TOPIC: Benchmark – Developing the Research Report This is the culmination of the lit review (Topic 2) and data collect

 TOPIC: Benchmark – Developing the Research Report

This is the culmination of the lit review (Topic 2) and data collection (Topic 4). ATTACHED

Demographic data and test stats need to be APA formatted—look in the Student Success Center for more information.

This course has offered you the foundational materials required for performing Communication Research. This assignment will give you the opportunity to bring all of this knowledge together in an abbreviated research paper.

Directions:

Write a research paper of a total of 1,500-2,600 words that discusses the research you have performed—using 30-40 participants. Include the following:

1. Introduction (100-200 words)

The purpose of the introduction is to familiarize your reader with the context of the research study. Paint a picture – in "broader strokes" – explaining the relevant cultural, historical, societal issues that inform this study. Explain, in short, how these ideas come together as a response to existing research.

2. Rationale for Research Questions (250-500 words)

The purpose of the rationale is to briefly summarize themes from the literature review and explain how these themes justify your research question and hypotheses.  

3. Methods (100-200 words)

The purpose of the methods section is to clearly explain data analysis, method, and rationale for test statistics. The survey must contain 30-40 participants. It is important to be systematic, detailed, and clear in the explanation of these processes/methods. This should include an explanation of your analysis for the open-ended question too.

4. Results (300-500 words)

The purpose of the results section is to clearly communicate your findings in the data collection and analysis portion of the project and relate these findings to your research questions and/or hypotheses. This section must include your test statistic (written in APA) and a table (also written in APA). In addition, you must show your thematic codes and exemplars.

5. Discussion (250-500 words)

The purpose of the discussion section is to interpret the results and share insights you have gained about the communication phenomena examined in the study. This should include a discussion of the meaning derived from both the quantitative test statistic and the open-ended analysis.

You should reflect on articles from literature review to discuss your findings.

6. Limitations and Future Research (250-500 words)

No research study can take into consideration every variable influencing the results or shaping the outcomes of the research, but this section provides the opportunity to reiterate the limited scope of the study ("This was accomplished, but due to other variables we were not able to…") and explain the unique variables that may skew results. In this section, you should explicitly discuss sampling techniques and measuring variables.

The other purpose of this section is to propose future investigations or directions for inquiry/research. Compare and contrast the strengths and weakness of survey style research and explain future opportunities for alternative methods of communication research. You must include discussion of either participant observation, textual analysis (qualitative or quantitative), or interviews/focus groups.

7. Conclusion (100-200 words)

8. References