Mass media research is a vast field that not only describes audience-producer relationship but also describes how media influences our mindset within seconds in reshaping communal landscapes. One confusing aspect that beginners face is their assumption of communality between researcher and statistician. In no way are these two similar. In practical terms, mass media research does not require researchers to become statisticians. Statisticians generate statistical calculations, procedures and formulas, wholly known as algorithm. Meanwhile a researcher uses those algorithms to investigate his research problem. A systematic, controlled, empirical and critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among observed phenomena is known to be a scientific method of conducting a research. I hope you will get benefited from my prepared document.

1. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
During 1960’s the researches were a complete entity used by sociologists and psychologists.
However,as media grew and incorporated new technological trends, the researches vividly took a
trek. One confusing aspect that beginners face is their assumption of communality between
researcherandstatistician.Innowayare these twosimilar. In practical terms, mass media research
doesnotrequire researchers to become statisticians. Statisticians generate statistical calculations,
procedures and formulas, wholly known as algorithm. Meanwhile a researcher uses those
algorithms to investigate his research problem.
Mass mediaresearch isa vast fieldthatnot only describes audience-producer relationship but also
describes how media influences our mindset within seconds in reshaping communal landscapes.
Research in Mass Media follows certain systematic steps as illustrated below:
The research in mass media cannot be solely regarded as linear. Research in a complex process of
data collection that yields many aspects and thinking patterns; one conceptualization might bring
more perspectives of a similar phenomenon.
Apart fromthe above mentionedphases,sometimes while conducting a research, another phase is
requiredbymediaindustriestooi.e.Phase 5:financesbythe mediuminobservation. Media owners
are verycautiousindeterminingmoney-earningmethods through persuasion of their content. Not
to mention, in order to study their position in the media market, media conglomerates regularly
conduct researches.
The four diversions in Mass Media Research development:
The four major diversions in the social world led to a rapid development in mass media study and
research.
I. First Diversion:
The research in Mass Media mainly started as a source of propaganda when it was realised that it
had verydevastatedeffects duringWorldWar-I. The firsttheoryof Mass Media as a result was later
named as Hypodermic Needle/Magic Bullet. It was believed that it causes a linear impact on
audience bearingsimilarreaction. Over the period of time the concept was saturated by a fact that
audience is an active participant in consuming media content.
PHASE1:
Study ofthe
medium in
observation
PHASE2:
Consumption of
the medium in
observation
PHASE3:
Cause and Effect
by the medium
in observation
PHASE4:
Solution for the
medium in
observation

2. II. Second Diversion:
The later course of actionwas establishedbetweenmediaandadvertisersin 1950s and 1960s. It was
believedthatmediacan influence potential buyers towards branding of products and services. This
further led towards another scape in media studies i.e. placement of advertisement for better
consumption, audience perception and cognitive retention of a particular advertisement, media
content effectiveness, frequency of advertisements, and selection of a particular medium.
III. Third Diversion:
One of the essential curiosities createdamongconsumers by media was its effects on children. The
propagationof explicitandviolentcontenthasalwaysremainedapointof focusin most of the mass
mediaresearches. The television has been studied as a prosocial (positive) as well as an antisocial
(negative) medium of transmission. In 1992, a song titled ‘Cop Killer’ by IceT had created further
controversies on media’s role citing concerns of promoting anti-police sentiment.
IV. Fourth Diversion:
Certainly,the abundance of mediaindustries and their competitive platforms have been marking a
question mark on their fulfilment of media ethics. In current scenario, it is believed that media is
preferably concerned about earning revenues than considering its role over impacting audiences.
With the passage of time, demassification of media has given rise to audience-fragmentation. As
audience variesinselectionof mediacontent,followingstudies couldbe relatedin the phenomenal
crux:
Trend Studies:Theydeal withananalysisof audience’sattitude towardsa certain idea presented by
mass media.
Image Studies: They deal with an analysis of audience’s behavior towards certain media content.
Segmentation Studies: Theydeal withaprofoundanalysisof audience,theirneeds,gratificationsand
cultural sphere.
Media research and scientific method:
Withouta properly organizedmethod, noresearchcanfulfil toresolve aproblem. Since centuries, a
scientific method is being used for deducting research studies.
Kerlinger’s definition:
“A systematic,controlled,empirical andcritical investigationof hypothetical propositions about the
presumed relations among observed phenomena.”
According to his understanding, there are four approaches termed as methods of knowing:
Methodof Tenacity: Thisis a kindof an approach where somethingis believedto be true because it
has always been e.g. myths of black cats and evil spirits beneath the trees.

