All communication campaigns begin and end with research. Progressing in your career requires the ability to process and digest research. In management positions, you’ll be required to commission others to manage this process. Conducting and assigning research work requires a deep understanding of methodology, critical thinking, and communication of findings.

This course is an introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods in communication.

In this course you will:

• learn key research terms
• understand the logic of strategic communication research
• be exposed to various research methods
• develop a framework to constructively criticize research
• gain the experience to direct research projects
• create and deliver a presentation about research that accounts for content, purpose, and target audience

In this course you will increase your understanding of strategic surveying by delving into research and questionnaires, and drafting survey questions. Other topics focus on content analysis, quantitative data and focus group analysis, qualitative data collection and analysis, observation and interviewing techniques, and research ethics.

The final assignment challenges you to design a survey, content analysis, or experiment.

Course objectives:

• describe the foundations of social science research and the critical role of research in communication campaigns
• explain the logic of variables and hypothesis testing
• apply practical qualitative and quantitative research skills to communication-related research questions
• evaluate communication research using social science principles and best practice
• create and deliver a presentation about research methodologies in communication that accounts for content, purpose, and target audience
• apply basic statistics to analyze quantitative data

Click here for the official course description from the American University Catalog

Learn more today. Call us at 855-725-7614 to speak to an admissions representative, or request more information here.