Theme 3: Research and theory

• Seminar (Mon): Research journals, Stefan Hrastinski.
• Seminar (Wed): Research papers and theory, Stefan Hrastinski.

Select a research journal that you believe is relevant for media technology research. The journal should be of high quality, with an “impact factor” of 1.0 or above. Write a short description of the journal and what kind of research it publishes.

Select a research paper that is of high quality and relevant for media technology research. The paper should have been published in a high quality journal, with an “impact factor” of 1.0 or above. Write a short summary of the paper and provide a critical examination of, for example, its aims, theoretical framing, research method, findings, analysis or implications. You can use some of the questions in Performing research article critiques as support for your critical examination.

Read the following articles:

• Gregor, S. (2006). The Nature of Theory in Information Systems. MIS Quarterly, 30(3), 611-642.
• Sutton, R. I. & Staw, B. M. (1995). What Theory is Not. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(3), 371-384.

1. Briefly explain to a first year university student what theory is, and what theory is not.
2. Describe the major theory or theories that are used in your selected paper. Which theory type (see Table 2 in Gregor) can the theory or theories be characterized as?
3. Which are the benefits and limitations of using the selected theory or theories?

Publish your reflections before and after the theme is completed in you individual learning portfolio (blog). See the course guide for further instructions.