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COMM 402: Study Guide Wednesday Oct. 3rdBe able to define and identify types of logical thinking: abduction, induction, deduction.Abduction:A, B, and C occur. Process P would explain A, B, and C. Perhaps P is happeningbegin by collecting clues into a first suspicion or hypothesisseries of focused observationsInduction:summarize observations and evidencegeneralization to hypothesisex: they all have 4 legs and long necks and are all called llamas concluding that 4 legged long neck animals are called llamasDeduction:General rule applies to specific caseHypothesis to generalizationEx: I’m a girl and I have long hair so if you’re a girl you must have long hairHow do arguments relate to theory and data?Theory offers premiseData can test and extend premise  which backs up an argumentConclusions are new theoriesA causes B  take data & testEx: A causes B but only for males  in conclusion, new theory that includes both males and femalesArguing toward theory  theory and data should be high qualityTheory’s quality  truth (accuracy), beauty (aesthetic), justice (moralit)Summarize evidence (induction particular observation to a generalization, results in a probable conclusion) Generate hypotheses and other implications (deduction, substitution, generalization to a particular observation, results in acertain conclusion)Begin by collecting clues into a first suspicion or hypothesis (abduction, results in a hypothesis that can be tested, reasoningto the best conclusion) Type of methodology – quantitative, critical, qualitative – doesn’t matter in these respectsData: Authentic (reliable and valid) Even recognizing the phenomena is not simple; operationalization can be controversial (relational happiness – Scale?Duration? Observer’s judgment? How to collect data, how to measure it) Operational definition is one that gives measuring instructions, can put an idea into operation Investigator interpretative or distanced? (eg data from respondents point of view or quasi-objective?) Involvement will increase quality of data but might change the data itselfDefine procedures, methods, observations, predictions, syllogism, premise, falsification, control groups, test verification, random assignment, comparison group, pre-tests, validity. ethos, credibility.○ procedures: established method: an established or correct method of doing something○ methods: Syn: theory, paradigm, hypothesis, idea. General method: observe, then speculate ** weird **○ observations: The action or process of observing something or someone carefully or in order to gain information.○ predictions: a statement made about the future○ syllogism: (deductive argument) Socrates examplelogical argument in which one proposition (the conclusion) is inferred from two or more others (the premises) of a specific form○ premise: A previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion.Ex:● major premise: All men are mortal● minor premise: Socrates is a man● conclusion: Socrates is mortal.○ falsification: disproof: any evidence that helps to establish the falsity of something – prove if something is valid○ control groups: When an experiment is conducted for the purpose of determining the effect of a single variable of interest on a particular system (doesn’t change)○ test verification: falsifying a theory in order to prove it right (the more falsification efforts it survives, the more confidence we have)○ random assignment: experimental technique for assigning subjects to different treatments (or no treatment)○ comparison group: Group of participants that are compared to the treatment group○ pre-tests: Test (collect data), intervention, test again (collect data again). Allows you to make a comparison between the two tests.○ validity: how valid something is – if its testable○ ethos: (credibility)- qualities of a speaker that make him/her more believableBe able to identify the general methods that would commonly be used in quantitative research, qualitative research, and critical research.● Qualitative researchinvolves analysis of data such as words (e.g., from interviews), pictures (e.g., video), or objects (e.g., an artifact).● Quantitative researchinvolves analysis of numerical data.● Critical researchpower relationshipis a term that is used to identify approaches that challenge taken-for-granted norms and aim to expose structures of power and domination. It, therefore, assumes that there are ‘dominated’ or ‘marginalised’ groups whose interests are not best served by existing societal structures.Critical Testtwo competing theories that require different evidence to be present/absent to support one of themIn terms of argument quality, what is the difference between two-group no pretest studies and one-shot case studies?○ Two-group no pretest studieswhere one group (random assignment) is exposed to a treatment and the results are tested while a control group is not exposed to the treatment and similarly tested in order to compare the effects of treatment.You can use comparison, control, & comparable groups more efficient/valid than one-shot○ One-shot case studies:In a one shot case study, the experimental group is exposed to the independent variable (X), then observations of the dependent variable (O) are made. No observations are made before the independent variable is introduced.Ex: today’s weather in cp and today’s weather in Leonia  test it at one time & no comparable groups  not as validHow do researchers report their success or failure in supporting hypotheses after analyzing the results of their experiments? Why is explaining whether their findings supported or refuted the hypothesis so difficult for researchers?to analyze if there is better generalization for the modelresearchers need to be process minded in order to analyze the situation thoroughly and make it as general as possibleWhy can several models describe the same situation?○ Because they have some similar veridical features but not all○ so we can have several models of the same thing What are the four general social science models that can help us understand what causes human behavior? They are covered in separate chapters by Lave and March. Individual choiceRational choice under risk (reaction to persuasive messages)Ex: voting, gambling, selection of mates, & consumer


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UMD COMM 402 - Study Guide

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