Methodology for Communication Sciences
Code
73201100
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Ciências da Comunicação
Credits
10
Teacher in charge
João Mário Grilo
Weekly hours
2
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
The Seminar presents the principal methods by means of which the Sciences of Communication, that are a knowledge multidisciplinary field, develop their research and produce their results.
Their main goals are to make each student able to:
(i) knowing the principal methods and analysis tools used to conduct research in the Sciences of Communication field;
(ii) using two of those methods, at least, to produce results, on his or her own, and in particular the method(s) most appropriate to the research conducting to the development of his or her dissertation;
(iii) knowing how to assess the quality of the reached results according to both the virtualities or limitations of the method itself and to the particular case it was applied to.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
Within the Social and Human Sciences epistemology and, in particular, the Sciences of Communication, and within the Theories foundation, diverse Methodologies are used: quantitative (e.g. statistic), qualitative (e.g. semiotic analysis, logic analysis) and mixed (e.g. historical analysis).
These methodologies reliability depends, to a great extent, upon the way each one works regarding a condition ceteris paribus.
1 - Main methodological procedures in research concerning the communications interdisciplinary area.
2 - Methodological procedure defined as a systematized set of actions-type circumscribing a specific practice and whose implementation conducts to reaching results.
3 - Adoption of a methodology and possibility of repetition: a poetic act, for instance, is not, in principle, repeatable; a methodological procedure can be taught, adopted and repeated.
Bibliography
A. A. Berger, Media Analysis Techniques 2005, Sage Publications, USA
A. Giddens, New Rules of Sociological Method 1993, Stanford University Press
A. Hansen, Mass Communication Research Methods 2009, Sage Publications, USA
Christian Fuchs, Foundations of Critical Media and Information Studies 2011, Routledge, New York
K. Jensen e N. Jankowski, A Handbook of Qualitative Methodologies for Mass Communication Research 2002 (1991), Routledge, New York
K. Jensen, A Handbook of Media and Communication Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies 2002, Routledge, New York
Sonja Foss, William Waters, Destination Dissertation: A Traveler´s Guide to a Done Dissertation
2007, Rowman P., USA
T. Lindlof e B. Taylor, Qualitative Communication Research Methods
2002, Sage Publications, USA
Teaching method
This curricular unit will count with the participation of more than one doctorate teacher or researcher, under the coordination of the responsible teacher. The presentation of each methodology (for example, logic analysis, semiotic analysis, quantitative methods, focus groups, etc.) will be entrusted to a Departments doctorate teacher or a doctorate researcher member of one of the Centers associated to the Program.
A session for exposing the theoretical and methodological foundation at stake. A second session for presenting the methodologys uses and critical exam of their results.
During every session, there will always be time for discussion between the lecturer and other participants, especially the doctoral students.
Evaluation method
Participation in the seminar.
Presentation of a written essay.
Quality and discussing of the essay presented.