CCT208H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Max Horkheimer, Frankfurt School
4 Jul 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
CCT208 – Communications Research Methods
Week 1, Class 1 – Intro to Course and Communication Research
Starting Point
Your past experience with social research is largely theoretical
oThis class is interested in empirical research
“research which involves observations made through the senses/collection of
data about people and social context through a range of methods”
Have to go out into world and collect data, not like theoretical which is
largely reading theories
Physically interacting with world
Research
oBroad concept
oIdeas, rules, techniques, approaches used by the
oIn communication as part of the Social Sciences
Media
oAny means by which humans seek to extend the senses
Theory
oTheory plays a role in how we approach research
oWhat is theory?
“an explanation of certain observed regularities or patterns“
Theories are formed as explanations
Types of theories:
3 blocks of theory types
oEmpirical generalization -> middle-range -> grand
Abstraction as you go from left to right
Theory becomes more abstract
oEmpirical Generalization
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Identified the regularity/pattern without tying it to a
theory yet – just a generalization observed
Concrete observation – not abstraction at all
oMiddle-Range Theories
Offering reasons for one small phenomenon – not trying
to explain the whole world
Most commonly worked with in this class
oGrand Theory
Most abstract – tries to explain how all of the world
functions
Can’t do much with these theories to study
small areas of life
Many “-ism” theories (ex. feminism, structuralism, etc.)
Connecting theory to research – what makes research good?
oEpistemology
What is acceptable knowledge?
oOntology
How does reality exist?
oCan answer these questions with grand theories, referred to as paradigms
Paradigms –answering the –ology questions
o3 major paradigms/approaches to epistemology in social research:
Positivist
Interpretive
Critical
o2 main paradigms of ontology
Objectivism
Constructionism/constructivism
oObvious critiques to all these approaches
Some overlap too
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Week 1, class 1 intro to course and communication research. Your past experience with social research is largely theoretical: this class is interested in empirical research. Research which involves observations made through the senses/collection of data about people and social context through a range of methods . Have to go out into world and collect data, not like theoretical which is largely reading theories. Research: broad concept, ideas, rules, techniques, approaches used by the, in communication as part of the social sciences. Media: any means by which humans seek to extend the senses. An explanation of certain observed regularities or patterns . 3 blocks of theory types: empirical generalization -> middle-range -> grand. Abstraction as you go from left to right. Identified the regularity/pattern without tying it to a theory yet just a generalization observed. Concrete observation not abstraction at all: middle-range theories. Offering reasons for one small phenomenon not trying to explain the whole world.
