Dr. Steve Spence

Professor of Media Studies

Research Methods

CMS 3020 Research Methods is a core class in the Communication and Media Studies program at Clayton State University.

Links to other sections of this syllabus will be found added to the header menu as well as the General Class Policies menu, which both appear on each page of the syllabus. University services to support your health and wellness are detailed on a separate page.

Additional course materials, including a detailed schedule of the semester’s topics and due dates, are available to enrolled students through Desire2Learn.

This syllabus is for the Spring 2025 semester, and it is not yet complete. Check this site regularly to make sure that you have the most current information.

Section information

First steps

Log into D2L and complete the first week’s assignments, which are detailed in the D2L Content section.

Required textbook

  • Arthur Asa Berger, Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, 5th ed., Sage Publications

Required hardware, software, and skills

To succeed in this class, you must be able to regularly access all parts of our D2L course site. In addition, you will need the following:

ChatGPT
You will create an OpenAI account and use its AI tool, ChatGPT, for multiple assignments. We will use ChatGPT to study prompt engineering and to produce writing for a variety of venues and purposes.
Adobe Express
Students will need a free account on Express or a platform like it (e.g. Canva) to complete course assignments. (The Hub supports Express but does not support other platforms.)
Laptop Computer
CSU requires that all students “have on-demand access to a laptop computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for your academic program.”
Webcam and Microphone
You will create audio and video recordings for multiple assignments. If your laptop does not include these capabilities, you will need an external microphone and webcam. (Wikipedia has a useful entry on webcams, which typically include built-in microphones.)
Lockdown Browser
For our D2L quizzes and exams, you are required to use the Respondus Lockdown Browser. You will download and install this on your laptop from within D2L. Please complete this process by taking the Sample Quiz during the first week of class. The Lockdown Browser includes video monitoring, which is one of the reasons you will need a webcam.
Up-to-Date Web Browser
In this media-rich class, using a recent version of Firefox, Chrome, Edge, or Safari is mandatory.
PDF Reader (Adobe Reader)
Students must be able to read PDF files.
Media Player: VLC or equivalent
Students must be able to play mp3 and mp4 files. Many software tools will enable this, including VLC, which is available for free download.
Microsoft Word word processing
Students must be able to compose and read documents saved in the Microsoft Word “docx” format. If you use another word processor, use “Save as” to convert the file to docx before submission.
Microsoft Teams
Students must be able to use our class’s MS Team.
Clayton State email
Students must access their CSU email accounts on a regular basis. They must be able to use these accounts to attach and retrieve attached files. They must use only their CSU accounts (not, e.g. a gmail account) to communicate academic information to instructors.

Contact information

My contact information including office hours is collected on separate page.

Diversity and disability services

It is my intent that students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity along multiple dimensions, including ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups.

Students with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Center, Edgewater Hall, Suite 255; 678-466-5445; disabilityservices@clayton.edu.