INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION THEORY (PART 2)

Evaluation term is not about good or bad but it is about the usefulness of theory. Scholarly communication can be evaluated best capture the way to asses the relative usefulness of communication theories including accuracy, practically, simplicity, consistency and acuity.

1) Accuracy : the best theories correctly summarize the way communication actually works. A systematic supports the explanation provided by the theory.

2) Practicality : theories that are accurate but can't be used in everyday life are not as good theories that have great practical utility. There is nothing so practical as a good theory (Lewin, 1951).

3) Simplicity : to evaluate a good business or professional communication theory. The best way to think simplicity is to compare how much of communication is explained by the theory versus how many concepts and being used to explain it.

4) Consistency have both internal and external consistency.
a. Internal consistency, the idea of the theory are logically built on one another. A theory that purpose at one point that cooperation among the team members guarantees success and at a different point proposes that competition is more effective.
b. External consistency refers to the theory's consistency with other widely held theories. If we presume that the widely held theories are true, then the theory under evaluation that disagrees with those are true, then the theory under evaluation that disagrees with those believed supported theories also presents a logical problem.

5) Acuity : refers to the ability of a theory to provide insight into an otherwise intricate issue. A theory that explains a difficult problem, however is better than a theory that explains something less complex.

Source https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/4983_Dainton_Chapter_1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3mYl-3l7uDJE2XC7UB7YdXKrw9fyRSIZh_WmiOXNHEIJ0WL2ak13pftuY

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION THEORY

To illustrate, a theory of of customer service can help you to understand not only the bad customer service you received from your credit card company this morning, it can also help you understand a good customer service encounter you might have had at a restaurant last week.

Common sense theory is created by an individual's own personal experiences, or such theories might reflect helpful hints that are passed on from family members, friends or colleagues. They are useful to us and are often the basis for our decisions about how to communicate.

Working theories are generalizations made in particular professions about the best techniques for doing something. It is more closely represent guidelines for behavior rather than systematic representations.

Scholarly Theories provide more thorough, accurate and abstract explanations for communication than do commonsense or working theories. It is typically more complex and difficult to understand than commonsense or working theory.

There are 4 types of primary research methods :

1) Experiment : is ultimately concerned with causation and control. Experiment is the only research method that allows researchers to conclude that one thing causes another. For example, if you are intrested indetermining whether friendly customer service causes greater customer satisfaction, whether advertisers' use of bright colors produces highers sales, the only way to determine is through experimental research.  

2) Survey : the use of surveys does not allow researchers to make claim that one thing causes another. the strength of survey researches the only way to find out how someone thinks, feels or intend to behave. There are 2 types of survey research : interview & questionnaires.

3) Textual Analysis : is used to uncover the content, nature or structure of messages. It can also used to evaluate messages, focusing on their strengths, weaknesses, effectiveness or even ethicality. 

4) Ethnography : involves the researcher immersing him or herself into a particular culture or context to understand rules and meanings for that culture or context. It is focuses on the communication rules and meanings in a particular culture or context. 

Source https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/4983_Dainton_Chapter_1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3mYl-3l7uDJE2XC7UB7YdXKrw9fyRSIZh_WmiOXNHEIJ0WL2ak13pftuY

For further understanding about primary & secondary research you can watch this video below 👇