Chapter 5 (Group 6)

Enabled:
Statistics Tracking
Module COM3214 COMMUNICATION RESEARCH METHODS
Programme BACHELOR OF MASS COMMUNICATION (HONS) PROGRAMME
Session August 2018
Lecturer Tamil Chellvan
 
Learning outcomes:
 
On completion of the course, students will be able to:
LO1 Identify the various approaches in conducting basic communication
research project.
LO2 Demonstrate their ability to undertake a research within the field of mass
communications.
LO3 Design basic research issues on both quantitative and qualitative
approaches to communication research.
LO4 Able to summarize and analyses literature review.
LO5 Demonstrate awareness of ethical issues in academic research.
LO6 Identify and point out the methodology and procedure for conducting basic
communication research project.
LO7 Select and demonstrate the appropriate skills needed to use statistical
software.
 
% to the course 10%
Coursework Type Research paper
Chapter 5
Hand-out Date  Week 1 Due Friday week 12
Date
Instructions *REQUIRED WORD COUNT:       
900- 1,100 words in total (+/- 10%), excluding references. The number of
words written should be given on the first page.
 
5.1 Discussion This describes the problem, research design, and the findings (answer to
the questions raised). The recommended format is the paragraph form
instead of the enumeration form.
For each of the problems, present:
The salient findings,
 
5.2 Discussion The results of the hypothesis tested
Hypothesis
5.3 Discussion Theory Relate the theory to the findings
5.4 Conclusion These are brief, generalized statements in answer to the general and each
of the specific sub-problems.
These contain generalized in relation to the population. These are general
inferences applicable to a wider and similar population.
Flexibility is considered in making of conclusions. It is not a must to state
conclusions on a one-to-one correspondence with the problems and the
 findings as all variables can be subsume in one paragraph.
Conclusions may be used as generalizations from a micro to a macro-level
or vice versa (ZOOM LENS approach).
5.5 Scope and  
Delimitation
5.6 Social Implication  
List of references The use of references should be consistent.
 
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Rubric for research paper – Chapter 5
    Exceeds Meets Standard Nearly Meets Does Not No
Standard 4 marks Standard Meet Evidence
5 marks 3 marks Standard 1 mark
2 marks
5.1 Discussion 5 4 3 2 1
5.2 Discussion 5 4 3 2 1
Hypothesis
5.3 Discussion 5 4 3 2 1
Theory
5.4 Conclusion 5 4 3 2 1
5.5 Scope and 5 4 3 2 1
Delimitation
5.6 Social 5 4 3 2 1
Implication
24/30x10=8.0

5.0 Discussion and Conclusion

5.1 Discussion

This describes the problem, research design, and the findings (answer to the questions raised).
The recommended format is the paragraph form instead of the enumeration form.
For each of the problems, present: The salient findings & The results of the hypothesis tested
Objective Findings Literature Review
To investigate the College The main aim of the study The study by Clement
Youths Perceptions towards was to establish the impact Mulenga Sinyangwe, Dr.
the readership of the EDGE of online media (e-Paper) on William Phiri (2017) is
publication in Malaysia. print media (hard copy) related to objective 1 about
newspaper sales. the impact of online media
In this study, age is used to and print media.
measure the readership of
news publication.
 To examine the level of
dependency of the college
youths towards the
readership of The EDGE
publication in Malaysia
To evaluate the role of
readership of The EDGE
publication in Malaysia.
To figure out the influences
of The EDGE publication
among the college youths
The key findings are The study by Jacob Cherian
obtained from the studies on & Jolly Jacob is related to
preferences of the users for objective 2 about the choices
digital vs. traditional news and preference of print
formats. media or online media
among the people.
It is an important method to The study by
let the public know  things L. KING 1 , T. TULANDI 2
that is happening around , R. WHITLEY 3 , T.
them and the world. CONSTANTINESCU 4 , C.
ELLS 5 & P. ZELKOWITZ
1 is related to objective 3
about the important method
to let public know what
happened around the world.
The findings suggest that The study by Holt Kristoffer
participatory arenas and Michael Karisson
are constrained by the (2011) related to objective 4
logic of their context of about Edited participation
production. comparing editorial
People from different influence on traditional and
categories in society participatory online
participate on newspapers in Sweden.
different terms.

5.2.1 Discussion Hypothesis 1: Gender has got significant relationship towards the
readership of the EDGE publication in Malaysia

The first hypothesis which is gender has got significant relationship towards the readership of
the EDGE publication in Malaysia. This hypothesis is rejected. According to the result,
different gender will have different thinking. According to (Ph.D., 2014), it’s no secret that
boys and girls are different, very different. The differences between genders, however, extend
beyond what the eye can see. Thus, it can be seen different gender will have different
thinking. There is a very simple example that always happen in our daily life, according to
(Side, 2018) men and women dress in a different progression. Very less people notice about
this fact. However it is pretty interesting that ladies always dress from top to bottom, first
shirt or blouse followed by skirt or pants. On the others side, men always putting on socks or
jeans first and only put on a shirt. From this point of view, it is enough to prove that men and
women are different .

