Posts Tagged: implications

Week 2: Intro to Theory
Applied Mass Communication Theory: A Guide for Media Practitioners
Chapters 1-3, 13
_____

1.  How would a person working in the field of mass communications define theory?  Chapter 1 states, “Theory is a common word, and most people have at some point in their lives learned about some theories, especially in the natural sciences.”  So, how do theories apply to the realm of mass communications?

2. Is there ever an end to research?  Whether focusing on communication theory or the natural sciences, research of common topics have progressed for years.  However, how close are we to the finish line?  And is the statement to “prove a theory” accurate?

3. In social sciences it is difficult to establish guidelines for assigning values to measurements because of the variability of human behavior and the inability to directly observe a construct.  Therefore, values must often be inferred.  How do social science researchers get around the potential inaccuracies of inferred information?

4. Although this may seem basic, what is the most popular research technique for mass communications and why?  As we conduct our own research this semester we should pinpoint the most efficient way of collecting accurate and relevant information that will benefit our final projects in the long run.

5. In past schooling and jobs I’ve held, case studies seemed to pop up as the most common form of research a company can easily do on it’s own.  However, I always questioned their worth.  Chapter 3 explains the purpose of a case study to be a systematic investigation of a “sample” consisting of a single unit.  Are case studies a definite understanding that can be applied to the mass populous?

6. Most mass communication programs in college emphasize the development of skills towards media production.  This is also the main idea of students when learning about their career choice.  Why learn theory? What is the relevance and how can it be applied to a real-life situation on the job after schooling?