Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches ReviewThis is a really straightforward and easy to understand book. Berger carefully and thoroughly goes over different methods used to create original research, both qualitative and qualitative. He carefully spells out the drawbacks each can have and outlines the important tactics that a researcher can use to insure the validity of their findings. Among the topics covered in this book are how research proposals generally work, interviewing, content analysis, historical analysis (quantitative), polling, statistical analysis, and testing (experiments) (qualitative). He also talks about different kinds of textual analysis and includes in here possibly the clearest explanation of semiotics I have ever come across. He has a plain, un-jargonized writing style and breaks apart text with cute illustrations and some admittedly lame "skits" (always between "him" and the "Grand Inquisitor" - you'll see. These are apparently supposed to be funny, but aren't.)
The chapters in this book are aided even further by never being so long as to be overwhelming. Berger doesn't mince words, but explains precisely and completely- and then switches to a new topic. Would that more authors would learn how to do this!
This was assigned reading for a graduate level class in which we prepared our thesis proposals. I think it should be mandatory reading for anyone considering embarking on original media research. I liked this book and though I would never have picked it up on my own- I am grateful that of all the choices there must be out there, my teacher chose this book.Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches OverviewArthur Asa Berger employs his signature style - a practical focus, the use of numerous examples, a step-by-step approach, and humor - in his latest book, Media and Communication Research Methods. Combining both qualitative and quantitative research methods, this introductory text covers the topics thoroughly and is clearly written and fun-to-read. This book is ideal for beginning research students both at the graduate and undergraduate level because it is clear, concise, and accompanied by many detailed examples. - attention-grabbing dialogue begins each chapter and gives students insights into a particular research technique - the first two chapters answer the question "what is research?" and describe a library search and literature review - four chapters on textual analysis explain clearly semiotic analysis, rhetorical analysis, ideological criticism, and psychoanalytic criticism - four chapters on qualitative methods elucidate interviews, historical analysis, ethnomethodological research, and participant observation - four chapters on quantitative methods make contents analysis, surveys, experiments, and descriptive statistics easy to understand - the final two chapters will help students better understand research papers - the glossary at the end of the book defines numerous research concepts. With his thorough coverage of research strategies, his engaging writing style, and even his own illustrations, Berger has written a captivating book for communication research students.

Want to learn more information about Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students ReviewWhat I liked about this book: It surveys more programs than Amy Holman's "Insider's Guide..." book, it's concise, it deals majorly with funding (which some people did not appreciate on the reviews, but I'm guessing they're the ones to whom money is not an issue) and it gives some good general advice on the application process.
What I did not like about this book: In his reviews Kealey makes such comments as "easily a top ten school" or "top five program", etc., but does not give clear guidelines as to why. Neither does he give a listing of schools by Top 5, Top 10, etc.. He's entirely too glib and subjective in some of his reviews (I know it's ironic, but a guide to Creative Writing MFA programs should NOT be a creative writing project but a more 'to-the-point' reference work) and the interviews he includes are usually self indulgent and easily skippable stuff with any good advice being entirely generic.
Still, it's one of the two best books on the subject (the other being the Amy Holman book that this is sold in tandem with) and has enough good information (and enough unique from Holman) that in the absence of better guides I recommend its purchase to anybody considering MFA programs.
If Mr. Kealey or Ms. Holman reads this I strongly urge them to revise their works into a more straightforward guide that includes more detailed narrative descriptions of individual programs. The ideal book would also have charts of ranking (along with explanations of the rankings) and cross-reference programs by residency status, length of program (they range from 1 to 3 years, that is a very important consideration), financial aide (one of the strengths of this book), concentration of the program (i.e. "what's a good program for creative non-fiction?" or "good for fiction writers, poet's not so much") and other criteria.The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students OverviewThe Creative Writing MFA Handbook guides prospective graduate students through the difficult process of researching, applying to, and choosing graduate schools in creative writing. The handbook includes profiles of fifty creative writing programs, guidance through the application process, advice from current students and professors including George Saunders, Aimee Bender, Tracy K. Smith, and Geoffrey Wolff, and the most comprehensive listings of graduate writing programs in and outside the United States. The handbook also includes special sections about Low-Residency writing programs, Ph.D. programs, publishing in literary journals, and workshop and teaching advice.
In a remarkably concise, user-friendly fashion, The Creative Writing MFA Handbook answers as many questions as possible, and is packed with information, advice, and experience.