5.1.2 Discussion Hypothesis 2: Age got no significant relationship towards the readership of
the EDGE publication in Malaysia.

The second hypothesis which is age got no significant relationship towards the readership of
the EDGE publication in Malaysia. This hypothesis is rejected because the different age will
have different relationship towards the newspaper. However, in this age of advanced science
and technology social media had become an important role in daily life so that the younger
generation will never had any idea to read for newspaper. In addition, parents may also never
teach the habit of reading newspaper toward their children. Besides that, internet news is
timeliness, it can get news as soon as anything happen and it can be access anything at any
time or anywhere by using smartphone it also the way more prefer by younger generation to
get to know about what happen around the world. (BUCHANAN, 2016)

5.1.3 Discussion Hypothesis 3: Education has significant towards the readership of the
EDGE publication in Malaysia

The third hypothesis which is education has significant towards the readership of the EDGE
publication in Malaysia. From the result show that third hypothesis is accepted. Level of
education must be a factor. Different of level of education will make different relationship to
the newspaper. In different education level will have different point of view to the newspaper.
The higher the level of education will clearly know about what exactly the newspaper is, and
understand about newspaper will bring the information and news to us. In addition, some of
the people they will never learn before about what is the newspaper, for example, children
today they will never know about what is newspaper if they parents never teach them since
young because they are less chance to touch for newspaper they are more chances get to
know about the new media.

5.1.4 Discussion Hypothesis 4: Race has got no significant towards the readership of the
EDGE publication in Malaysia.

The fourth hypothesis which is race has got no significant towards the readership of the
EDGE publication in Malaysia. This hypothesis is accepted. Race has no significant towards
the readership of the EDGE publication, it is because no matter what race you are the
relationship toward the newspaper will never be change. Whoever you are, you will read the
newspaper, you have to know what happen around you or what happen around the world; so
that it won’t be any different among the race. The day you live on the world you will need to
know what happen around the world toward the newspaper.

5.2.1 Media System Dependency

The first theory that connected to this study is media system dependency theory which means
the effects of mass media public between the media, audience and social system. Media
System Dependency theory is consider as dependency of relationship which the fulfilment of
one party’s needs and goals of another party. The main focus is the relationship between
media and publics. (Lin, n.d.) In industrialized and data based social orders, people will in
general build up a reliance on the media to fulfil an assortment of their needs, which can run
from a requirement for data on a political applicant's approach positions (to help settle on
voting decision) to a requirement for relaxation and entertainment. (Lin, n.d.) In general, the
degree of the media's impact is identified with the level of reliance of people and social
frameworks on the media. Two of the essential recommendations set forward by Ball-
Rokeach and DeFleur are: (1) the more quantity of social capacities performed for a group of
people by a medium (e.g., informing the electorate, providing entertainment), the greater
audience’s dependency on that medium, and (2) the more greater the instability of a general
public (e.g., in situation of social change and struggle), the more prominent the gathering of
people's reliance on the media and, subsequently, the more noteworthy the potential impacts
of the media on the publics.

5.2.2 Social Learning Theory

Social Learning Theory sets that individuals learn from each other, through perception,
impersonation, and demonstrating. The theory has regularly been known as a scaffold among
behaviourist and subjective learning speculations since it envelops consideration, memory,
and inspiration. (L, 2015) People learn through watching others’ behaviour, attitudes, and
results of those behaviours. “Most human behaviour is learned observationally through
modelling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviours are performed,
and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.” (Bandura). Social
learning theory clarifies human behaviour in term of ceaseless proportional communication
between subjective, conduct, and natural impacts. (L, 2015)

5.3 Conclusion

In conclusion, the result of this study has clearly showed that there are many advantages and
important ideas to the youths today by having the readership of The EDGE publication in
Malaysia. This can help to raise awareness on the topic that needs to publish on the
newspaper. There was a good result for the readership of The Edge publication research. In
this research, we had reached our aim, the 4 objectives we had been through. We had
successfully investigate the College Youths Perceptions towards the readership of the EDGE
publication in Malaysia. We had known and gained their information from the view of
college youths towards the publication. Next, we had examined the level of dependency of
the college youths towards the readership of The EDGE publication in Malaysia by using
questionnaires. This research enables the publication to acknowledge the necessity of their
publication and the necessity of public content that college youth tend to read from them.
Additionally, we had evaluated the role of the readership of The EDGE publication in
Malaysia. The publication enables to determine the importance of them towards the college
youth how their content can impact the college youth so well. Lastly, from the report of
SPSS and the questionnaires, we had figured out the influences of The EDGE publication
among the college youths.
5.4 Limitations & Recommendations

Limitations Recommendations

Survey Respondents might not answer Apart from online survey it might be using
accurately, they lazy to do a another way to do the survey for example
survey even they do they will face-to-face, it can be ask for some simple
just simply and not giving the question that related to the research.
exact answer.  

