COM 207 Coding Sheet Assignment
10 points each (you will complete three of these, 3 x 10 = 30)
Coding sheets outline key aspects of a research study in
... [Show More] a scholarly article. The articles and the
coding sheets should help you write your Literature Review. Thus, you should choose articles for
your coding sheets that are based on one theory, the theory you will be writing about later in the
course. You will complete three coding sheets. Please also see the Sample Coding Sheet
provided for further guidance. Do not choose any articles for this assignment that are listed in a
course assignment sheet or in an example of a course assignment. Specifically, each coding sheet
should include the information below.
Make sure that you clearly label each section of your coding sheet.
APA citation (using correct form, see example below)
Mongeau, P. A., Serewicz, M. C. M., & Therrien, L. F. (2004). Goals for cross-sex first dates:
Identification, measurement, and the influence of contextual factors. Communication
Monographs, 71(2), 121-147. doi:10.1080/0363775042331302514
Summarize the rationale or justification (include the page #s)
Offer a brief summary of the rationale or justification for the research in your own words
(2-3 sentences). The rationale and/or justification of an article addresses why this topic is
important and/or why this study is being done. Do the authors claim that the study
advances the field of communication? How so? Do the authors claim that the study can
help people in some way? How so (humanitarian, applied, etc.)? Does the study attempt
to advance theory in some way? How so? Is this an important topic that we do not know
much about and should?
Explain the theoretical framework used (include the page #)
You may find that there is some overlap with the information you have offered in the
rationale or justification.
Describe the research participants that provided the data, or the texts that were
analyzed, or the context of the ethnography (include the page #)
State the hypothesis/hypotheses and/or research questions (include the page #)
This is the only portion of the coding sheet where you should quote the article word for
word. Make sure that you put quotation marks around the words that you take from the
article!!
Name the method(s) used (include the page #s)
Note which general type of methodology the study employed (quantitative, qualitative or
rhetorical). Also describe what specific methods were used -- surveys, interviews,
experiments, etc. Finally, indicate how the data were analyzed (coded for themes, statistical
analysis, MANOV, ANOVA etc.)Explain the results/findings (include the page #s)
This is the most important portion of the coding sheet. Here you should indicate what the authors
found and, more importantly, what those findings mean. In other words, it is not enough to say
that a hypothesis was or was not supported – what does it mean that this hypothesis was or was
not supported? What are the implications of the findings on our understanding of the variables,
texts, or contexts being studied, on communication more generally, etc.
Explain the results/findings (include the page #s)
Additional information that might be useful to you in writing the final paper.
(Optional)
NOTE: The only portion of the coding sheet where you can quote the article is #5 —the
hypotheses and research question section. Everything else, starting with #2, must be put into
your own words.
The articles that you use for your coding sheets must come from communication journals.
Do NOT use meta-analyses, theoretical pieces, conference papers, dissertations, or book chapters
for the coding sheets—if you do, you will receive a zero (0).
Submit your Coding Sheet Assignment to the Coding Sheet link by the time and due date stated
in the syllabus.
Grading Criteria for Coding Sheet Assignment
2 points correct (and complete) APA citation
2 points rationale or justification (page #s)
1 point theoretical framework (page #)
1 point research subjects, texts, or contexts (page #)
1 point hypothesis/hypotheses or research questions (page #s)
1 point methods (page #s)
2 points results/findings (page #s)
Possible Penalties:
From a communication journal? If not, -2 points.
From an academic journal? If not, no credit for the entire coding sheet. (Conference
papers and book chapters or books do NOT meet assignment requirements.)
Is the journal article reporting on a research study? If not, no credit for the entire
coding sheet. (Meta-analyses or theoretical pieces do NOT meet assignment
requirements.)
You should plan to keep a copy of the coding sheet to assist you in the writing of your
Literature Review Assignment. [Show Less]