COMMUNICATION IMPACT DESIGNING RESEARCH THAT MATTERS

DESIGNED AS AN ALTERNATIVE STAND-ALONE TEXT OR SUPPLEMENT TO CONVENTIONAL RESEARCH METHODS TEXTS, COMMUNICATION IMPACT INTRODUCES METHODS THROUGH ENGAGING NARRATIVE DESCRIPTIONS OF ACTUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS DRIVEN BY CONTEMPORARY REAL-WORLD QUESTIONS. THE FEATURED CASE STUDIES DEMONSTRATE THREE IMPORTANT POINTS 1) DOING COMMUNICATION RESEARCH IS AN ACTIVE, CREATIVE PROCESS; 2) ACTUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT-AND MUCH MORE EXCITING-THAN TYPICAL TEXTBOOK CASES; AND 3) COMMUNICATION RESEARCH GENERATES KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE WORLD. EACH CHAPTER ADDRESSES A DIFFERENT METHOD, INCLUDING COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH, RESEARCH ON ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS, PROBLEM-FOCUSED RESEARCH, CROSS-CULTURAL RESEARCH, AND RESEARCH ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES.