Special Topics (390-0-29)

Topic

Journalism Research Methods: Collecting & Analyzin

Instructors

Stephanie Lynn Edgerly

Meeting Info

McCormick Foundation Ctr 3127: Tues, Thurs 1:30PM - 2:50PM

Overview of class

Is Facebook saving or destroying the news industry? Are claims about young people ‘fleeing' from the news true? What type of story structure elicits the most attention from audiences? These are important questions facing today's news industry. They are also empirical questions that can be addressed through systematic data collection and analysis. This class focuses on the foundations of social science research as it relates to the field of journalism. The class is designed to accomplish three inter-related goals: 1) to introduce the basic process, concepts, and techniques of journalism research; (2) to provide a framework for exploring questions about journalism and its effects; and (3) to gain hands-on experience in the process of conducting empirical investigations. While no prior experience in research or statistics is required, the class will involve computing and analyzing basic descriptive statistics and regression models.

Registration Requirements

Sophomore standing

Class Materials (Required)

Babbie, Earl R. (2013). The basics of social research (6th edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

Class Attributes

Attendance at 1st class mandatory
No Freshmen

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for Medill Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors