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131 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Communication is |
- a systemic process through which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meaning. |
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Four part dissection of Communication definition |
Process: always ongoing systematic: involves a group of interrelated parts that affect one another Symbols: Arbitrary, abstract, Ambiguous Meaning: we actively construct meaning |
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Intrapersonal Communication |
communication with ones self |
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Interpersonal Communication |
communication between people the more personally one interacts with another the more interpersonal the communication is |
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Group/team communication |
communication in small groups: leadership, member roles, task agenda and conflict fantasy themes |
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fantasy themes |
an idea that spins out in a group and captures its social and task foci fantasy themes frame how group members think about what theyre doing and how they define success |
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public communication |
the original coms study public speaking |
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performance |
interaction between a performer and audience |
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media and new tech |
film radio and television medias effect/represent cultural values |
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organizational com |
understandings about identity and codes of thought and action that are shared by the members of an organization. |
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intercultural com |
communication between two people from different cultures |
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Breadth of Coms (8) |
Intrapersonal interpersonal performance organizational intercultural Group and team public media and new media and tech |
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communication is a _______ activity |
Symbolic |
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What are the three defining features of Symbols? |
Abstract: symbols arent concrete or tangible Arbitrary: no natural (intrinsic)relation to what it represents Ambiguous: meanings aren't clear cut, meanings change (are variable) and unclear |
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symbol define |
represent or stand for other things, but are not the things for which they stand |
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symbols allow us |
-to interpret (make sense of) events situations and experiences -to construct meaning -to live continuously in all three dimensions of time |
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monitoring |
is observing or managing your own thoughts, feelings, and actions. |
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humans construct |
meaning proactively, actively interpreting events, situations, experiences and relationships |
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to study communication theory is to |
study how we create meaning in our lives |
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why theorize? |
theories are a way of describing, explaining, and representing phenomenon. |
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4 goals of theory |
1. Description 2. Explanation 3. Prediction/Control, and understanding 4. Reform |
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Explanation (goal of theory) |
clarify how and why something works, how key features of the phenomena work together (laws and rules based explanations)
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Description (goal of theory) |
identify key features in the phenomena (you must describe before you can explain)
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Prediction/control and understanding (goals of theory) |
Prediction/control - predict the outcome of a phenomena then we can control it.
Understanding - how can a theory provide insight into a particular phenomenon? why do certain things happen? |
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Reform (goals of theory) |
(primarily critical theories) pursuit of positive social change scholarship should work to improve peoples lives in the world outside the academy |
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Laws Based Explanations |
- relies on universal laws to explain phenomena - suggests highly probable relationship between factors - causal or correlational |
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causal define |
x leads to y or y is a result of x |
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correlational define |
two things go together one doesn't cause another |
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Rules based explanation |
more restricted scope than laws attempt to identify patterns that describe/explain communication interactions in specific situations |
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evaluating theories (5) |
SHUT- P Scope Heurism Utility Parsimonious |
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Scope |
Does it offer a full description and explanation of the communication it studies? |
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Heurism |
is it Heuristic? does it generate new though and insight? |
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Utility |
Does it have Practical utility |
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Testability |
is it testable? |
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Parsimony |
is it parsimonious? is it appropriately simple? |
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Approaches to research (3) |
Quantitative: numerical data, statistical analysis (survey, experiments) Qualitative: identify themes and meanings of data, relies on description-based analysis. Critical Scholarship: design research methodology to identify what happens and why, but also what changes could be made to fix social injustices. |
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Shannon and Weaver (encoder decoder) model of communication 1949 |
speaker-encoder-(channel message noise)-decoder-receiver |
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Shannon and Weaver critique |
1. describes communication as a one way process (no feedback) 2. communicators are either the source or receiver 3.focus on information transmission only, not other dimensions of human communication |
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Shannon - weaver model |
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Rhetorical study |
unquestioned center of communication field (public speaking) focused only on the speaker not the audience |
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I.A Richard's theory |
General Semantics |
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What is the scope of general semantics |
everyday communication between people |
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What is the goal of general Semantics |
to avoid misunderstanding |
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General Semantics places emphasis on the |
Listener/audience/receivers |
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The Semantic triangle tells us that |
Symbols are arbitary |
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Semantic triangle there is no connection between the symbol and the referent |
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The Ladder of abstraction works how |
