Running head : AN ANALYSIS OF COMMON METHOD VARIANCE A

There have been no systematic research efforts evaluating the effects of using self-report measures to collect data at a single point in time on research within the field of communication. In the present study we apply the marker variable approach to retrospectively analyze the extent of method bias in past communication research. Our findings indicate a significant problem in the field, with close to one in every three relationships examined becoming nonsignificant after being adjusted for common method variance. It appears that method variance is a relatively bigger contaminant in measurement within communication research compared to most other social science fields. This is particularly troubling given the increased emphasis on socially relevant research within our field. The overall findings point to the need for greater a-priori evaluation and proper accounting for method bias in future communication research.