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Communication Research Center (CRC)

History

The Communication Research Center (CRC) was established in 1959 as part of Boston University. It was a pioneer in conducting systematic analyses on the effects of television on children and measuring political opinions and voting intentions. This early beginning led the CRC to develop a specialty in survey research methodology. The CRC was re-organized in 1994.

Mission
  • To effectively use the most advanced methodological techniques for tapping the reality of social/business phenomena
  • To use our ability to tap the reality of social phenomena for solving theoretical and applied problems in academia and in industry
  • To harvest and integrate the pertinent expertise of researchers found at various BU departments for more precisely tapping the reality of social/business phenomena
  • To develop cutting-edge methodological techniques based on rigorous scientific principles
Industry Consulting Services

CRC researchers have a wide range of research consulting experience for such industries as marketing research, advertising, and public relations. Contact Dr. Elasmar with your specific industry consulting needs and he will match you up with the appropriate expert consultant.

Survey Research Center

Surveys are often used to explore attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, opinions, and behaviors. CRC surveys are tailored to meet the needs of specific research problems.

The CRC’s expertise in survey research includes:

  • Determining appropriate survey design
  • Developing customized quantitative instruments
  • Examining the psychometric properties of instruments
  • Sampling
  • Processing and cleaning the data
  • Analyzing the data using SPSS
  • Writing technical research reports
  • Preparing effective research presentations
Focus Group Research Unit

Focus groups are often used to explore participant reaction to an idea, product or service, to gauge participant demand for new products and services, and to provide opportunities for users to test/compare products in areas such as color, shape, and user friendliness. The CRC is fully equipped with a state-of-the-art focus group suite consisting of a meeting room, an observation room, and a kitchen for food catering. Unobtrusive audio and video equipment enable the recording of focus group interactions.

CRC researchers are experienced in all aspects of focus groups, including:

  • Recruiting participants
  • Developing customized qualitative instruments
  • Moderating focus group sessions
  • Analyzing focus group results
  • Writing qualitative research reports
  • Preparing effective research presentations.
Traditional Academic Research

CRC researchers have active academic research programs in several media and/or communication study areas including:

  • Adoption of new communication technologies
  • Political communication process and impact
  • Public relation process and impact
  • The impact of media on popular culture
  • The role of media in international public diplomacy
  • The process and impact of international communication
  • The impact of media portrayals on gender self-image
CRC Researchers/Senior Research Fellows
Contact Us

Michael Elasmar, Ph.D.
Director
Communication Research Center
Boston University
704 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Email: elasmar@bu.edu