CMN 2101 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Research, Confounding, Longitudinal Study

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Communication
• Course: CMN 2101
• Professor: Mohammed El Hashash

Document Summary

Why do we conduct research: to answer our questions, gather data, and then analyze, to determine if our hypothesis is true or not, disprove or challenge our perception in life. Social sciences are the study of human and social behavior (how we react, interact, make choices, etc. : political science, communication, sociology, etc. Natural sciences are the study if the physical world: physics, chemistry, biology, etc. (cid:862)natu(cid:396)al la(cid:449)s(cid:863) guide the natural sciences while social researchers still have trouble (cid:272)(cid:396)eati(cid:374)g (cid:862)la(cid:449)s(cid:863) o(cid:396) (cid:862)(cid:396)ules(cid:863) fo(cid:396) u(cid:374)de(cid:396)sta(cid:374)di(cid:374)g hu(cid:373)a(cid:374) (cid:271)eha(cid:448)io(cid:396) Generalizations are very difficult to draw from social science research. Perception vs. reality: biased questioning, limited sampling, selective attention, perception, and retention. Requires: systematic and deliberate methods, objective, intersubjective, replicable procedures (more information we have the better decision we can make) Consequences of perceived information: our health and well-being, social, political, and economic misconceptions. Human communication is: the process of making sense of the world and sharing that sense with others.