Want to learn more information about The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach ReviewI signed up for my classes early(two weeks) and was able to have all of my books by the first day of class.Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach OverviewConducting research can be one of the most fascinating--and intimidating--tasks for students and scholars. A relevant and accessible guide to quantitative research, Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach offers an innovative and insightful look at this complex subject. Drawing on their extensive research and teaching experience in the field of communication, authors Jason S. Wrench, Candice Thomas-Maddox, Virginia Peck Richmond, and James C. McCroskey have compiled their diverse, acclaimed work into one comprehensive volume. In clear, straightforward language, the authors encourage students to take an active, hands-on role in the learning process, giving them the tools they need to locate, conduct, collect, and present their research. Students are not only introduced to new skills, but they also have the opportunity to immediately apply these skills in research scenarios. Beginning with a brief history of social science research, the text incorporates the following resources:* An introduction to the fundamentals of communication research, from library skills to basic mathematical concepts* An examination of the three most common techniques used in communication research: survey, content analysis, and experiment* A sophisticated analysis of sampling and hypothesis testing* A step-by-step introduction to statistical tools* Guided research assignments based on actual data-driven research questions* In-depth analyses of articles that feature statistical tests* A guide to presenting research findings, from delivering research papers at conferences to submitting original research for publicationThe text integrates rich pedagogical features throughout, including chapter objectives, case studies, data sheets, and lists of key terms. The accompanying CD-ROM offers many helpful tools, including ten articles originally published by the Eastern Communication Association and a Student Workbook. An invaluable resource for gathering and processing information in the twenty-first century, Quantitative Research Methods for Communication equips students with the skills--and confidence--to produce their own cutting-edge research.

Want to learn more information about Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words to the Bank Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words to the Bank? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words to the Bank. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words to the Bank ReviewThis is a well written book and it is one that I recommend to folks who want the basics of writing for the web. Writing Web site copy is hard work and anything that gives you any help at all is welcome.
But I noticed that some of the people mentioned in the book as being helped by the authors or being in some way associated with the authors had sites that didn't apply the rules and tips and teachings that are offered in this book. Yet they have reviews here and in the book. Or some do.
I also ran the "we we test" on their sites that is on the author's site and all scored very low. So it appears that the authors were able to get some good recommendations and reviews but not necessarily by people who adhere to their philosophy.
Having said that, I think this is well worth the read. Don't expect the conversions that the authors seem to think their suggestions will provide. Unfortunately, conversions are much more difficult to get than by applying the advice in this book.
I also found it amusing that the author adheres to the concept of using lots of hyperlinks in the main part of your site (the center) and in his book, Net Words by Nick Usborne, Nice says that's not a good idea at all; that it causes you to lose people. Why is this amusing? Nick works with Future Now as a strategic partner. (Future Now is the site associated with the author of this book.) Future Now does, at least, follow it's own rules. It has lots of hyperlinks on it's page. It has useful tools and a high ranking in the search engines.
So I'm not sure how much stock you can put in either theory or in either book.
The information in the book will, however, be very helpful to those who are writing copy for their own sites or that of others. I just don't think you should believe everything you will read in the book as it all simply doesn't work. Some of it does and for that information, the book is useful.
When copywriters, or for that matter anyone in business, writes a book, it is with the intention of building their credibility and getting more business. And that's fine. But the advice they give sometimes has to be taken with a grain of salt. And the people who recommend the book on the back cover are often folks who write books for the same reason. So you might say they're doing each other a favor.
The proof is in whether or not what you read in a book works. I tested the advice in this book and find it lacking. But I'm in need of more in-depth and realistic offerings. To someone who simply wants help writing their Web site, this is an excellent book. Just don't expect the results that the book, reviewers and those who recommend it seem to think you'll get.Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words to the Bank OverviewWriting for the web.Web word wizardry.Web writing that works.What does that mean?Your online copy must persuade - it's integral to getting your visitors or readers to register, subscribe, qualify as leads, and yes, even buy from you.It's writing that must earn its keep.And to effectively manage the quality of your online writing, you need to understand what works, why it works and how to make it work better for you. Whether you are the marketer responsible for the bottom line or the writer creating the copy,Persuasive Online Copywriting provides the tools you need to get results.

