Microsoft Word Revised Syllabus Ver doc

Developing theories
Of course, knowledge about the nature and consequences of mass communication in 
modern society is important in its own right. It will aid us in understanding how our society 
works. Our cultural beliefs and rules for relating to each other are the basis of the civilized 
life - and the sources from which individuals develop their unique human nature. Thus, mass 
communication is a central aspect of modern society. This mass that we need sound 
explanations for understanding all aspects of mass communication, whether the public is 
concerned or not, such explanations are called theories, and they are an important goal in the 
study of mass communication.
Theories are not wild guesses, speculations, or simply hunches about how something 
works. In scientific investigation, theories are systematically developed explanations of the 
causes of some condition or situation. They are proposed only after a great deal of objective 
research. Once formulated, they are tested over and over to see whether they hold up. If they 
do not, they are abandoned. If they do in a partial way they are revised and tested again. 
Theories show researchers how to advance knowledge through the scientific study of mass 
communication, just as physical and biological theories do in these sciences. Sometimes it 
takes decades of research to decide whether a given theory is really adequate. More than once 
a theory has been abandoned after many years of research that finally showed it to be 
inadequate.

---

130 
Solving practical problem
A great deal of communication research is conducted for reasons that are not directly 
related to either public concern or the development or testing of theory. There are many 
practical reasons for trying to describe how some category of mass of people. These can 
range from political campaigns that try to convince voters to support a particular candidate to 
advertising efforts to sell soap or soup. Audiences are counted, media are compared, appears 
are tested, and various kinds of content are analysed to see if they will capture and hold 
attention. At least to some degree, such research is conducted within the general ruler of the 
scientific method.
The knowledge derived from practical research efforts can be critical to the survival 
of newspaper, TV network, magazine, or book publisher. As profit-oriented businesses, these 
media need sound guidelines as how they can do their job more effectively. In the intensely 
competitive world of profit-making that usually means reacting larger audience and existing 
greater influences on various aspects of people's beliefs and behaviour than their rivals.