The bottom of the ladder is most specific and the rungs lose specificity as they go up, each higher rung is a category that encompasses everything below it. |
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Ladder of Abstraction |
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context |
refers to: history between communicators setting of the communication thoughts and feelings of the communicators field of experience: experiences, attitudes, values, beliefs ect |
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Meanings are Contextual |
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general Semantic Remedy's to miscommunication |
1. Intensional vs extensional orientation. 2. Ect. 3. Indexing 4. Feedforward |
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Ect |
General Sematics remedy add ect at the end of every sentence to remind of the variability of our words' meanings'. |
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Intensional vs Extensional Orientaion |
General Sematics remedy
(what you think you said) vs (what you really said) words are misleading so check your facts and state what you really mean |
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Indexing |
General Sematics remedy
a reminder that meanings change overtime by stating the time period your referencing |
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Feed forward |
General Sematics remedy
anticipate how your communication will be received and adapt your speech for the desired effect |
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Critiques of General Sematics |
Unpractical remedies poor utility value long communication times |
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Herbert Meads Theory |
Symbolic Interactionism |
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Symbolic Interactionism argues that |
Individuals can acquire identity only by interacting with others. As we do so, we learn the language and perspectives of our social communities |
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The six parts of Symbolic Interactionism |
The"Self" The "me" The "I" The "Looking Glass Self" The "Others" The "Self Fulfilling Prophecy" |
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Social "Self" |
Symbolic Interactionism develop self through social interactions with others Learning who we are based on social experiences ie) observing and interacting with others, responding and internalizing others' opinions of you |
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Self = |
Symbolic Interactionism Self = I + Me |
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"Me: |
Symbolic Interactionism Me: the socialized aspect of an individual (learned behaviors attitudes expectations of others in society) |
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"I" |
Symbolic Interactionsim "i": impuslive, imaginative, unruly (cares little about social rules and convention, driving force for all that is novel, unpredictable and unorganized in the Self) |
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"I" and "Me" are |
not opposing forces complimentary |
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Symbolic Interactionism "Mind": the ability to use symbols that have common social meanings. we acquire mind as we learn common symbol systems. A socialization process (become aware of social meanings for symbols, enables participation in social life or community) |
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"Looking glass self" |
Symbolic Interactionism Labels applied to us by others. Our ability to perceive how others perceive us |
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"Others" |
Symbolic Interactionism Particular other generalized other |
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Particular other |
Symbolic Interactionism Significant to us, family friends. Roletaking |
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Generalized other |
Symbolic Interactionism Viewpoints if the social group or community in which we live. |
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Role-taking |
Modeling ones self after a Particular Other |
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"Self fulfilling prophecy" |
When others ideas of who we are becomes who we are. ie. your so confident! You are so outgoing! |
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Critiques of Symbolic Interactionism |
1. Conceptual Inconsistencies 2. too broad or vague (not useful) 3. No Mention of Self-Esteem 4. Could it be too Heuristic |
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Ontology |
Do Humans have free will? Determinism vs free Will Throwness |
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Determinism |
Human Nature is Governed beyond the individuals control (enviroment and biology) |
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Free will |
Ontology Humans have the ability to interpret meaning, create meaning, and make choices |
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Throwness |
Humans are thrown into arbitrary conditions that affect our choices/opportunity/intersectionality. |
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Epistemology |
How do we know what we know? What is Knowledge? Objectivism Subjectivism (Creation of Meaning) |
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Objectivism |
(Epistemology) Knowledge already exists in the world, humans have to find it. Knowledge is Fact, Objective, one truth unaffected by human subjectivity |
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Subjectivism |
(Epistemology) Knowledge can differ from person to person because the intersectionality of an individual develops their reality, Humans create Meaning. |
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Kenneth Burke's Theory |
Dramatism |
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According to dramatism Humans are (think) |
Symbol using Animals think and perceive the world through language |
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Dramatism Key idea |
Language gives insight into who a person is and how they see things (their perspective) |
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In Dramatism, If we analyse a piece of Rhetoric |
We can determine a speakers motives |
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Dramatism (Define) |
An analytical process for gaining insight into a speakers motives and worldview |
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dramatism Identification |
the common ground that exists between the speaker and the audience (common experiences, goals ext) |
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Without Identification (dramatism) |
We cannot overcome division that exists between people. Divison Exists because people have substance |
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Substance (Dramatism) |
A persons traits, personality, beliefs, values... their General Nature. Causes division between peoples |
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According to dramatism, why do people communicate? |
Guilt: The human Condition, a sense of tension or discomfort, shame, uneasiness... Hierarchy Perfection |
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Hierarchy (Dramatism) |
a source for guilt Language allows us to create, identify and render judgement that provide the foundations for classes. Guilt is felt because you always wish you were higher or feel bad for those below |
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Perfection (Dramatism) |
A source for guilt Language allows us to "imagine" and strive for the ideal, humans are rotten with perfection Guilt is felt when one cannot reach the ideals and is stuck in reality |
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The Negative (Dramatism) |