Want to learn more information about Persuasive Online Copywriting: How to Take Your Words to the Bank?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Hot Text: Web Writing that Works Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Hot Text: Web Writing that Works? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Hot Text: Web Writing that Works. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Hot Text: Web Writing that Works ReviewThere are only a few books about writing that I consider classics, and despite the relative newness of this one, it qualifies.
First, the advice on writing online text is on the mark, especially with respect to organizing your message and presenting it with impact. Much of the advice can also be effectively used in paper-based documents. I particularly liked the way the authors presented punctuation because in paper-based text a mark such as a colon is easy to spot, whereas on a monitor it's lost. I've since begun using a dash instead of a colon when developing online content and that small piece of advice works where a colon does not. Of course there are literally hundreds of other tips and advice that will combine to make your content readable and understandable.
Second, the way the authors show you how to organize your thoughts, distill them into a coherent and succinct message, and how to present that message is a strategy that anyone who develops online content needs to carefully read and heed.
Finally, this book covers much more than how to write - it also gives excellent advice on a full range of related topics, including search engine placement using meta tags, humanizing the technical nature of web pages (such as making URLs easy to read and remember for non-technical users), and how to structure your content to find items of interest. The latter extensively uses principles from Information Mapping©. One disappointment was the omission of any mention of Robert Horn, the inventor of Information Mapping©, from the extensive list of cited references and recommended reading because the authors' approach is closely aligned to much of Horn's work.
If you're developing online content you cannot afford to pass this book up. Mine is a constant deskside companion and is likely to remain so for years to come.Hot Text: Web Writing that Works Overview

Want to learn more information about Hot Text: Web Writing that Works?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

1001 Commonly Misspelled Words: What Your Spell Checker Won't Tell You Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy 1001 Commonly Misspelled Words: What Your Spell Checker Won't Tell You? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on 1001 Commonly Misspelled Words: What Your Spell Checker Won't Tell You. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

1001 Commonly Misspelled Words: What Your Spell Checker Won't Tell You ReviewWhen I was in high school, I and a few good friends made a pretty good hobby out of tormenting (in a good way, of course) one particular English teacher in our school.
One of my favorite tactics in this teacher's classroom was to blurt out, in mock consternation, "How do you spell ______?" whenever I couldn't spell a word. Why? Because a) I was young and immature and a legend in my own mind, and b) the teacher always fell right into my trap...
"Look it up in the dictionary!" he'd scream, without fail, pitching me a nice softball right over the plate ...
"But HOW," I whined, "am I supposed to look up a word when I can't spell it in the first place?!"
(GLARING SCOWL)
Problem was, I was only half-kidding with most of my questions (though I'd never admit as much to the teacher). Often it really WAS difficult (not to mention time-consuming) to look up the words I didn't know, especially if their spellings weren't very intuitive.
I guess that's why I'm enjoying my copy of "1,001 Commonly Misspelled Words." With this handy book, you don't need to know how to spell a word already before looking it up. You need only know how to pronounce it -- because you can then look it up phonetically. Why didn't someone think of this before?! Once you get to the word's phonetic spelling, you can then see the correct (though often counterintuitive!) spelling. Plus, you might get a little story about the word or, better yet, some sort of nemonic -- er, I mean mnemonic -- device so that you can remember how to spell it in the future.
I only wish the book included more words. But in any case, it's a nice tool -- especially for a writer type like me. I would think it might also make a good gift for new college students and others who will be tearing their spelling hair out from time to time in the years to come.
Highly recommended!1001 Commonly Misspelled Words: What Your Spell Checker Won't Tell You OverviewEnglish can be a language full of spellings that look right but are dead wrong. Toss in those infuriating sound-alikes (they're/their/there, its/it's, except/accept), which computer spell checkers usually don't catch, and it's no wonder that 99 per cent of us are often embarrassed and undermined by unwitting typos. If you have ever searched for a world in a dictionary and have not been able to find it or if you are at a loss about a word, good news: you've just picked up the book that promises to be the single most invaluable resource on your desk. "1001 Commonly Misspelled Words" is organized phonetically, enabling readers to look up words without having to know how to spell them (look up, for example, illusive, and find the correct spelling: elusive) also packed with excellent memory shortcuts ("there's a rat in separate"), "1001 Commonly Misspelled Words" is a wonderfully painless solution to spelling maladies. Because when it comes down to it, the art of correct spelling is a crucial ingredient for getting ahead in today's knowledgable - er, knowledgeable - world.