Sample It hard to get the equal amount It should be done with more international
size between the international and student response by asking help from
local student. lecture to get the average in our research
sampling.

Focus Focus group may not fully The research should be done by adding
Group represent the large target more groups of people to increase the
population’s opinion. reliability of the research.

Time Have to find out 400 respondents Should get more time to find out the
is limited time respondents so that can get more accuracy
data for the research.

Resources Respondents almost come from Should conduct to more college and not
the same place only focus for college youth might extend
the scope to working adults

5.5 Social Implication

Clear attitude changes consistent with the opinions presented in the newspapers could be
established in attitude spheres where the arguments presented were of a more controversial
nature. Analogous effects could only partially be observed as regards the image of well-
known politicians. In spite of considerable devaluation of one newspaper by the subjects,
there were no boomerang effects. This ties in with the fact that practically no differential
attitude changes (e.g. relating to dogmatism or political interest) could be established. Taking
into account the historical background to our study, we conclude that the effect of the daily
newspapers examined here was more or less confined to attitudes towards more salient issues.
Finally, we have outlined general hypotheses which can be the starting point for the analysis
of long term cumulative media effects.

Individual:

Newspaper or magazine can bring the knowledge to an individual. Individual can get the
knowledge from newspaper and magazine. Besides that, it also will provide the information
to individual avoid individual isolation from others. It can let individual know what actually
happen around the world,

Family:
Newspaper or magazine can make the relationship closer within the family member. It will
bring the conversation between each of them. They will discuss what happen today or the
celebrity what happen, the political do something or say something. Is all the thing that will
bring the conversation to the family. It won’t be only play for their own phone.

School:
Students can get the knowledge from newspaper and magazine. It will make them more
knowledgeable, not only know what happened to textbook also know about what happen
around the world. It bring the benefits to the students.

Social:
It will report everything that happen in the society spread the news to everyone. It won’t be
the situation that people don’t know what happen to the society.

Global Communities:
People will get to know what happen around the world even everyone is stay in the different
place or different world. Newspaper or magazines will spread the news or information to
everyone around the world so that everyone will know what happened at other places. It also
consider as a communication.

Appendix 1 Quantitative questionnaire

Background of respondent
31. What is your gender? 
32. How old are you? 
33. Of what race do you consider yourself
34. What is the highest level of education you have complete
35. What is the combined income of the adults in your household who are working? 

Appendix 2 Qualitative questionnaire

Do you agree with the following statements? Answer the following questions by tick the
appropriate number. The more you agree, the higher number you should circle.
(VSD= very strongly disagree SD= strongly disagree D= disagree N=neutral
A=agree SA=strongly agree VS=very strongly agree)

Statement 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1. The EDGE Magazine
publication is a part of a
community's character

2. The EDGE Magazine

publication should
observe and report what
happens in the
community without ever
getting actively involved

3. Local television
newscasts and cable
news networks have
 made the EDGE
Magazine publication
less important

4. The EDGE Magazine

publication is the best
overall source of news

5. Other media, such as the

local television news, do
a better job of covering
events and issues in the
community

6. The EDGE Magazine

publication should play
an active role in
improving the
community sponsoring
community forums for
important issues

7. Investigative reporting is
the most important job
of a the EDGE
Magazine publication

8. I enjoy reading in-depth

coverage of local issues

9. It is not the job of the

EDGE Magazine
publication to try to
 solve the problems of
the community, only to
report them

10 I prefer to get news in

summary form
containing only the most
important information
with few details

11. I trust the EDGE

Magazine publication to
weigh the issues and
decide what is important
for me to know

12. In general, the EDGE

Magazine publication
reporters are fair people
who keep their personal
feelings out of the
stories they write
13. The EDGE Magazine
publication reporters
should be suspicious of
legislators and other
government officials

14. There are better ways of

finding out what is going
on in the community
 than the newspaper

15. It is important for a local

newspaper to cover local
news examples nearby
events, local government
and schools

16. It is important for the

EDGE magazine
publication to cover
national news example
the federal government,
the economy, events in
other states

17. It is important for the

EDGE magazine
publication to cover
international news
example international
conflicts, events in other
countries, the United
Nations

18. It is important for the

EDGE magazine
publication to cover
local business news
examples, openings and
closings, layoffs, area
companies
19. It is important for the
 EDGE magazine
publication to cover
sports examples high
school, college and pro
games; box score,
hunting and fishing

