Mass Media Research: An Introduction

477 Pages·2010·4 MB·english

by  Roger D. Wimmer

MASS MEDIA RESEARCH
From the Wadsworth Series in Mass Communication and Journalism
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MASS MEDIA RESEARCH
An Introduction
ROGER D. WIMMER
Wimmer Research
JOSEPH R. DOMINICK
University of Georgia
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Mass Media Research: An Introduction, © 2011, 2006, 2003 Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Ninth Edition
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We would first like to thank our developmental editor, Stacey Sims, and our project manager,
Sini Sivaraman, for the enormous amount of work they accomplished in a very short time
period. Without their help, this edition would not have been completed on time.
Next, our families have supported us through some or all of the nine editions of this
book, and we would like to thank all of them . . .
Roger Wimmer: Darnell, Leigh, Shad, Crystal, Taylor, Jeremy, Dawn, Carl, Nancy, Mark,
Karen, Kelley, Justin, Rick, Carol, Suzanne, Ron, Kyle, Cristina, Ryan, Jennifer, Rob, Jillian,
Chris, Shane, Sondra, Nicole, Michael, and Mark
Joe Dominick: Carole, Meaghan, Aimee, Ron, Jeff, Aidan, Cassidy, Reagan, and Murray
We would also like to thank several people who read portions of the ninth edition
manuscript: Larry Barnes, Chuck Browning, Paul Douglas, Keith Duner, E. Karl Foulk,
Donna Kohnke, John Mocella, and Jennifer Samuel.
Finally, we thank all the teachers and students who have used Mass Media Research: An
Introduction in the past and those who will use it in the future.
Roger Wimmer
Joseph Dominick
BRIEF CONTENTS
Preface x Part Three
Data Analysis
Part One
Chapter 10
The Research Process
Introduction to Statistics 266
Chapter 1 Chapter 11
Science and Research 1 Hypothesis Testing 289
Chapter 2 Chapter 12
Elements of Research 42 Basic Statistical Procedures 304
Chapter 3
Research Ethics 64 Part Four
Research Applications
Chapter 4
Sampling 86 Chapter 13
Newspaper and Magazine
Part Two Research 332
Research Approaches
Chapter 14
Chapter 5 Research in the Electronic Media 350
Qualitative Research Methods 114 Chapter 15
Chapter 6 Research in Advertising 380
Content Analysis 155 Chapter 16
Chapter 7 Research in Public Relations 405
Survey Research 184
Chapter 8 Appendix Tables 423
Longitudinal Research 218 Glossary 438
Chapter 9 Name Index 448
Experimental Research 238
Subject Index 454
vi
CONTENTS
Preface x Levels of Measurement 51
Measurement Scales 53
Specialized Rating Scales 55
Part One
Reliability and Validity 57
The Research Process
Chapter 3
Chapter 1 Research Ethics 64
Science and Research 1
Ethics and the Research Process 65
Introduction 2 Why Be Ethical? 65
What Is Research? 2 General Ethical Theories 66
Getting Started 5 Ethical Principles 67
The Development of Mass Media Specific Ethical Problems 69
Research 6 Ethics and Online Research 81
Media Research and the Scientific
Method 9 Chapter 4
The Methods of Knowing 10 Sampling 86
Characteristics of the Scientific
Population and Sample 87
Method 11
Research Error 88
Two Sectors of Research: Academic
Types of Sampling Procedures 89
and Private 14
Sample Size 102
Research Procedures 16
Sampling Error 104
Determining Topic Relevance 20
Stating a Hypothesis or Research
Question 24
Part Two
Data Analysis and Interpretation 25
Internal Validity 26 Research Approaches
External Validity 31
Presenting Results 31 Chapter 5
Research Suppliers and Field Services 32 Qualitative Research Methods 114
Aims and Philosophy 115
Chapter 2
Data Analysis in Qualitative
Elements of Research 42
Research 119
Concepts and Constructs 43 Field Observation 124
Independent and Dependent Variables 44 Focus Groups 132
Qualitative and Quantitative Research 48 Intensive Interviews 139
The Nature of Measurement 49 Case Studies 140
vii
viii Contents
Ethnography 145 Chapter 9
Writing the Qualitative Research Experimental Research 238
Report 148
Advantages and Disadvantages of Laboratory
Experiments 239
Chapter 6
Conducting Experimental Research 241
Content Analysis 155
Control of Confounding Variables 243
Definition of Content Analysis 156 Experimental Design 246
Uses of Content Analysis 157 Field Experiments 254
Limitations of Content Analysis 159 Conducting Experiments Online 260
Steps in Content Analysis 160
Reliability 170
Part Three
Validity 175
Data Analysis
Examples of Content Analysis 176
Content Analysis and the Internet 177
Chapter 10
Chapter 7 Introduction to Statistics 266
Survey Research 184 Descriptive Statistics 267
Descriptive and Analytical Sample Distribution 282
Surveys 185 Data Transformation 286
Advantages and Disadvantages
of Survey Research 185 Chapter 11
Constructing Questions 186 Hypothesis Testing 289
Questionnaire Design 195
Research Questions and Hypotheses 290
Pretesting 200
Testing Hypotheses for Statistical
Gathering Survey Data 201
Significance 293
A Special Note on Using the Internet
Power Analysis 299
for Data Collection 211
Achieving a Reasonable
Chapter 12
Response Rate 212
Basic Statistical Procedures 304
General Problems in Survey
Research 213 History of Small-Sample Statistics 305
Degrees of Freedom 305
Chapter 8 Nonparametric Statistics 308
Parametric Statistics 312
Longitudinal Research 218
Development 219
Types of Longitudinal Studies 220 Part Four
Panel Studies 226 Research Applications
Special Panel Designs 230
Analyzing Causation in Panel Data 232
Chapter 13
Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Data
Newspaper and Magazine
in Longitudinal Research 233
Research 332
Longitudinal Research on
the Internet 233 Background 333
Longitudinal Design in Types of Research 335
Experiments 234 Website Usability Research 346
Contents ix
Chapter 14 Chapter 16
Research in the Electronic Media 350 Research in Public Relations 405
Background 351 Types of Public Relations Research 406
Ratings Research 352 Research in the Public Relations
Nonratings Research 369 Process 406
Public Relations Research and the
Chapter 15 Internet 418
Research in Advertising 380
Copy Testing 381 Appendix Tables 423
Media Research 388
Glossary 438
Campaign Assessment Research 393
Qualitative Techniques in Advertising
Name Index 448
Research 395
Advertising Research and the Internet 399 Subject Index 454