MMC 3420 MIDTERM EXAM UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS.
Examples of research methods - ANS experiment, survey, content analysis, focus groups, in-
depth interviews
any form of communication transmitted through a medium (channel) that simultaneously
reaches a large number of people. - ANS mass communication
a system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity - ANS Methodology
What historical events/ periods encouraged the growth of mass media research? - ANS 1.
World War 1
-Propaganda
-hypodermic needle model of communication: mass communicators need only shoot messages
at an audience and those messages would produce pre-planned and universal effects
2. Realization by Advertisers in the 50's and 60's
-research data are useful in developing ways to persuade customers to buy products and
services
-efficiency, exposure, demographics, placement, selection of medium
3. Increasing interest of citizens
-in effects of the media on the public (especially children)
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,-result was interest in research related to violence and sexual content
-prosocial (positive) antisocial (negative)
4. Increasing competition among media
-in terms of ad dollars
-audience fragmentation = niches = demassification> increases need for trend
studies, image studies, segmentation studies
-survival kit contains info about consumers changing values, tastes, shifts, etc
Examples of non scientific ways of knowing: - ANS •Intuition
(Believe something to be true because you feel it is true; from within)
•Tenacity
(hear something and just believe it. Ex: We use only 10% of our brains)
•Authority
(believing something because Beyonce says it)
What are the six basic characteristics of the scientific method? - ANS Scientific research is:
-Public
-Objective
-Empirical
(Evidence that is observable)
-Systematic and cumulative
-Predictive
-Self-correcting
researchers concerned with a world that is knowable and potentially measurable. -
ANS Empirical Research
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, an abstract idea formed by generalization - ANS Concept:
dictionary-like definition. Gives a concept a meaning. - ANS Conceptual definition
Empirical counterpart of a concept or construct. Links the empirical with the theoretical. Events
that are measured or manipulated in research.
-What factor are we going to look at to measure something?
-If measuring kindness, are we measuring how many times someone opens a door for others?
-Can have more than one value along continuum. For example: "satisfaction with pay- per-view
TV programs" can take on different values. A person can be satisfied a lot, little or not at all. -
ANS Variable
defining observations that can be used to measure the concept
Ex: for measuring kindness: how often do people open doors for others and give to charity.
example: scale. How are you measuring it? - ANS Operational definition
Expand knowledge, increase understanding of principles - ANS Basic (academic) Research
Answer questions to address practical questions, assist decision-making - ANS Applied
(private) Research
Steps in developing research - ANS 1.Select problem
2.Review literature
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS.
Examples of research methods - ANS experiment, survey, content analysis, focus groups, in-
depth interviews
any form of communication transmitted through a medium (channel) that simultaneously
reaches a large number of people. - ANS mass communication
a system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity - ANS Methodology
What historical events/ periods encouraged the growth of mass media research? - ANS 1.
World War 1
-Propaganda
-hypodermic needle model of communication: mass communicators need only shoot messages
at an audience and those messages would produce pre-planned and universal effects
2. Realization by Advertisers in the 50's and 60's
-research data are useful in developing ways to persuade customers to buy products and
services
-efficiency, exposure, demographics, placement, selection of medium
3. Increasing interest of citizens
-in effects of the media on the public (especially children)
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,-result was interest in research related to violence and sexual content
-prosocial (positive) antisocial (negative)
4. Increasing competition among media
-in terms of ad dollars
-audience fragmentation = niches = demassification> increases need for trend
studies, image studies, segmentation studies
-survival kit contains info about consumers changing values, tastes, shifts, etc
Examples of non scientific ways of knowing: - ANS •Intuition
(Believe something to be true because you feel it is true; from within)
•Tenacity
(hear something and just believe it. Ex: We use only 10% of our brains)
•Authority
(believing something because Beyonce says it)
What are the six basic characteristics of the scientific method? - ANS Scientific research is:
-Public
-Objective
-Empirical
(Evidence that is observable)
-Systematic and cumulative
-Predictive
-Self-correcting
researchers concerned with a world that is knowable and potentially measurable. -
ANS Empirical Research
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, an abstract idea formed by generalization - ANS Concept:
dictionary-like definition. Gives a concept a meaning. - ANS Conceptual definition
Empirical counterpart of a concept or construct. Links the empirical with the theoretical. Events
that are measured or manipulated in research.
-What factor are we going to look at to measure something?
-If measuring kindness, are we measuring how many times someone opens a door for others?
-Can have more than one value along continuum. For example: "satisfaction with pay- per-view
TV programs" can take on different values. A person can be satisfied a lot, little or not at all. -
ANS Variable
defining observations that can be used to measure the concept
Ex: for measuring kindness: how often do people open doors for others and give to charity.
example: scale. How are you measuring it? - ANS Operational definition
Expand knowledge, increase understanding of principles - ANS Basic (academic) Research
Answer questions to address practical questions, assist decision-making - ANS Applied
(private) Research
Steps in developing research - ANS 1.Select problem
2.Review literature
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