20. It is important for the

EDGE magazine
publication to cover
books and the arts
examples books reviews,
gallery openings,
interviews with authors
and artists

21. It is important for the

EDGE magazine
publication to cover
entertainment news
examples Hollywood
celebrities and gossips

22. It is important for the

EDGE magazine
publication to cover
recreation, travel, and
leisure activities
examples movie and
music reviews, calendars
of events

23. The EDGE magazine

 publication reporters
could learn more if they
weren't always so
distrustful of people
especially those in the
government

24. The EDGE magazine

publication does a good
job covering issues that
are important to me

25. The Internet has made

the EDGE magazine
publication less
important

26. Reading is one of my

favorite pastimes

27. The EDGE Magazine

publication does a poor
job of staying objective
and covering both sides
of an issues

28. The role of the EDGE

Magazine publication
can be said to be to
"comfort the afflicted
and afflict the
comfortable."
 29. The EDGE Magazine
publication can be an
important force in
solving community
problems

30. The EDGE Magazine

publication is my most
important source of
news

Appendix 3 SPSS Data (screen shot)

Appendix 4 Google Documents
Appendixx 5 Consent Form
INTI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Consent to Participate in a Research Study

Title of Study: The EDGE publication readership survey

Investigators:
Name CHAY PEI PEI Dept: BMCMI Phone: 0182177281
 :
Name
: CHENG JOO YEE Dept: BMCMI Phone: 01133770605
Name
: YVONNE WEE YI WEN Dept: BMCMI Phone: 0182510062
Name
: YONG WEI YU Dept: BMCMI Phone: 0126912683

Introduction
The study aims to examine how the EDGE publication is being used in universities that
receive the sponsored copies and also in schools under the NIE programme.
Purpose of Study
The study aims to gauge the level of the EDGE publication readership in Malaysia.
Description of the Study Procedures
If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact Yvonne
Wee at i17013608@student.newinti.edu.my or by telephone at 0182510062. By completing
this survey and returning it to the researcher, you provide your informed consent to be a
research subject.
Below is a series of statements to explore the EDGE publication readership in Malaysia.
Risks/Discomforts of Being in this Study
 Nil
Benefits of Being in the Study
Benefits of reading the EDGE publication. Newspaper is a periodical publication that written
information about latest event of our daily life, it allows us to know what is happen around us.
As news is one of the most significant things that we as a human being need to know, it is
important for us to read the newspaper.

Confidentiality
Your participation is voluntary. No information you provide will be linked to you in any way.
Data will be reported only in the aggregate.
Payments
 Nil
Right to Refuse or Withdraw
 The decision to participate in this study is entirely up to you. You may refuse to take
part in the study at any time without affecting your relationship with the investigators
of this study or INTI International University. Your decision will not result in any
loss or benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You have the right not to answer
any single question, as well as to withdraw completely from the interview at any point
during the process; additionally, you have the right to request that the interviewer not
use any of your interview material.

Right to Ask Questions and Report Concerns

 You have the right to ask questions about this research study and to have those
questions answered by me before, during or after the research. If you have any further
questions about the study, at any time feel free to contact me, Yvonne Wee at
i17013608@student.newinti.edu.my or by telephone at 0182510062. If you like, a
summary of the results of the study will be sent to you. If you have any other concerns
about your rights as a research participant that have not been answered by the
investigators, you may contact 0182510062.
 If you have any problems or concerns that occur as a result of your participation, you
can report them to the Yvonne Wee at the number above.

Consent
 Your signature below indicates that you have decided to volunteer as a research
participant for this study, and that you have read and understood the information
provided above. You will be given a signed and dated copy of this form to keep, along
with any other printed materials deemed necessary by the study investigators.

Subject's Name (print): Tel. No:

Subject's Signature: Date:

Investigator’s Signature: Date:

References:

1. Ph.D., G. L. J., 2014. Brain Differences Between Genders. [Online]Available at:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hope-relationships/201402/brain-
differences-between-genders [Accessed 10 10 2018].

2. Side, B., 2018. 11 Main Differences Between Men and Women. [Online] Available at:
https://brightside.me/wonder-curiosities/11-main-differences-between-men-and-
women-447660/ [Accessed 10 10 2018].

3. BUCHANAN, S., 2016. Old Media VS. New Media. [Online] Available at:
https://wearewhitehat.com/blog/2016/old-media-vs-new-media/ [Accessed 10 10
2018].

4. Lin, Y., n.d. Media dependency theory. [Online] Available at:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/media-dependency-theory [Accessed 11 November
2018].

5. L, D., 2015. Social Learning Theory (Bandura). [Online] Available at:

https://www.learning-theories.com/social-learning-theory-bandura.html [Accessed 11
November 2018].