Communication Research Design
** available as of 06/15/2026
** available as of 06/15/2026
Prerequisites: COMM 175.
Introduction to research design with a focus on public communication and real-world ethical application, designed for undergraduate students from a range of disciplines. The course will review qualitative and quantitative approaches to inquiry and apply these approaches to social and communication problems. Students will learn how to structure research projects, collect and analyze data, and critically reflect on the relationship between research questions and the methods we use to answer them. No prior experience with research methods is required.
Outcomes: Describe the key components of a research design, including the problem statement, research questions, methodology, and data collection strategy; Evaluate at least two published research studies, identifying strengths and limitations in their design choices and analyzing how those choices affect interpretation of results; Develop and present a proposal for a small-scale research study that includes a clearly defined research question, identification of key variables, justification of selected methods, and a detailed data collection plan.
Introduction to research design with a focus on public communication and real-world ethical application, designed for undergraduate students from a range of disciplines. The course will review qualitative and quantitative approaches to inquiry and apply these approaches to social and communication problems. Students will learn how to structure research projects, collect and analyze data, and critically reflect on the relationship between research questions and the methods we use to answer them. No prior experience with research methods is required.
Outcomes: Describe the key components of a research design, including the problem statement, research questions, methodology, and data collection strategy; Evaluate at least two published research studies, identifying strengths and limitations in their design choices and analyzing how those choices affect interpretation of results; Develop and present a proposal for a small-scale research study that includes a clearly defined research question, identification of key variables, justification of selected methods, and a detailed data collection plan.