A synergy between academia and activism has long been a goal of both scholars and advocacy organizations in communications research. The essays in Communications Research in Action demonstrate, for the first time in one volume, how an effective partnership between the two can contribute to a more democratic public sphere by helping to break down the digital divide to allow greater access to critical technologies, democratizing the corporate ownership of the media industry, and offering myriad opportunities for varied articulation of individuals’ ideas. Essays spanning topics such as the effect of ownership concentration on children’s television programming, the media’s impact on community building, and the global consequences of communications research will not only be valuable to scholars, activists, and media policy makers but will also be instrumental in serving as a template for further exploration in collaboration.

The action theoretical approach has already proved its value as a framework for communication research, most especially in the study of media audiences and media use. The approach privileges the perspective of the acting individual but offers guidelines for connecting the subjective orientation with networks of social interaction and for treating 'behaviour' as a social process. Research within this framework takes account of the wider social context and calls for a careful combination of empirical observation and interpretation, with a corresponding diversity of methodologies. The contributions to the volume shed light on the significance of media use in everyday experience and contribute to an understanding of communication in society.

Approaches to conducting advertising, mass-media audiences, and mass-media efficiency research in organizational and development contexts are detailed in this reference. Among the topics covered are qualitative and quantitative approaches to research methodology, the steps involved in the research process, data collection, and the procedures used in applying a research design and interpreting research data. Designed to accommodate a variety of learning styles, this book imparts the framework in which to acquire and develop research, problem solving, and communication skills, and basic individual, moral, and ethical values.

This third edition is again a practical introduction to communication research methods, foregrounding the role research plays in communication and media industry careers. Covering major methodologies such as surveys, experiments, focus groups, in-depth interviews, content analysis, and others, the book takes the reader through the research process from beginning to end. The text continues to help students link the research methods they learn to practical contexts through its activities and features, which include Voices From Industry boxes written by practitioners that give insight into application of methods; Steps to Success research review checklists; and numerous end-of-chapter activities to reinforce concepts. This third edition contains updates throughout, including an expanded discussion of reliability and validity across both qualitative and quantitative research contexts as well as new Research in Action boxes that showcase how research is used in professional and public contexts. The text is ideally suited to both undergraduate and graduate courses in communication research methods within communication, media, and mass communication programs. Online resources, including sample syllabi, PowerPoint slides, and test banks are available at www.routledge.com/9781032288819.

Thoroughly revised and updated, this third edition integrates perspectives from the social sciences and the humanities, focusing on methodology as a strategic level of analysis that joins practical applications with theoretical issues. The Handbook comprises three main elements: historical accounts of the development of key concepts and research traditions; systematic reviews of media organizations, discourses, and users, as well as of the wider social and cultural contexts of communication; and practical guidelines with sample studies, taking readers through the different stages of a research process and reflecting on the social uses and consequences of research. Updates to this edition include: An overview of the interrelations between networked, mass, and interpersonal communication. A new chapter on digital methods. Three chapters illustrating different varieties of media and communication research, including industry–academic collaboration and participatory action research. Presentation and discussion of public issues such as surveillance and the reconfiguration of local and global media institutions. This book is an invaluable reference work for students and researchers in the fields of media, communication, and cultural studies.

An authoritative survey of different contexts, methodologies, and theories of applied communication The field of Applied Communication Research (ACR) has made substantial progress over the past five decades in studying communication problems, and in making contributions to help solve them. Changes in society, human relationships, climate and the environment, and digital media have presented myriad contexts in which to apply communication theory. The Handbook of Applied Communication Research addresses a wide array of contemporary communication issues, their research implications in various contexts, and the challenges and opportunities for using communication to manage problems. This innovative work brings together the diverse perspectives of a team of notable international scholars from across disciplines. The Handbook of Applied Communication Research includes discussion and analysis spread across two comprehensive volumes. Volume one introduces ACR, explores what is possible in the field, and examines theoretical perspectives, organizational communication, risk and crisis communication, and media, data, design, and technology. The second volume focuses on real-world communication topics such as health and education communication, legal, ethical, and policy issues, and volunteerism, social justice, and communication activism. Each chapter addresses a specific issue or concern, and discusses the choices faced by participants in the communication process. This important contribution to communication research: Explores how various communication contexts are best approached Addresses balancing scientific findings with social and cultural issues Discusses how and to what extent media can mitigate the effects of adverse events Features original findings from ongoing research programs and original communication models and frameworks Presents the best available research and insights on where current research and best practices should move in the future A major addition to the body of knowledge in the field, The Handbook of Applied Communication Research is an invaluable work for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and scholars.