Finding Credible Sources

CREDIBLE SOURCES USED WHEN DEVELOPING QUALITATIVE RESERCH PROJECT Source 1 Qualitative Research: Defining and Designing. Sage publications http://www.google.co.za/url?url=http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/48453_ch_1.pdf&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ei=q5yUU4b6O-Pb7AblkoDwDw&ved=0CBkQFjAA&sig2=ZR2fh3aeEDXeRWLHepxJZA&usg=AFQjCNHJZg0p2rksGpbwU_Yw4GS_Ys9P2w The writing states that ultimately, there is no right or wrong way of conducting a qualitative research project. Some approaches are more favorable than others. Qualitative research is placed the observer in the universe. It consists of a set of interpretive, material practices that makes the world visible. It turns the universe into a series of presentation and narrates the story in a natural form by its naturalistic approach to the world. The reason for choosing this publication as a credible source is that the author recognises that there is no ultimate definition to qualitative research. The other thing is that the author recognizes the inputs from other authors. The use of the diagram in explaining the topology of qualitative research demonstrates how the author understands the topic. Source 2 Qualitative Media Analysis Altheide, DL. 1996. Qualitative Media Analysis: qualitative research methods series 38. A SAGE University paper. SAGE publications. The purpose of the author in this book is to convey the sense of the total qualitative research project. In this book we traditional concept of objective content analysis on qualitative research is merged together with participation observation to form ethnographic content analysis. The book is credible source as it is suitable for both students and professional which allows an individual to apply at the practical environment after completing the academic portion. The appendix that includes references that are used in the book, which makes it credible. Also the fact that is part of a series of at publications which can be used for reference and continuation of study. Source 3 Media Research Methods Gunter, B. 2000. Media Research Methods: measuring audience, reaction and impact. A SAGE University paper. SAGE publications. Qualitative method of research in this book is being explained as a method that holds methodologies that are theoretically framed by critical social science. Again it explains that qualitative research practices the methodology that allows respondents to converse freely about their media experiences, choosing their own answers and their own language. The author here gives a detailed theoretical background of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. When defining in detail the qualitative methods he gives in details all qualitative research methods which indicate his understanding of the method. The content of the book has been put in such a way that it makes it easier for the reader to understand the whole view of the book. Source 4 Mass Communication Research Singletary, M. 1994. Mass Communication Research: contemporary methods and application. University of Tennese, Knoxville. Longman publications. The characteristics of qualitative research in the book are being defined as it attaches meaning to human behavior which is made up of responses to stimuli in the world. It states the goal of qualitative research is to understand the world from the perspective of the people being studied. The book is chosen as a credible source because if the way it has been put together. The first part of the book where the contents are arranged in parts, which makes it an easy to read book. The second part of the preface where it illuminates in detail what the book covers. Acknowledging all the contributors to the book is the most impacting part as a credible source as it even highlights the academic records of the contributors. Source 5 Doing Media Research Priest, SH. 2010. Doing Media Research: an introduction. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. SAGE publications. Qualitative research in this book is defined by explaining the different ways to conduct the research process. Here the uniqueness of qualitative research, which is the setting, people, or material under study, keeping good records, and all other elements of qualitative research is being recognized. The source has been chosen to be a credible source as it explains the concept of mass communication as a research field, then goes into detail on both the quantitative and qualitative method. This allows the student to be able to analyse and critisise both methods and arrive into a conclusion as to method to deploy for the research in question. Source 6 What is Qualitative Research? http://www.bloomsburyacademic.com/view/What-Is-Qualitative-Research/chapter-ba-9781849666084-chapter-001.xml?print Qualitative research is being defined in three different definitions that illustrate the author’s understanding of the subject. As these three definitions make clear, what are taken as the defining criteria of qualitative research can vary considerably? This perhaps tells us that it is not a simple phenomenon, not one that is easily characterised. It is being defined as a form of social inquiry that tends to adopt a flexible and data-driven research design, to use relatively unstructured data, to emphasize the essential role of subjectivity in the research process. The author is credible as he makes his contrast to quantitative research.

Qualitative Research, Textual Analysis and Ethics in Media Research

Welcome to my Blog, my name is Bertha Sekgothe. Regard myself as a developing media specialist hence I am pursuing my career in media studies. I am employed by the top Pay TV Company in Africa. Having obtained a junior Diploma in telecommunications that’s where my interest in communication science evolved. Behind the career woman that I am, you are looking at very fun loving, energetic and accomplishment driven woman.

The interest in this topic was deduced from the inquisitive mind that I have and the fact that I have never found myself in a day or less not interacting in any form of media platforms, either formal media or social media. The other thing is the enquiry on the impact of media on our identification. “The power of the media” Research is not a once off study but it is an ongoing process, I am looking forward to continue with my topic until to Doctorate level. By the end of this course I am anticipating to have achieved in becoming a better research specialist and come up with continual research processes in this field of study.