3. Methodof Intuition:Thisisan approach where somethingisbelieved tobe true as itseemstrue e.g.
some banking institutes abstain from giving out digital services to their retail customers as they
believe rural areas lack modern knowledge of digital gadgets.
Method of Authority: This is a persuasive approach where followers are made to believe that
whatever believed as truth is actually a believed assumption of a trusted source, someone more
literate than them e.g. this is a very significant belief of audiences who obtain information from
opinion leaders.
Methodof Science: Thisis a more acceptedapproach nowadays. In accord to this concept, truth is a
collaborative construct of objective observation. This is a widely known process to obtain and re-
considerthe factsand figures fordetermininganabsolute truth.Itallowserrorsto be reformed into
corrections. The discoveries that science has reached around have been evolving around other
scientists for validation and amendments (if needed).
In relation with mass media research:
The ongoing advancement in the field of research instruments has inclined the researchers to
believethathypodermicneedle theoryof massmediaisinadequate intermsof audience reception.
Characteristics of a scientific method:
The other methods of knowing are distinguished from method of science through the following
characteristics. Any of these aspects missing in a study could exempt it from becoming scientific:
1. It is communicatedspontaneously:The study materialsshouldbe keptin record for almost five
years of time span. A study that had followed a systematic style of gathering data would
definitely count in further expansion in a similar phenomenon by other researchers and
scientists. The research findings and resultant facts are communicated openly, equally getting
prone to criticism. Not to mention, this generates a platform for gathering literature for future
studies.
2. It is unbiased:The designedmethodsshouldbe keptinconsiderationwithoutbeing judgmental
about an obvious outcome. This can be drawn through two parallel modes of perception:
Objective Subjective
Dealing with facts instead of interpretation of
facts.
An act of interpreting facts to determine facts.
3. Empirical application is possible: Scientific method allows validation and measurement of
factual statements and ideas. Any scientist working upon superstition or any of the other
determinedassumptionisbelievedtobe practicingirrelevantscience.There shouldbe a linkage
between determinedassumptionsandfacts through a serial observation. This link is generated
by framingoperational and constitutive definitions. Please note that an operational definition
of a concept cannot alone assure validity.

4. 4. It is firm and flexible:Everyscientific research paves a pathway for next researches in the field
of social sciences and its study. This is one of the significant reasons why literature reviewing
cannot undermine significance of proposed hypotheses in a research study. On several
conceding observations, scientists formulate a theory.
5. It is determinable: Science is all about yielding new perspectives through a systematic
procedure of evaluation.
How to initiate a scientific research?
The following eight steps are essential to be kept in mind while strategizing to conduct a specific
study. Nevertheless,these eightstepsdo not assure study’s accuracy in terms of determining facts:
1) Choose a problem
2) Review past researches and findings
3) Generate research questions and hypotheses
4) Determine methodologies for collecting relevant data
5) Collect data through relevant means
6) Analyze the obtained data
7) Illustrate results and estimations
8) Replicate (if needed)
Categorized research studies:
Academic/Basic Private/Applied
 Thistypeof research isconducted by
scholars/studentsto studyeffectsof diverse
media
 This typeof research is conducted bynon-
governmentorganizationsortheirresearch
consultants to make certain decisionsafter
a critical evaluation.
 Thistypeof research isopento all andcan
be accessedbyotherscholarsfor their
researchstudies.
 This typeof research is kept confidential
andis onlyfor personalrecordandusage
i.e. proprietary data.
 Forcompletionof thistype of research,a
deadlineisnarrow.
 Deadlinecanexceedor limit upon
authoritative instructionswhileconducting
this kind of a research.Sometimes
longitudinalstudies also takeplace.
 Thiskind of researchis leastexpensive –
usuallywithina definedbudget.
 This kind of researchdemands larger
resources andtime frame.
The crux of the above categories bear similar research aims and methods; hence none can be
classified into as unrealistic or invalid.
Preparedby: FizaZiaUl Hannan
References:RogerD.Wimmerand JosephR.DominickinChapter1 of Mass MediaResearch,an
introduction