Applied Research Design & Ethical Practice Badge

Formulate precise and actionable research questions to effectively support strategic problem solving. Develop a survey and interview/focus group protocol to collect data for decision-making. Select appropriate sample(s) to ensure relevance of research findings. Apply ethical research practices related to informed consent, privacy, and data handling.

Note: You will receive a digital badge from Credly that can be posted to your LinkedIn profile to showcase your achievement to employers and recruiters.

Mastery Level: Foundational

Keywords: data collection, ethical research Conduct, data interpretation, analytical skills, problem solving, qualitative research

Recognizing that answering questions and solving problems (i.e., doing research) are an inherent part of our lives, this course takes a problem-solving approach to research and explores a variety of scientific ways of knowing, explaining, and predicting social phenomena. As the first of the two sequenced required method courses, the focus is on the ways in which we collect empirical evidence to answer questions and solve problems. This course is designed to be learner-centered in that each student will propose a research question of personal interest and articulate the design of their study, including a proposal for gathering data. The course is intended to increase your knowledge of the principles, objectives, ethics, and limitations of social scientific communication research.

Expected Program Entry Competencies

College level critical thinking skills, information literacy, and curiosity.  No prior research experience necessary.

Expected Program Exit Competencies

Upon successful completion of Applied Research Design & Ethical Practice, the earner will be able to:

1. Formulate precise and actionable research questions to effectively support strategic problem-solving.
2. Develop a survey and interview/focus group protocol to collect data for decision-making.
3. Select appropriate sample(s), to ensure relevance of research findings.
4. Apply CITI certified ethical research practices related to informed consent, privacy, and data handling.Assessment: Minimum of 85% on all designated assignments (7).
    

Assessment: Learners must 85% or higher on all course assessments (7)

COMM 6030 – Problem Solving with Data (8 week – online course)

Description: Formulate precise and actionable research questions to effectively support strategic problem solving. Develop a survey and interview/focus group protocol to collect data for decision-making. Select appropriate sample(s) to ensure relevance of research findings. Apply ethical research practices related to informed consent, privacy, and data handling.