Method Comparison

Method Comparison

BSCOM/324: Communication Research

Brandi Ijames

July 30, 2019

Doreen Simmons

There are a variety of approaches to analyze content in communication research. Communication research helps to discover and confirm the behavior of people. People are not the same so having an in-depth method to choose from helps with different forms of research. “Any text, image or documented human interaction is capable of being analyzed from multiple perspectives,” (Treadwell 2017, p.234). With having a variety can be demanding when trying to decide which approach is best for communication research. Quantitative, Qualitative, and rhetorical/dramatistical are three main research methods that can be used for analyzing research. Aristotle and Burke are different types of rhetorical methods that commonly used for analyzing research.

Aristotle’s ethos-pathos-logos three modes of a rhetorical approach to analyzing communication were founded by a Greek philosopher named Aristotle. This method allows you to examine communication to identify its persuasive strategies. A rhetorical analysis can be used to identify persuasions in commercials that advertise, different blogs, certain individuals or, company and corporations. An example would be the Alexa commercial from amazon. Alexa is an electronic smart speaker device that can share music, weather, and news. The commercial starts by Alexa losing her voice and a host of different celebrities fill in as Alexa to help with consumers and the smart speaker device. This commercial use persuasion by featuring known celebrities to target audiences in purchasing their product. This commercial is best to describe the Ethos-Pathos-Lagos method. Each celebrity speaks to each customer taking Alexa’s place because she lost her voice. A series of Alexa owners’ use the speaker and incorporate the speaker in their day to day life. This makes the device have use of logic. The audience then begins the decision making for the use of the speaker. The audience sees the celebrities as credible. This plays into the audience that this device is credible.

Kenneth Burke a literary theorist developed more of a dramatic approach to communication. Burke came up with a method that is a five-part approach that helps identify communication behavior. “He regarded communication essentially a performance, as actors acting out a drama a particular background or scenario,” (Treadwell 2017, p.236). The five-part approach or dramatistic pentad examines act, agent, agency, scene. And purpose. By examining the first four would allow you to obtain an answer by the fifth, which what help identify the purpose of the motivation of the act. Using the same commercial we can apply the five parts to the commercial to come up with purpose or motivation. The act is Alexa’s voice is being substituted in her absence. The Agent would be the host of celebrities. The agency is Alexa’s temporary voice replacements are taken over by the celebrities that are featured. The scene is set in each Alexa owner’s home and flashes to each celebrities’ home. He purpose is to get the audience to see how helpful Alexa is to consumers households, from asking the weather, a recipe, or traffic report.

When it comes to observing communication there are different approaches such as rhetorical analyzing and dramtistic analyzing.  A rhetorical analysis can be used to identify persuasions in commercials that advertise, different blogs, certain individuals or, company and corporations. This method allows you to examine communication to identify its persuasive strategies. Burke, a dramatic approach to communication sets five problem-solving modes to help with solving that includes act- what was done, scene- when and where it was one, agent- who did it, agency- how was it done, and purpose- why was it done. The commercial I chose happened to be amenable to both because of the commercial fall within each approach. Depending on what you are analyzing will determine what would be more of a preference. I believe an important speech such as an inauguration speech would cater more to Aristotle’s method than Burke’s method because it would not fall under the dramatics of Burke’s guidelines.

Reference

Treadwell, D. (2017). (3rd rd). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection

https://www.mastersincommunications.com/features/guide-to-communication-research-methodologies

Alexa Superbowl Commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCG_0nH5A-0