A Slidecast Explaining This Assignment:
https://youtu.be/HLonc50XY0YLinks to an external site.
*No sample A papers for this assignment, will be shared because this assignment requires the identification of key concepts.
Assignment Objectives:
In this assignment, the student will be able:
- To explain key concepts such as research paradigm, epistemology, ontology, and method.
- To unpack and apply your knowledge about the social scientific/functionalist paradigmatic perspective to intercultural communication to a specific research article.
- To identify key aspects of the survey method (which corresponds with the social scientific paradigm) as it relates to a specific study.
- To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the social scientific paradigmatic perspective and survey method as it relates to a specific study.
Assignment Parameters:
- In this assignment, you will unpack, make sense of, and “debrief” core concepts related to research paradigms and method from our first set of modules in this course. You will also unpack, make sense of, and debrief a specific research study: the Gareis study from Module 4 (Culture as a Variable: The Social Scientific Paradigmatic Perspective of Intercultural Communication) – from the social scientific/functionalist paradigm.
- Gareis, E. (2012). Intercultural friendship: Effects of home and host region. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, 5(4), 309-328.
- This de-briefing analysis contains a set structure of key questions that you will fully answer in complete sentences. Please answer ALL of the posed questions (17 of them)!
- This structure is fully laid out on the LAST page of this assignment which you should copy/paste into a new MS word document file and then directly type in your double-spaced, complete sentence responses to the posed questions.
- Before you answer the questions above, make sure that you review the work that you did for Journal Entry #4; Module #4, Activity #3 (and its workshop article slidecast with Dr. Halualani. (See the link below.)
Complete This Activity #3: Workshopping the Social Scientific Journal Article Example
- No outside research sources and citations are required (although you may bring these in if you wish). You are more than welcome to use any of our course readings to help support your arguments.
- I discourage the use of quotes from the course material throughout this assignment; use your own words and insights!
My Criteria: Below is a list of what I am looking for in this assignment:
*Analysis: Thorough and thought-provoking analysis of research paradigms, inquiry, and methods in relation to intercultural communication. Deep analysis should a) incorporate and discuss course concepts/readings and b) continually answer the How (i.e., How concepts are related to one another?) and Why (i.e., What are the reasons for this ____?) in this assignment.
*Going Beyond The Surface: Moving beyond just cutting and pasting concepts onto your analysis to thoroughly examining the assumptions within the analysis (exploring the hidden, deeper, and complex issues). Create unique arguments (ones not merely offered in class or the readings) that display how you have independently re-thought this material.
*Undergraduate Level and Competency in Writing/Argumentation: Writing competency that demonstrates undergraduate level work (proper grammar, spelling, clear sentence constructions, paragraph structure). Fully supported arguments (claims, evidence, articulation of reasoning) and demonstrated ability to argue points and discuss research (without merely “quote-streaming” and regurgitating material that is already accessible).
ASSIGNMENT DETAILS & POSED QUESTIONS:
De-Briefing Analysis #1: “Making Sense of Paradigms and the Social Scientific/Functionalist Paradigm”
Instructions:
*Please answer ALL of the listed POSED QUESTIONS BELOW in typed, double-spaced, complete sentences. USE YOUR OWN WORDS AND PARAPHRASING!
*COPY AND PASTE ALL OF THE POSED QUESTIONS (17 of them) BELOW in a separate document and answer each one in typed, double-spaced complete sentences.
*Proofread your writing. Check all spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sentence constructions.
- Question #1: What is a paradigm? Explain in your own words.
- Question #2: What do you see as the relationship between paradigm and method? Discuss and explain.
- Question #3: Identify the three (3) paradigmatic perspectives that constitute the overview framework (and main anchor) of this course – COMM 152I. Which of these paradigmatic perspectives intrigues you?
- Question #4: Which of the three (3) paradigmatic perspectives seem odd and out of place for the field of intercultural communication?
- Question #5: At this point in our course, which of the paradigms from our “152I – Paradigmatic Perspective Table” speak to you the most and why? What fundamental assumption about the world and humans drive that paradigm? Explain.
- Question #6: Identify one (1) method that emanates from that paradigm? How do the paradigmatic assumptions frame that method? Be specific.
- Question #7: What counts as knowledge in your selected paradigm? What can be seen through that paradigm? What cannot be seen? Explain.
- Question #8: What are the key underlying assumptions of the social scientific/functionalist paradigmatic perspective? Elaborate on these. Refer to any of your readings or notes.
- Question #9: What are the goals of the social scientific/functionalist paradigmatic perspective? Discuss and explain. Elaborate on these. Refer to any of your readings or notes.
- Question #10: What paradigm and specific research method are employed in the Gareis article (the workshopped article)? How do you know? Be specific.
- Question #11: What was Gareis trying to examine in her study? What was her main research purpose? Explain this.
- Question #12: Fully explain what Gareis did for her method; spell out the procedures. (Use your own words.)
- Question #13: What did Gareis find in terms of the results? What kind of conclusions does she draw?
- Question #14: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Gareis’ study. What strengths did her study display? What were the limitations of her study?
- Question #15: According to Croucher, Chapter 6, what is one key criterion that should be used to evaluate Gareis’ study? Explain.
- Question #16: How useful is Gareis’ study in making conclusions about culture and intercultural communication for the field of intercultural communication?
- Question #17: Of what value is this paradigmatic perspective and why? How so? Please explain. To what degree does this paradigm resonate with your sensibilities and goals as a researcher? Explain more.
*The Word document file of this assignment can be found at the link below: