Development communication

•          Communication:

–         As a most pervasive form of social relationships

•          Development:

–         One of the most complex forms of social change. Development as referring to processes at the system level; while modernization referring to processes at the individual level.

•          Communications Development:

–         Development of communication infrastructure and systems

–         As role of communication in “development’ or ‘social change’

–         Communications for Development

–         Development Support Communication

a.       The era before the C4D discourse

b.       The bullet theory

c.        The indirect effects era

d.       The two step flow hypothesis

e.        Experiments in developing countries

•          The First Five Year Plan

•          Radio rural forums

Content analysis

Content analysis may be defined as a methodology by which the researcher seeks to determine the manifest content of written, spoken, or published communications by systematic, objective, and quantitative analysis. It is a means of trying to learn something about people by examining what they write, produce on television, or make movies about.
It is used to investigate the content of the Mass Media (although it has applications across a wider range of spheres – the analysis of historical documents, for example). In other words, it’s used to explore the content of various media (books, magazines, TV, film etc.,) in order to discover how particular issues are presented.
At its most basic, content analysis is a statistical exercise that involves categorising some aspect or quality of people’s behaviour and counting the number of times such behaviour appears (a simple content analysis might involve counting the number of minutes men and women appear on screen in a programme such as “Big Brother”). In this way, content analysis helps us to build-up a picture of the patterns of behaviour that the social interaction portrayed in the media.

Preparing Research Report

Research is as close to a professional problem-solving activity as anything in the curriculum. It provides exposure to research methods and an opportunity to work closely with a faculty advisor, graduate students, and sometimes post doctoral fellows and visiting scientists. Research usually requires the use of advanced concepts, a variety of experimental techniques, and state-of-the-art instrumentation. Ideally, undergraduate research should focus on a well-defined project that stands a reasonable chance of completion in the time available. A literature survey alone is not a satisfactory research project. Neither is repetition of established procedures.

Research: Quasi-experiment

A quasi-experiment is an empirical study used to estimate the causal impact of an intervention on its target population. Quasi-experimental research designs share many similarities with the traditional experimental design or randomized controlled trial, but they specifically lack the element of random assignment to treatment or control. Instead, quasi-experimental designs typically allow the researcher to control the assignment to the treatment condition, but using some criterion other than random assignment (e.g., an eligibility cutoff mark) . In some cases, the researcher may have no control over assignment to treatment condition.

Quasi-experiments are subject to concerns regarding internal validity, because the treatment and control groups may not be comparable at baseline. With random assignment, study participants have the same chance of being assigned to the intervention group or the comparison group. As a result, the treatment group will be statistically identical to the control group, on both observed and unobserved characteristics, at baseline (provided that the study has adequate sample size). Any change in characteristics post-intervention is due, therefore, to the intervention alone. With quasi-experimental studies, it may not be possible to convincingly demonstrate a causal link between the treatment condition and observed outcomes. This is particularly true if there are confounding variables that cannot be controlled or accounted for.

Research: Observation Method

OBSERVATION METHOD

The observation method involves human or mechanical observation of what people actually do or what events take place during a buying or consumption situation. “Information is collected by observing process at work. ”The following are a few situations:-

1.        Service Stations-Pose as a customer, go to a service station and observe.

2.                  To evaluate the effectiveness of display of Dunlop Pillow Cushions-In a departmental store, observer notes:- a) How many pass by; b) How many stopped to look at the display; c) How many decide to buy.

3.                  Super Market-Which is the best location in the shelf? Hidden cameras are used.

4.                  To determine typical sales arrangement and find out sales enthusiasm shown by various salesmen-Normally this is done by an investigator using a concealed tape-recorder.

Research: Survey method

SURVEY METHOD

The Survey method is the technique of gathering data by asking questions to people who are thought to have desired information. A formal list of questionnaire is prepared. Generally a non disguised approach is used. The respondents are asked questions on their demographic interest opinion.

Advantages of Survey Method

1.                  As compared to other methods (direct observation, experimentation) survey yield a broader range of information. Surveys are effective to produce information on socio-economic characteristics, attitudes, opinions, motives etc and to gather information for planning product features, advertising media, sales promotion, channels of distribution and other marketing variables.

2.                  Questioning is usually faster and cheaper that Observation.

3.                  Questions are simple to administer.

4.                  Data is reliable

5.                  The variability of results is reduced.

6.                  It is relatively simple to analyze, quote and interrelate the data obtained by survey method.

Research: Sample Method

It is important for the investigator to decide whether to use sample or census method for collecting data. The selection primarily depends upon the nature and extent of the enquiry and the degree of accuracy desired. At the same time, the scope of the enquiry, its cost, the time of enquiry, the selection and training of the enumerators etc. are also to be taken into account. Basically, accuracy and precision depends upon the human element. If the human element is perfectly impartial and unbiased then best results can be expected from either method. In the absence of it, the results may be distorted.
Types of Sampling:
In the sampling method a representative group of items from the population are selected. These groups of items are called samples. These samples represent the whole universe. Therefore the selection of samples is crucial in this method. It is rightly said, “Samples are like medicines. They can be harmful when taken carelessly or without knowledge of their effects. Every good sample should have a proper label with instructions about its use”. So while selecting samples, a number of factors should be considered. Some of the important factors are:
i) the nature of the population
ii) the distribution of items in the population
iii) the characteristics to be studied
iv) availability of data
v) availability of both financial and human resources etc.

Research: Scientific Method

SCIENTIFIC METHOD

The scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the scientific method as: "a method or procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses."

The chief characteristic which distinguishes the scientific method from other methods of acquiring knowledge is that scientists seek to let reality speak for itself,[discuss] supporting a theory when a theory's predictions are confirmed and challenging a theory when its predictions prove false. Although procedures vary from one field of inquiry to another, identifiable features distinguish scientific inquiry from other methods of obtaining knowledge. Scientific researchers propose hypotheses as explanations of phenomena, and design experimental studies to test these hypotheses via predictions which can be derived from them. These steps must be repeatable, to guard against mistake or confusion in any particular experimenter. Theories that encompass wider domains of inquiry may bind many independently derived hypotheses together in a coherent, supportive structure. Theories, in turn, may help form new hypotheses or place groups of hypotheses into context.

Track your blog visitors

Hello, 

Well, you started a blog and day by day you nurtured it with constant and relevant postings. You also filled your sidebar(s) with great gadgets. And, submitted your blog link to the major search engines like Google, Yahoo, Live and Askjeeves. One month passed, and it seems no visitors came or you cannot know their numbers. Next month some of your friends visited your blog and left comments. Finally you can see someone visited. But you realize this kind of informal tracking is not comparative or coherent enough.

As a newbie blogger I am sure you want to track the hits on your blog. Tracking can also help in following and converting one time visitors to regular loyal visitors. I also faced similar problems during my primordial stage. I surfed the internet to learn more about the concept of tracking and came to know the best services available. Further, since paid tracking was not an option and I looked for something accurate and free. So you might want to track your visitors and visiting trend like Page views, Unique Visitors, Loyalty or Returning Count, Time on Site, Country, ISP (Internet service Provider), Referral Links, Outgoing Links or Exit Links.

Don't worry; there are solutions as every problem has one. What do you think? Am not I speaking the truth? Oh leave it, but that's the truth. And your problem has got some solutions. So, read on and discover those solutions. Lol.

In the internet there are so many sites which provide Visitors Tracking Service. Some of them are free to use and some of them are limited. Hold on, I will be discussing those solutions with their plus points and limitations.

How to Be Online Anonymously

It seems like many people would like to be anonymous. It's not just a matter of free speech but also a way to create multiple accounts on social networks or avoid censoring of your government or company.
This article tells you how to be anonymous and why you are like an open book right now.
1) Why be anonymous ?
There are endless reasons to be anonymous or to increase your privacy. The most obvious is your personal freedom, do you like it when people watch you as you eat or kiss your girlfriend/wife in your sleeping room ?
It is rarely in your interest that your government, your Internet providers administrators/supporters or your company knows what you are doing online.
What illness are you googling about ? What porn do you watch ? What political party do you favor? Do you search pirated software ? The list is endless and everyone is affected.
There are more reasons to be anonymous. You could register multiple accounts on social networks (facebook, youtube, myspace, gmail, your favorite Internet forum,...) if you were anonymous. This is something a lot of people require once in a while, most get caught doing it because they lack knowledge.