
Shepherd unlverslLy Course Syllabus .:. 3

wlLh me ahead of Llme. Plgh-flves wlll be glven Lo sLudenLs who mlss no more Lhan 2 classes aL Lhe end of Lhe
semesLer, Lwo-handed hlgh flves for sLudenLs who mlss no classes.

Class parLlclpaLlon ls lmporLanL for Lhe success of Lhe class and Lo your success. ?ou are expecLed Lo aLLend class
regularly and on Llme and Lo sLay for Lhe duraLlon of class. SLudenLs who arrlve more Lhan 3 mlnuLes laLe or leave
lecLure before lL ls compleLe wlLhouL noLlfylng Lhe lnsLrucLor prlor Lo Lhe sLarL of class wlll recelve a reducLlon ln
Lhelr overall aLLendance & parLlclpaLlon grade. uo noL expecL a warnlng or noLlflcaLlon of grade reducLlon.

Make-up Lxams: Make up exams wlll be offered only once per sLudenL wlLh proper documenLaLlon (e.g., docLor's
noLe) of absence and wlll be evaluaLed on a case-by-case basls. Make-up exams wlll be offered durlng offlce hours
and musL be compleLe by Lhe end of Lhe same worklng day Lhe sLudenL reLurns Lo class. Make up exams wlll noL be
offered beyond 2 weeks afLer lL ls scheduled on Lhe syllabus.

Late ass|gnments: LaLe means Lurned ln An?1lML Al1L8 Lhe end of scheduled class Llme on Lhe due daLe. 2
mlnuLes laLe and 2 hours laLe are LreaLed equally. LaLe asslgnmenLs wlll be accepLed for a 20 reducLlon ln grade.
(excepL parLlclpaLlon challenges - whlch can only recelve 30 credlL lf Lhe sLudenL ls noL presenL when due, and
presenLaLlon asslgnmenLs whlch cannoL be made up). LaLe asslgnmenLs wlll noL be accepLed beyond 1 class perlod
laLe. SLudenLs are responslble for rememberlng Lo Lurn ln asslgnmenLs (wheLher onllne or ln person) prlor Lo end
of class on Lhe due daLe. ln Lhe rare case LhaL a sLudenL ls noL able Lo aLLend class on Lhe daLe an asslgnmenL ls
due, Lhe sLudenL may submlL Lhe asslgnmenL elecLronlcally 8LlC8L Lhe end of class on Lhe asslgned day for full
credlL. lf you are havlng emall/lnLerneL lssues, you can fax lL Lo Lhe communlcaLlon deparLmenL or sllde lL under ur.
k's offlce door. 1here wlll be no excepLlons Lo Lhe laLe asslgnmenL pollcy.

Lma|| & L|ectron|c Commun|cat|on o||cy: l wlll prlorlLlze & make every efforL Lo respond Lo communlcaLlons senL
durlng vlrLual offlce hours ASA. Powever, for elecLronlc communlcaLlon occurrlng ouLslde of esLabllshed Cfflce
Pours:
" SLudenLs can expecL Lo geL a response Lo an emall from me wlLhln 48 hours of sendlng lL, ofLen much
sooner. lf you don'L hear from me wlLhln 48 hours, send a pollLe remlnder.
" lf you send me an emall or any oLher elecLronlc communlcaLlon and l do noL respond Lo lL, Lhen l dld noL
recelve lL. ?ou wlll always geL a response from me lf l recelved someLhlng.
" SLudenLs should noL expecL responses on weekends or afLer 6pm.
" Lmall sub[ecL llnes should lnclude: Class 1lLle & ?our name. e.g., Comm 203 - !ane uoe"
" ln case of real emergency needlng response ASA, add [emergency]" Lo sub[ecL llne. uon'L abuse Lhls!

Academ|c D|shonesty. Lach sLudenL ln Lhls course ls expecLed Lo ablde by Lhe Shepherd unlverslLy Academlc
lnLegrlLy rocedures found ln Lhe Shepherd unlverslLy SLudenL Pandbook
(hLLp://www.shepherd.edu/sLudenLs/sLudenLhandbook.pdf).
8y submlLLlng academlc work, sLudenLs warranL LhaL Lhe work ls Lhelr own and LhaL unauLhorlzed maLerlals or
resources were noL used. laglarlsm, fraud, unauLhorlzed use of resources-cheaLlng ln all lLs forms ls noL
LoleraLed. All members of Lhe Shepherd communlLy are responslble for malnLalnlng Lhelr own academlc lnLegrlLy
and for reporLlng suspecLed academlc dlshonesLy.
laglarlsm ls Lhe acL of sLeallng and uslng, as one's own, Lhe ldeas of anoLher or Lhe wrlLLen expresslon of Lhe ldeas
of anoLher. SLudenLs gullLy of academlc dlshonesLy ln any course wlll recelve sancLlon from Lhe course lnsLrucLor
and may face sancLlons by Lhe unlverslLy, parLlcularly lf Lhere ls a second reporLed offense. SancLlons may lnclude
dlsmlssal from Lhe unlverslLy. ln Lhls course you wlll fall any asslgnmenL you plaglarlze on. AddlLlonal sancLlons
may be Laken aL Lhe dlscreLlon of Lhe lnsLrucLor lncludlng buL noL llmlLed Lo reporLlng Lhe lncldenL Lo Lhe proper
unlverslLy auLhorlLles.
MaLLhew !. kushln, hu
Shepherd unlverslLy Course Syllabus .:. 6

D|sab|||ty Support Serv|ces: ulsablllLy SupporL Servlces aL Shepherd unlverslLy belleves LhaL every sLudenL should
succeed, and works closely wlLh sLudenLs Lo meeL Lhelr needs. SLudenLs requesLlng any dlsablllLy relaLed
accommodaLlon should conLacL Lhe ulsablllLy CoordlnaLor aL 304-876-3433. 1hls lncludes sLudenLs wlLh learnlng
dlsablllLles needlng classroom accommodaLlons, sLudenLs requesLlng speclflc houslng accommodaLlons for healLh-
relaLed reasons, and all oLher dlsablllLy accommodaLlons. AccommodaLlons need Lo be documenLed and provlded
Lo lnsLrucLors. lease see hLLp://www.shepherd.edu/mcssweb/dss/defaulL.hLml for more lnformaLlon.
.