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Weekly Written Assignment

Is It October Yet?
Chapter 3 covered several important terms in communication research. Methodology is
best summarized as how one goes about studying what is of interest; focused on the process, not
the outcomes to expect in communication research (Leslie, 2010). Variables are events,
experiences, or some other phenomenon that can, in some cases be measured or manipulated.
Independent variables are often measured and manipulated, whereas dependent variables are
measured in terms of what remained constant or changed as a result of the independent variable.
In any study, the researcher must provide precise definitions for each variable, commonly
referred to as an operational definition (Leslie, 2010). One of the more popular ways of
measuring variables in social science is by using a Likert Scale, which boils down all answers to
varying levels of agreement, neutrality, or disagreement with a statement or closed question,
typically on a 1-5 scale (strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, strongly
disagree). Ultimately a social scientist must remember to ask only what must be known from the
already unknown. McBeath & Austin (2015) attempt to improve organizational management
through research minded-practitioners.
October is almost here, which means I am about to lose focus in anything that is not
related to hockey. I run a hockey website and this time of year is when everything usually picks
up in terms of numerical rummaging, statistic based evidence in arguments, and general
assumptions as to how the season is bound to go for individual players and teams as a whole. In
an ideal world, it would be easier to create a Likert Scale for all players upcoming season
expectations, instead of digging through the massive amounts of Corsi ratings and other new
analytics that aim to combine simple stats, like shots on goal, shots against, and so on, to
generate a numerical value that in some way perfectly describes a player.
Sure, Corsi is great for describing all-around, two-way, players, but then again, so is just
saying that a player is such, much like saying a player is good or bad is enough of a description
for others. Hockey traditionalists argue that analytics are numbers with no meaning and have
nothing to do with the product on the ice. Hockey analytics experts argue that their projections
are identical to the outcome on the ice and can be used to craft a better organization, even
redefining entire rosters. There exists a gap between internal front office operations that ignore
analytics, mathematicians that crave analytics, and fans alike on both sides. McBeath & Austin
(2015) emphasize a need for collaborative research networks that bridge external/academic and
internal/practitioner approaches. In a sense, McBeath & Austin (2015) would argue for externalanalytic fanatics- and internal-traditionalist hockey operations- to work together in order to
create a working system, similar to how moneyball became viral in baseball.
If general managers rate players at training camp based on a Likert Scale, for example,
would there be a way to categorize similar players from an analytics approach? Surely a
plausible answer is somewhere, ready for research to back it up and put it in practice on the ice.
Perhaps it would further diversify the horizon we are only just reaching around the NHL and
create a new hybrid analytic for all of us to explore.

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References
Leslie, L. Z. (2010). Communication research methods in postmodern culture: a revisionist
approach. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
McBeath, B. & Austin, M. J. (2015). The organizational context of research-minded
practitioners: Challenges and opportunities. Retrieved September 19, 2015.