Briefly comment on the communication research report Essay

With rapid advancement of invigorated communication technologies, people currently ass freely and actively have a bun in the oven their own opinions in the new media. For example, the profit has dramatically changed the ways in which some individuals receive news and information, this is very big different from the tralatitious forms of communication. However, there are some correlation links between tralatitious tidy sum communication ways and modern new technology ways(Kotcher,1992Rubin, 1994).Roberts M, Wanta, W and Dzwo, T (2002) examined one aspect of the Internet electronic bulletin mount ups (EBBs). The design of this need is to investigate if conventional news media sources have an agenda-setting impact on the discussions taking place on the EBBs. In other words, the purpose of the study is to examine the agenda-setting answer and the role it may play on the Internet. The subject fields dominant methodology is denary. As we know, it is a critical slue that appr opriate methodology should be taken depending on different look topic. quantifiable forward motion and qualitative approach have their respective advantages and disadvantages (Fowler, 1993). Quantitative query, through surveys, gathers data about peoples knowledge, opinions, attitudes and behavior. Quantitative seek approach is procedured to generate new knowledge for evidence-based practice. Attention will be given to the advantages and disadvantages of Quantitative seek designs for large group seek, the principles of reliability and validity, the value of descriptive and inferential statistics and the importance of ethical research conduct.For the topic, it belongs to sociology category, so I think the researchers have used appropriate research approach (quantitative research approach) even though the approach has some disadvantages. This is because quantitative research approach for this topic has the fol griming advantages Large members of people elicit be studies the m ethod is relatively quick and relatively cheap the results are reliable, and typical of a much wider population than that directly investigated, the personal influence of the research on the results is slight and the data can easily be express in statistical form.This enables comparisons to be made between different groups and populations. For this study, the researchers use Internet, its main advantages are low/moderate cost to design low cost to send quick to analyse data easy for respondent to complete and can attach brochures, images, etc. However, Every survey methodology has its weaknesses, and online surveys are no exception. Not sure who is answering the survey. Like hop out studies, it is exhausting to insure the desired person actually answers the survey. Not congressman of the population.The Internet population has a slight bias towards younger, more than computing device literate users, though this is changing all the measure and becoming more representative of the population. Long surveys are more difficult. The personalities of todays online users makes it difficult to coerce respondents into completing long surveys. Not a mainstream research methodology, yet. With more experience and comparative analyses of online surveys versus mail and telephone results, online surveys should reach the same take of acceptance as other methodologies.For this research, the researchers use EBBs which has the above weaknesses too. For the researchs method, the researchers use tailfin steps (Roberts, 2002, P456-458) The first step imperative examines whether traditionalistic news media sources have an agenda-setting impact on the discussions taking place on the EBBs. They ask Do individuals take yield information gained from news media and sack up information about this issue online to other electronic bulletin board users? The second step is selecting the sample. The third step deals with defining categories, time frames, cryptanalytics units , and context units.The fourth step is gist analysis and the final and 5th step of means analysis process is to analyze and interpret the data. The five steps are typical research method that is used by many researchers (McMillan, 2000) and they are very similar with the quantities analysis approach (the scientific Method) which includes seven steps Defining the problem Developing a feign Acquiring Input Data Developing a Solution scrutiny the Solution Analyzing the Results and Implementing the Results (Render, 1982).The researchers use an ARIMA model cross-correlational test showed EBB discussions of three issuesimmigration, health care, and taxes-correlated with news media reporting, with time lags varying from 1 day to 7 days. In my opinion, the method is appropriate method for the topic. This investigation looks for a more decently effect than previous agenda-setting researchers. Because of the Internets dynamic characteristic of transmission system information from sen ders to receivers, researchers currently assume that our traditional theories of mass communication can directly apply to online communication (Wimmer, 1994).The researches have an accurate research questions or hypothesis that are how will the new online communication forms affect the agenda-setting process? Can we assume that the transfer of salience still follows the original hypothesis? How does the condensed and compressed environment of online communication affect what we know about time frame effects? All these questions are explored in their study. By quantitative research, the researchers concluded The results demonstrate the usefulness of examining the rule the Internet plays in the agenda-setting process.Media coverage apparently can provide individuals with information to use in their Internet discussions. As the Internet continues to become an important source of information, it in any case will become an important area for mass communication researchers. (Roberts, 2002, P464). The report also recommended future research should link other mass communication notional approaches with Internet usage. Despite the research has some definite problems online research has many more advantages than disadvantages.When surveying populations, which mimic the demographics of online users, online research can be a primary means of information collection. With other populations, online research can be effective as a supplement to more traditional survey approaches or as a quick impression of your customers (much bid qualitative approaches are used). For outlook, as the Internet continues to grow in popularity, investigations of the content of information being sent online similarly will increase in importance.The study takes an important step in linking the Internet to a mainstream mass communication theory.References Kotcher, R. L. (1992). The technological revolution has transformed crisis communication. Public Relations Quarterly, 37(3), 19-21. Rubin, R . , P. Palmgreen, and H. Sypher (1994 eds. ), converse seek Measures A Sourcebook, New York Guilford. Roberts, et al (2002), Agenda setting and issue salience online. Communication Research, Vol. 29 No. 4, August 452-465. Fowler, Floyd J. , Jr (1993).Survey Research Methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA Sage Publications. McMillan, S. J. (2000). The microscope and the moving target The challenge of applying content analysis to the World Wide Web. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 77, 80-98. Render, B and Stair, R. M (1982). Quantitative Analysis for Management ( The Second Edition). New York program library of congress Cataloging in Publication Data. Wimmer, R. D. and J. R. Dominick (1994), Mass Media Research An Introduction, 4th ed. Belmont, CA Wadsworth.