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Syracuse University! ! ! !

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Fall 2012! ! ! ! Syracuse, NY

PRL 611.2: Public Relations Research* Newhouse II 340, Tuesday and Thursday, 2:00-3:20 p.m. Dennis F. Kinsey, Ph.D. Ofce: Newhouse III 454 E-mail: dfkinsey@syr.edu Phone: 443-3801 Twitter: @HondoMesa Ofce Hours: Monday 12:00pm-2:00pm; Thursday 3:30pm-5:30pm TEXTBOOKS Required: Stacks, D. W. (2011). Primer of public relations research. New York: Guilford Press.

Krueger, R. A. and Casey, M. A. (2009). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

COURSE DESCRIPTION ! No longer do communications professionals have the luxury of just "planning that special event." As a professional and practical matter, research is an integral part of the management and marketing processes of organizations. Communication professionals must continually update their knowledge of the "body of knowledge" in public relations as well as the social, economic, and political issues that could affect their organization's (or client's) relationships with any number of publics. Communication professionals must gather information with which to plan ways to solve public relations problems. They must use research to determine what the public relations problems are. Then, in order to produce a successful plan, research is needed on the problem selected, the publics involved, the utility of selected messages and media, and on the means of evaluating the success of the planning efforts.

COURSE ! 1. ! 2. ! 3. ! 4. ! 5. ! 6.

OBJECTIVES To increase your knowledge of public relations and social science research. To improve your critical skills as consumers of research. To improve your secondary and primary research skills. To improve your public relations planning skills. To improve your presentational skills. To improve your business writing skills.

HOW WILL WE ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES? ! The course is divided into two parts. Part I introduces how research is applied to the methods and the practice of public relations. We will learn about original research methodology from the Stacks text, Primer

of Public Relations Research and from the focus groups, literature reviews and Q methodology texts. You will also meet our client. Part II of the course will involve completing the study of research methods and designing, completing, and presenting, public relations research.

* This syllabus is subject to change.

WHAT IS THE PROJECT? ! We will conduct "real world" research and planning as part of the course. Developing a good understanding of research can only come from direct experience in doing research. Prior to each semester, a client is selected with a set of research questions or information needs. Not-for-prot organizations are almost always chosen. Our client meets with the class to provide input, choose from among the class proposals to solve the client public relations needs, and to hear nal reports. Students form consulting groups, of 3-5 members, carry out the approved projects. The proposals and nal reports provide you with material for your portfolios. ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING ! 1. Open-Book Quiz. The quiz (10 points, 5% of nal grade) is an open-book-ten-point jumpstart to your semester exploration of research methods in public relations. Dont worry. All the answers can be found in the required reading, Public Relations Research. This chapter will be provided to you electronically. ! 2. Two exams. There will be two exams (50 points each, 50% of nal grade). They will cover reading materials assigned and class lectures and handouts. There will be some objective questioning to determine your understanding of the terms and concepts of research that are vital to your conducting scientic research. Also, the tests will assess your application and problem-solving research skills. ! 3. A team client proposal (30 points, 15% of nal grade). The purpose of this written proposal is to explain to the client what you intend to do to solve the client's public relations needs. The proposal is usually about 15 pages. It should describe the rationale for the study, previous research on the topic; your research questions; the methods, procedures, timetable, budget, and measuring instruments you will use. 4. A nal team report and client presentation (50 points, 25% of the nal grade). The purpose of the nal report is to communicate to the client the ndings of your research efforts. ! 5. Peer evaluations/participation (10 points, 5% of the nal grade). Almost all of the practice of public relations is done in groups. Being able to work effectively in groups is a valuable skill that may get you your rst job and your future promotions. WHICH PROJECTS WILL BE SELECTED? The projects that go forward to the information-gathering stage will be decided by the client. Just as in the world of public relations agencies, the client will tell you his/her needs. Then it is up to your creativity to come up with the proposal that the client needs and will "buy." Because the client is an active participant, we can expect to make modications in our proposals before we go forward with the nal projects.

HOW WILL FINAL GRADES BE ESTABLISHED? ! Quiz! ! ! ! ! 10 points! Exam One! ! ! ! 50 points! ! Exam Two! ! ! ! 50 points! ! Client proposal/presentation! ! 30 points! ! Client report/presentation! ! 50 points! ! Peer evaluation/participation! ! 10 points! ! ! ! ! ! Total =! 200 points!

