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Every day on social or traditional media, we encounter news about the newest research findings, be it election polls, the most loved destinations on Instagram, or the potentials of artificial intelligence for corporate communication. To understand what these findings mean and to put them into perspective, it is critical to assess them in light of what makes good communication research. This course will enable students to assess the quality of communication research and to critically reflect on both academic and professional research practice. Students will learn how to review academic research in a kind and constructive manner and how to translate academic research findings into recommendations for practitioners. With their in-depth knowledge on research quality in communication science, students will delve into the world of professional research, e.g., market research for brands, opinion polling, and assess its quality. The course will look into diverse forms of professional research such as white papers, reports, or how-to-guides and critically reflect how these publications use research findings to formulate recommendations. In addition, we will discuss the pitfalls of how professional and academic research results are (mis-)reported in social and news media and how findings are (mis-)used within organisations for decision-making. |
