DSU 5321- Communication Research REG No: 314223656

1. Communication Research is inter connected with three philosophical concepts.

Explain.
In the process of communication research is a systematic investigation of asking
questions and getting or seeking answers although research is may be pio or applied in
nature, uses variety of method as qualitative, quantitative or mix methods a research
philosophy is a belief about the way in which data about a phenomenon should be
gathered, analyzed and used. The term epistemology as what is known to be true as
opposed to what is believed to be true, circle the various philosophies of research
approach the purpose of the science, then is the process of transforming things believe
in to things known. Two major research philosophies have identified as positivist and
sometime called scientific and interpritivist also known as anti-positivist. When we
talk about place of research in philosophy it is interconnected with three basic
concepts as ontology epistemology and methodology.

Ontology is a system of belief that reflects and interpretation by an individual what

constitute a fact it is about the nature of reality as study of what there is, including
what is possible while epistemology concern knowledge and how we obtain it
example as consciousness, the ontological state of being conscious, is confounded
with the epistemological condition of knowing that one is conscious. Actually these
two philosophical concepts deals with the actual reality and epistemology as what we
discuss as reality to be.in ontology study concepts, theories and variables and so on
that exist in the world. These two elements is important of the philosophy of
knowledge. Epistemology is internal to the researcher it is how they see the world
around them and ontology describes the nature of the reality. Knowledge such as
belief, faith, and institution based on feelings rather than facts and another way of
information getting from people, books and also logical knowledge is arrived at by
reasoning from one point e.g. Point A to point B then the empirical knowledge based
on demonstrable, objective facts are determined through observations and
experimentations

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There are three types of epistemologies: objectivism subjectivism and constructivism
Objectivism is the idea that meaning or meaningful reality exists and can be
increasingly known through the accumulation of more complete information
theoretical perspectives as positivism and post positivism and methodology as
experimental research and survey research are examples. The second form of
epistemology is constructionism, depends on human knowledge and believes there is
no real situation objective truth is depends on our discovery of it and also it is our
own engagement of the truth in real world situations and the constructionist theory
believes that there is no meaningful reality that outside the mind but the knowledge of
the world is always a human and social construction in here human feelings is not
much considered. The third epistemological stage is subjectivism, this is in structure
list, post-structure list and post- modernist forms of thought this is similar to what
constructionism describes everything from the choice of topic that one, studies, to
formulating hypothesis, to selecting methodologies and interpreting data.

Positivism and interpritivist are the two basic approaches to research methods in
sociology positivist prefer scientific quantitative methods, while interpritivist prefer
humanistic qualitative methods. Positivism is a philosophical theory stating that
certain knowledge is based on natural phenomena and their properties and relations.
Thus, information derived forms the source of all certain knowledge as sensory
experience, through reasons and logic the positivism holds that valid knowledge as
truth and also positivism based on empiricism. Positivism also holds that society, like
the physical world it is a humanity condition.
According to philosophical views as positivism believes that human knowledge is
depends on scientific interpretation of observational data such as in natural sciences
(e.g. hypotheses testing, causal explanations and modelling) human behaviors
depends on regularities in opposite to that interpritivist shows that social world is not
governed by regularities . Researchers recognize their personal, cultural and historical
experiences not depends on theory as natural sciences. And also research
methodology includes three dimensions as research strategies, research methods, and
data these three dimensions provide appropriate techniques for every part of the
research
So communication research is philosophically inter connected with three
philosophical concepts as ontology, epistemology and methodology.
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2. Communication research involves few basic steps discuss with sufficient
examples.

Communication, means the transmission of data, information, attitude, ideas or emotions

from one person or a group to another person or group, there are barriers or problems in
communication so communication research helps to researcher to resolve those problems
through social Science research method as communication research when we talk about
communication research as a Social Science research it is few basic or general steps such
as communication knowledge, symbols meaning and message, reason and experiences,
design and conduct study new knowledge and communication knowledge.

Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies can be used in study of communication

same as other Social Science research these two methodologies helps to explain human
communication what was observed.in communication knowledge communication as the
interactively conveying assessment, experiences, or skills through verbal and non-verbal
communication in the knowledge communication process it describes about knowledge of
domain, discourse knowledge and mediating knowledge.

In communication process , a message is defined as information conveyed by words in

speech or writing and other signs and symbols the origin of the message in the
communication process is the sender; the sender conveys the message to the receiver a
sender transmits a message through a medium a receiver decodes the message . a message
may include verbal content, such as written or spoken words, sign language, e mail, text
message, phone calls and even sky writing. And also data processing in communication
achieved through the symbols take the forms of the words, sounds, gestures, ideas or
visual images and are used to convey other ideas and beliefs.

The study of communication uses quantitative or qualitative methods to look for patterns
of messages or communication behaviors the data must be able to be verified through the
observations and experiences in these communication studies communication research
intended peoples culture, life style, behaviors and motivations, interest and also needs so
the so the experiences of the researcher and the public helps to build a strong research
with real situations. The research area of knowledge communication is innovative then it
helps to enhance the quality and quantity of the research so new knowledge helps to re
new the research with bundle of advantages for society, culture and any field of
communication and also reduce the barriers in communication process and research

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Research is cumulative as researchers builds their studies upon the existing knowledge
derived from the past scientific research and similar new newer knowledge findings. In
here studying the literature helps the researcher to approach best research with existing
knowledge. Researcher can design the study based on their reasons and experiences and
with the new knowledge comparing with the communication knowledge. In the research
design process for an example on experimental research design refers to observational
studies, such as a survey or a content analysis. In observational studies a researcher
collects observations using a research instrument, such as questioners in surveys, and then
performs statistical tests on the data.

In quantitative research methods when we design the research, for an example when it
consider the research topic as success of the health communication programs this research
intend to audiences culture life style, behaviors, motivations and experiences this
knowledge and experience helps to design quantitative or qualitative research design.

methods scientific approach of the communication research in according to few step

process it is continuously engage with the process as communication knowledge, symbols
meanings and message, reasons and experiences design and conduct study finally new
knowledge to communication knowledge.

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