The purpose of my blog as mentioned earlier is to explore the impact of media on our identification as individual and engage will fellow student in broadening the spectrum of my understanding of media research. As I am conducting a lot of research on my professional and personal level

RESEARCH PROCESS

Wimmer & Dominick 2009 argues to that research is an attempt to discover something. It is a never ending process. In most instances, a research project designed to answer one series of questions produces a new set of questions no one thought of before.

According to Priest (2010:35), mass communication research is a latecomer among other social science fields. It borrows most of its methods from other social science fields such as anthropology, sociology, and psychology – as well as history, economics another relative latecomer: political science.

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

According to (Wimmer & Dominick: 2006) textual analysis is popular with mass media researchers because it is an efficient way to investigate the content of the media, such as the number and types of advertisements in broadcasting or the print media.

In content analysis, researchers are more interested in the meanings associated with messages than with the number of times message variables occur. ( Frey, Botan, & Kreps.1999

Another definition of content analysis argued from ( Berger 1991:25) is that it is research based on measuring the amount of something ( e.g. violence, negative portrayal  of women or whatever) found in representative samples of a mass-mediated popular art form.(Fourie 2009:5)

From the above reflections of content analysis from different researchers, it can be established that textual analysis is a key research tool and best suited to analyse the effect of mass on identification of individual and society at large furthermore media research can rightfully call its own.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Priest (2010:6) states that qualitative research methods are designed to explore and assess things that cannot be easily summarised numerically. The method relies on the interpretation and analysis of what people do and say without making heavy use of measurement or numerical analysis as quantitative methods do.

Furthermore Stokes (2003:3) mentions that in contrast qualitative research is the name given to a range of research paradigms that are primarily concerned with meaning and interpretation. These interpretive approaches sprang the literacy studies and hermeneutics.

As qualitative research method relies on the interpretation of data and its concern with meaning and interpretation, making  it a very good reason that it is used researching media and cultural studies. The method used narrative data, such as television programmes, magazines also including audio recordings and other forms of non-quantitative data.

ETHICS IN MEDIA STUDIES RESERCH

“Being ethical is the right thing to do” Wimmer & Dominick (2006:67).According to Oosthuizen (2010:5) ethics deal with the moral component of human life. As a branch of Philosophy, it focuses on what is good, acceptable and proper in the society, and what is not.

Specifically for this context of this theme “ethics” can be described as those principles that describe “good” and “effective” research in media studies. (University of South Africa 2014:46).Qualitative research can sometimes give the impression of being subjective in nature because of the active role of researchers, thus strategies to relate in an ethical way requires to be developed.

FIVE CORE PRINSIPLES OF QUALITATIVE RESERCH ETHICS

Privacy and confidentiality

Any individual participating in a research study has a reasonable expectation that privacy will be guaranteed. Consequently, no identifying information about the individual should be revealed in written or other communication. Further, any group or organization participating in a research study has a reasonable expectation that its identity will not be revealed. I would like you to think about privacy of two kinds: institutional and individual. (Ethical issues in qualitative research, Chapter4….)

Voluntarily participation in research, according to Wimmer & Dominick (2006:69) an individual is entitled to decline or participate in any research project or to terminate participation at any time. Researchers in an authority role should not manipulate participant to engage on research. For example a manager in an industrial environment should not coerce subordinates to get involved in a survey for the benefit of being recognized as a team work initiative.

Closely related to voluntary participation is the notion of informed consent, states Wimmer & Dominick (2006:69). He further mentions that for people to volunteer for a research project, they need to make an intelligent choice. Researchers must inform the participant of all they are required to know about the research and also obligated to respond to all concerns from the participants. For incase in an online survey, participant should be notified as to how many questions the survey has, also that in participating in the online survey the participant can be exempted from telephonic survey that is going to be conducted in the next two weeks.

Concealment and deception

Concealment is withholding certain information from the subject and deception is deliberately providing false information. Wimmer & Dominick (2006:72) Researchers should make sure that they provide an environment that is trustworthy. At the same time, they need to be sensitive to the power that they hold over participants.

SOURCES CONSULTED

Wimmer, RD & Dominick, JR. 2006. Mass media research: an introduction. 10th edition. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth.

Frey, L., Botan, C., & Kreps, G. (1999). Investigating communication: An introduction to research methods. (2nd Ed.) Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Fourie, P J(Ed.). 2009. Media Content and Media Volume 3. Juta

Priest, SH. 2010. Doing Media Research: an introduction. University of Nevada,Las Vegas. SAGE. 2^nd edition

Stokes, J. 2003. How to do media and cultural studies research. London:Sage

Oosthuizen, LM. 2010. Media Ethics, In the South African Context: an introduction an overview. Juta

University of South Africa. Department of communication science.2014.Media Reserch:Tutorial Letter 101/2014 for COM4802. Pretoria

Ethical issues in qualitative research, Chapter4. [Online] Available from: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/upm-data/27011_4.pdf  [Accessed: 2014-06-06]