Gregory Perreault

Appalachian State University | ASU · Department of Communication

I’ve had it taught to me in graduate schools a few ways: it’s to build expertise in a particular topic so (1) you don’t have to recreate the wheel in new publications and (2) can build legitimacy for grant publications.

Certainly as scholars get further along, you see people build 2nd and 3rd lines of research on that program. Curious to hear other perspectives on the research program

As a current Fulbright scholar (Botstiber Professorship in Austrian-American Studies, University of Vienna), I see this fellowship as helping develop an existing research trajectory while helping me conceptualize the next steps in my career. Would be curious to hear from other Fulbright scholars, or those who have completed similar programs, about how you developed through the experience.

There were certain tasks that in the past I trained my research assistants to do that are significantly harder to teach when I can't be "hands on" with them in person. How have you adjusted to the changes necessary to keep your students safe?

I stress two things with my mentees: (1) persistence through failure and set back--in this way research is emblematic of progress in nearly every field--and (2) teamwork--which isn't necessary for all research but can enhance certain types of research and teamwork is increasingly valuable in numerous professions.

What skills, beyond the technical, do you try to pass on through research?

Many institutions obviously do that through a “research methods” class but in your field how do you integrate research methods into the classroom? In journalism, we do have a research methods class but furthermore we’ve begun integrating research through classes addressing data journalism and investigative classes

I'm very passionate about mentoring undergrads into the process of research. For my field, journalism studies, I commonly tell mentees that research skills are more important than ever in journalism. Understanding how to investigate, distill stories from data and organize complex information is the kind of work that gets you paid. I'd be curious to hear from others--how do you connect research to their professions? What do undergrads respond to?

I'm passionate about mentoring undergrads into the research process--not just collecting data, lit review, but also analysis. How do others go about working with undergrads in research? How do you train them? What tasks do you use to help them build up their skills?

The American Thanksgiving holiday can be a weird one, given it's roots, but I have always appreciated the emphasis on gratitude. What are you thankful for?

As a graduate student, I was advised that if I conducted mixed method research to try to publish the pieces separately (e.g. a qualitative study and a quantitative study might come from a mixed method survey). I have done so. But also, true to their advice--when I have tried to publish mixed method work in a single manuscript--I often receive much more criticism and often rejection.

Has anyone been successful in publishing mixed methods in individual manuscripts? How did you go about it and what worked for reviewers?

Hey folks,

I have a honor's student advisee who is working on a thesis related to news coverage of school shootings. She's trying to discern the difference between framing and second-level agenda-setting theory. Agenda-setting is not my theoretical wheelhouse--are there resources you'd recommend that help explain the difference? Can you summarize the difference in a simplistic way?

A colleague and I are working on developing a communication theory. This of course synthesizes prior literature, but we also have survey data we gathered to help us "make the case" for how the theory works and how it is applicable. Does anyone have a good example of how this is done? In particular, we're looking for how to do a "method section" when in theory development there typically isn't a formal section.