Want to learn more information about 1001 Commonly Misspelled Words: What Your Spell Checker Won't Tell You?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications ReviewI frequently document software that uses Windows GUI elements. So I've been using the WinHELP and HTMLHelp versions of the MS MOS for several years: Those earlier online versions of Microsoft's Style Guide made it easier and faster to take a quick look at a GUI naming or usage convention.
Lamentably the CD-ROM that accompanies the new version 3 of the MS MOS is a giant step backwards in usability. That's because the two PDF "e-books" (MOS and Networking Encyclopedia) on the CD-ROM are entirely static -- they contain NO clickable links WHATSOEVER.
What this means is that if you locate an entry in the on-line version's TOC or Index, you must use the "go to page" tool in Adobe Acrobat Reader to go to the page.This is an especially silly situation given that the PDFs meta-properties indicate that Microsoft used Adobe FrameMaker 7.0 (not Word) to produce the Style Guide: FrameMaker creates clickable cross-references by default, meaning that Microsoft manually disabled them as part of producing the Style Guide's PDF! (The third item on the CD-ROM, the Computer Dictionary comes as an HTMLHelp .chm file, so there are no problems with navigation there...)
If you intend to buy the print version of the MS MOS you'll be satisfied. If you intend to buy this book because you want the latest, greatest *on-line* version of the Style Guide, FORGET IT.
------
08 July, 2008 UPDATE. After using the PDF for about three years, I'm even more frustrated by Microsoft's incomptence. In the name of "intellectual property" (one of Microsoft's favorite words), the company has created a nearly-useless PDF while failing to truly achieve its misguided security aims.
As I said in my original review, the lack of clickable cross-references means you must instead manually go to a page listed in the TOC or Index. But wait -- the geniuses at Microsoft didn't bother to correlate the PDFs logical and physical page numbers. Yes, if we have full-featured Acrobat we can manually number the pages so that when we tell Acrobat or Reader to go page "x" it actually displays the desired page and not page "x-4" or thereabouts. But why should we have to do that?
But wait, it gets worse. We can't use full-featured Adobe Acrobat (as opposed to reader) to extract pages from the PDF and save them as a separate PDF. BUT we can -- and here's the absurdity -- delete all pages we don't want to extract and save the result of that as a PDF. So we can extract pages, but not directly...
We also can't print *any part* of the PDF. So if we want to print, say, four pages about heading usages we can't do that. The style guidelines are in some way "proprietary" I guess, and so simply must be protected against unauthorized sharing...
Then, too, while looking for a way to print a few pages, I discovered that I couldn't export the PDF as a Postscript or encapsulated Postscript, but I could export it as a Word or Word RTF file. So we can save the contents in some unlocked formats but not others. Brilliant...
In the end, Microsoft's preoccupation with "locking up" the online version of its Style Guide has only succeeded in wrecking the Guide's usability while only partially achieving the desired level of security. How like Microsoft to get it wrong that way...Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications Overview
Developed by Microsoft's senior editors and content managers, this manual of style captures the up-to-date standards and best practices for delivering clear and consistent technical communications. Now in its third edition, this popular reference has been fully revised, expanded, and optimized for ease of use. You'll find new coverage on meeting the needs of a global audience, accessibility concerns, and the latest technical terms and acronyms-along with expertly organized sections on usage, grammar, punctuation, tone, formatting, and common style problems. Whether you're creating print documentation, online help, Web content, or other communications, you'll get the information and examples you need to maximize the impact and precision of your message.

Get clear, concise guidance to help you:

Use technical terms correctly and consistently-including do's, don'ts, and alternatives for usage.
Employ the appropriate tone and voice for your audience.
Produce written and visual content suitable for a worldwide audience.
Apply best practices for writing and tagging Web content.
Write better documentation-from dialog boxes and error messages to Web pages and software code.
Know the standards for creating accessible communications.
Optimize your indexes, cross-references, and keyword lists.
Get fast answers on spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

CD includes:

Complete eBook inside

A Note Regarding the CD or DVD

The print version of this book ships with a CD or DVD. For those customers purchasing one of the digital formats in which this book is available, we are pleased to offer the CD/DVD content as a free download via O'Reilly Media's Digital Distribution services. To download this content, please visit O'Reilly's web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to booktech@oreilly.com.


Want to learn more information about Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...