5% 25% 25% 15% 25% 5% 100%

Final grades will be determined by adding up the points for each assignment and using the following letter grade scale: ! ! ! ! 185-200 = A! 180-184 = A-! 174-179 = B+! ! ! ! ! ! 165-173 = B! 160-164 = B-! 154-159 = C+! ! ! ! 145-153 = C! 140-144 = C000-139 = F

COURSE POLICIES ! Deadlines. Deadlines are a fact of life for public relations professionals. Deadlines will be strictly enforced. Late projects or papers will be penalized. ! Absences. Absences, to be excused, must be cleared with the instructor before the class period, except in a clear case of family or medical emergency. Please keep me and your team members informed of absences, as you would as an employee for any organization or agency. ! Missed Exams. There will be no make-up exams. If you have a clear medical excuse, there will be a written project assigned. ! Reading Assignments. It is expected that all reading assignments will be completed prior to the class day on which they are assigned. Students with Disabilities. Students who are in need of disability-related academic accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 304 University Avenue, Room 309, 315-443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodation Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor. Accommodations, such as exam administration, are not provided retroactively; therefore, planning for accommodations as early as possible is necessary. For further information, see the ODS website, Office of Disability Services at: http://disabilityservices.syr.edu or contact the office directly at: Phone: (315) 443-4498 Telecommunications Device for the Deaf: (315) 443-1371 E-Mail: odssched@syr.edu ! Academic Integrity. The Newhouse School follows the Syracuse University Academic Integrity Policy, which holds students accountable for the integrity of the work they submit. Students should be familiar with the Policy [http://academicintegrity.syr.edu/] and know they are responsible to learn about instructor and general academic expectations with regard to proper citation of sources in written work. The policy also governs the integrity of work submitted in exams and assignments, as well as the veracity of signatures on attendance sheets and other verications of participation in class activities.

The amended university policy to set a higher standard sanction for a rst offense: course failure, accompanied by the transcript notation, Violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. The standard sanction for a rst offense by a graduate or professional student is suspension or expulsion. Additional Newhouse School Rule: It is not permissible for any student to submit the same material, with substantially the same style, structure, or wording, to instructors in two or more courses.

Dates! ! Aug. 28!! ! Aug. 30!! Sept. 4! ! ! ! ! ! Sept. 6! !

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Topics/Assignments!

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Readings No readings ! Stacks, Chap 1! ! Stacks, Chap 2

Introduction to the class!! Syllabus review!! ! Inquiry and Social Science!

Research in Public Relations! ! Four-step Public Relations Process! Goals, Objectives

Do not come to class today Read Public Relations Research Chapter posted on blackboard Complete open-book quiz (also posted on blackboard) bring completed quiz with you to class on Tuesday, September 11th. Quiz Due Problem Statements Situation Analysis!

Sept. 11!! ! ! ! ! Sept. 13!! Sept. 18!! Sept. 20!! Sept. 25!! ! ! ! ! Sept. 27!! ! ! Oct. 2! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Nominal Group Technique exercise Focus Groups! ! Client Class Visit Q Methodology!! ! Q Methodology exercise Subjectivity vs. Objectivity! Q vs. R Methodology Literature Reviews! ! Identify hypotheses! ! Replication Identify measuring tools Avoid dead ends Model research report writing Show readers context Justify your study ! ! ! Handout ! ! ! ! K&C, (entire book)

Handout

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Stacks, Chap 4

Oct. 4! !

Links between theory and research!

Stacks, Chap 5

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Wheel of Science Induction and deduction Unit of Analysis, Time Dimensions! Designing Research Client Proposal Presentations Exam One Survey Research ! Indices, Scales ! ! ! ! Stacks, Chap 10 ! ! Stacks, Chap 2 (review)

Oct. 16! ! Oct. 18! ! ! ! Oct. 23! ! ! ! ! ! Oct. 25! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Validity and Reliability! ! Levels of Measurement Sampling! ! ! Coorientation Model! Accuracy! ! Agreement Perceived agreement ! !

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Stacks, Chap 8-9

Handout

Oct. 30! ! Nov. 1! ! Nov. 6! ! ! ! Nov. 8! ! ! ! Nov. 13! ! Nov. 15! ! ! !

Ethics and Public Relations Research! SPSS training! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Stacks, Chap 3 Handout Stacks, Chap 6

Qualitative and Quantitative! Field Research! ! ! Experimentation! Evaluation Research !

Stacks, Chap 11

Feminist Methodology! ! Evaluation Research! Content Analysis !

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Handout Stacks, Chap 7

Nov. 20 & Nov. 22! Nov. 27! ! ! ! Nov. 29! ! Dec. 4! ! ! Dec. 6 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

No Class (Thanksgiving Break) Data Analysis! ! ! ! ! ! Univariate, Bivariate and Multivariate Analysis Exam Two Organizing the information! Inferential Statistics! ! Client Research Presentations! Course evaluations! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Stacks, Chap 13, 14, 15 Stacks, Chap 12

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! ! ! Projects Due