[CMST 2A03] - Midterm Exam Guide - Comprehensive Notes for the exam (60 pages long!)

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Communication Studies
• Course: CMST 2A03
• Professor: Terry Flynn

Document Summary

The way we approach research has moved from a primarily informal to a formal, social scienti c approach. Moved from looking at large groups of people, publics to more targeted groups w/ specialized human characteristics such as speci ed demographics, psychographics, lifestyles and even net-graphics . Data are observations of some sort - ranging from simple to complex. Research is the beginning of a process that seeks to bring about a speci c objective. W/o research, we are left to y by the seats of their pants , and are reduced to taking at best educated guesses. Without research you cannot demonstrate the ef cacy of your program! Research & data are part of a continuous feedback/feedforward function: research planning and accurate data lead to valid assessments and analyses of public opinion and program effectiveness, and in the end may help to predict behavioural outcomes. Research is used to monitor & tack, measure & assess and nally evaluate actions.