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.