A source for guilt Language allows for rules, moral codes that surround us we cant escape violating, we can name what we should not do. We feel guilt because we can break and violate these rules |
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Purging Guilt (dramatism) |
1. mortification 2. victimage 3. scapgoating (subset of victimage) |
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Mortification (dramatism) |
purge guilt through self blame, admitting they were wrong, asking for forgiveness. (accepts guilt) |
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Victimage (dramatism) |
Purge guilt by blaming an external source for wrong doing, not the speakers fault (relieves guilt) |
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Scapegoating (Dramatism) |
a common form of victimage where the speaker chooses a sacrificial vessel. that individuals destruction relieves guilt. |
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The guild redemption cycle |
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Method for analyzing Rhetoric to determine the speakers motives (Dramatism) |
Dramatistic Pentad |
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What are the five points on the Dramatistic Pentad |
Act- what Scene - where in the rhetoric Agent - who in the rhetoric Agency - what allowed this to happen purpose - why it happened |
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Critique of Dramatism |
Dramatism is obscure an confusing: interdisciplinary mix of jargon too broad a scope (tries to explain all communication) which leads to a lack of focus Only Guilt: Guilt is not the only compelling human emotion |
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Walter Fisher's Theory |
Narrative Paradigm |
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Narrative paradigm argues that |
-Humans are fundamentally storytellers -ost communication is in narrative form because that' how humans understand experience -Telling a Compelling story is more persuasive than logical arguments backed by evidence |
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Narration (Narrative Paradigm) |
people use words and actions to communicate meaning |
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Paradigm |
a conceptual framework, a universal model that calls for people to view events through a common lens |
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Rational World Paradigm |
-people are essentially rational decisions are made based off logic The Context determines the argument The world is a set of logical puzzles that we can (and are working to) solve; the world is something yet to be discovered |
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according to the narrative paradigm people make decisons based off |
good reasons, which are determined by matters of history, biography, cultures and character... Moral reasona |
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Narrative Paradigm argues that rationality is not based off quality of knowledge but is based on |
the fidelity of stories to ones own experiences and life |
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What are the standards of narrative rationality |
-Coherence (greater importance) -Fidelity |
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Coherence (Narrative paradigm) |
does the story make sense? is it internally consistent? Evaluate: the narrative structure, credibility of characters |
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Fidelity (Narrative Paradigm) |
does the story ring true? does it correspond with the listeners own experiences and beleifs? |
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Critique of the Narrative Paradigm |
Theory is Incomplete: doesnt describe all communication, is all communication narrative? Theory has too broad a scope: if all coms is narrative then there is no different types of com Conservative Bias: preserves the status quo, you only hear what you want to hear REBUTTAL: compelling narratives can change social life |
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Unlike ____, these three theories are more heuristic |
General Semantics, Dramatism, Narrative Paradigm, and Symbolic Interactionism |
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Assessing research |
Validity (Internal and External) Reliability Signifigance |
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Consubstantiality |
Our Identification with each other (our substance) |
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Standpoint Theory |
Subjective epistomology the view that the material, social, and symbolic circumstances of a social group affects what they experience think act and feel |
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Behaviourism |
a form of science that focuses on observable behaviors and that assumes meanings, motives, and other subjective phenomena dont exist or are irrelevant because they are only speculation Determinsitic |
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Humanism |
a form of science that focuses on human choices, motives, and meanings and assumes that reasons or causes of behaviors lie within humans, not outside of them freewill |
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brute facts |
objective concrete phenomena - the observable behaviors that behaviorists study |
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institutional facts |
what a brute fact means, what humanists wish to study |
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Quantitative research 3 methods |
1 Descriptive Statistics 2 surveys 3 experiements |
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Descriptive Statistics |
(Quan) use numbers to describe human behavior useful to describe the patterns and frequencies in human communication behavior |
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Survey |
an instrument, questionnaire, or interview that asks people to report on their experiences, feelings actions and so forth. Surveys can demonstrate patterns and relationships |
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Experiment |
(QUAN) is a controlled study that systematically manipulates one thing (independent variable) to see how it affects another thing (dependent variable) - hard to control communication |
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social desirability bias |
A tendency for research participants to give the answer they think is socially acceptable |
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Qualitative analysis methods |
Textual Analysis Ethnography |
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Textual analysis |
(QUAL) (Interpretive analysis) describing communication texts and interpreting their meaning |
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Ethnography |
(QUAL) attempts to discover what things mean to others by sensitive observation of human activity. Unobtrusive methods |
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Validity (assessing research) |
Truth or accuracy of a theory in measuring what it claims to measure |
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Internal Validity |
the degree to which the design and methods used to test a theory actually measure what they claim to |
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External Validity |
The generalizability of a theory across contexts, especially ones beyond the confines of experimental situations. Wether the theory applies in the real world. (ie people know their being observed and act differently) |
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Reliability (Assessing research) |
the consistent accuracy of measurement over time |
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Signifigance (Assessing research) |
the conceptual and pragmatic importance of a theory is it useful? |