CS2008 Fundamentals of Research

This course introduces basic principles and methods of social scientific research. These skills are required for marketing, public relations, and communication campaigns based on research, and for measuring campaign effectiveness. Regardless of your career path, these skills are increasingly essential for us as citizens and consumers, to understand public discourse and policy debates that draw on the findings of research studies.

Conducting research is critical for some career paths in communication, marketing, and public relations, and for those who pursue further graduate study or academic careers in research.

Though many of the examples will be of communication research, much of the material is applicable to all social and behavioral sciences, and even physical and mathematical sciences.

The lectures will present the critical content for the course, and the tutorials are designed to allow for reflection and application of the key concepts. While there will be opportunities for discussion during lecture, the tutorials are where most of the in-person dialogue will occur. An online discussion forum is also available for students to pose questions and share ideas related to the course.