RESEARCH CRITIQUE

BLOG 5

A RESEARCH CRITIQUE

1. INTRODUCTION Research is a never ending process; in social science research is used to discover new theories. Some researchers used unanswered questions from previous research to formulate a new study. Hence scholars must be able to analyse and critisise a research project. Scholarly research is different than everyday research tough as per Berger (2011:13), it is more systematic, objective, careful and more concerned about correctness, and hence we have to write critiques as research scholars. For the purpose of this study two research papers are to be analyses and critisised. A survey that was conducted in order to realise the state of public broadcasting in South Africa and a report plus research appendix on attitudes of the audience in public broadcasting in current and future state. The critique for the two papers will be directed by the guidelines below in order for the systematic flow. When mentioning report one, one will be referring to “Public Service Broadcasting now and in the Future” – Audience Attitude. Report two will be referring to “Public Broadcasting in Africa a Survey: South Africa Country Report”

2. TITLE

With qualitative research and some input from quantitative research being the most suitable methodology for media research, the title of the research must be well thought of. If you want to study Public broadcasting in any country it is relevant to understand the past, present in order to be able to look at the future. Report one’s title it accurate as it reflects on the now and the future. With report two, surveys are conducted to describe a social phenomenon; in this case a survey is carried out to describe the situation in the Public Broadcasting in Africa

3. ABSTRACT

The abstract is often the last item that you write, but the first thing people read when they want to have a quick overview of the whole paper. Abstract should cover all the essential academic elements of the full-length paper, namely the background, purpose, focus, methods, results and conclusion. Often uses passive structures in order to report on findings, focusing on the issues rather than people. From both the reports the extracts are relevant and cover most of the important elements as depicted above, specifically the background, purpose, focus, results and giving conclusion to the report. In the first report it clearly states that there was evidence that the value to society delivered by the BBC is greater than the total amount collected through the license fee. From the second report it is clearly defined that the public broadcaster should serve the public and help in aiding transformation in Africa.

4. INTRODUCTION

An introduction works upon the principle of introducing the topic of the paper and setting it into a broad context. A good introduction explains how you mean to solve the research problem, and creates ‘leads’ to make the reader want to delve further into your work. With the first report the introduction serves a clear purpose for the report as it gives the full background and describes clearly the methods that will be used for this research. This persuades the reader to read further into the report. If we have to compare the introduction of the second report to the first report, the latter is the paramount as the purpose; future research possibilities and limitations are clearly defined.

5. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The aim statement should provide a specific and accurate synopsis of the overall purpose of the study. If the aim is not clear to the writer, it cannot be clear to the reader. Both reports have clearly introduced the problem statement.

6. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Both reports have clear purposes. Report one is for the BBC to inform its response to Ofcom’s second review of Public Service Broadcasting. With the second report the key objective was to assess whether and to what extent and the various form of broadcasting in our continent can and do create such a free public space.

7. RESEARCH QUESTION

According the Brennen (2013:20) a qualitative research question should be open-ended in nature, and encouraging you to understand a variety of potential responses, experiences and connections. The first report has a clear defined research question “Do we still require Public Service Broadcasting in the in the future over Digital TV? “ The second report is very ambiguous with the research question, however the report is responding to questions such as the funding of the public broadcaster and the perceptions and expectation of the public broadcaster.

8. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERETURE REVIEW

With respect to the first report the author has adequately reviewed the previous literature that has been studied on the topic. There is a clear summary and comparison between public broadcasting and digital media and the need to have public broadcasting in future. The second report is to me the best when it comes into theoretical framework and literature review. Every aspect of the public broadcaster is being analysed with detail giving conclusions and recommendations of every aspect.

9. RESEARCH APPROACH

Qualitative research approach has been mainly used in the two reports, not isolating quantitative approach. Qualitative methodology is associated with the positivist paradigm; researchers who use this methodology will use methods such as surveys and experiments. Wimmer & Dominick (2014:117-118). With respect to the first report the implemented the most suitable approach by designing the report in two phases. The workshops which had 126 participants, with the second phase being the quantitative research which will explore the underlying issues from the workshops. Hence the numbers of respondents is 4577 to get a comprehensive response. The data collected in the first report was reliable and valid as with the respondents were a representative from all demographics and additional of online surveys it makes it very objective as the researcher have no opportunity to influence the respondents. The method used for the second report is more a qualitative; hence the report is called a survey.

10. RESULTS

The results of the first report are clearly defined and articulated numerically in graphs and theoretically. With the second report every topic has its own results which make it best and relevant. As a scholar researcher one is able to concentrate on specific results that are relevant to determine future study.

11. DISCUSSION

 Both results in detail do include all aspects and relate to the theoretical framework and research question.

12. LIMITATIONS

The second report clearly states the limitation of the research as being the history of the public before broadcaster before the South African democratic elections in 1994, the economic and social development as well contributed to the development of public broadcaster.

13. CONCLUSION

Conclusions on the first report were well defined in that it is clear that the audience feel differently about BBC as compared to the public broadcaster. But on these report the opportunity for future research is not clearly defined. With regards to the second report there are both clear defined conclusions and recommendations for every topic discussed which makes this report best on this aspect.

SOURCES CONSULTED:

Berger, A. 2011. Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Second Edition. Sage

Brennen, B. S. 2013. Qualitative Research: Methods for Media Studies. Routledge

Wimmer, RD & Dominick, JR. 2006. (10th edition is dated 2013). Mass media research: an introduction. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth.

University of South Africa. Department of communication science.2014.Honours studies: Tutorial Letter 301/2014 for COMNHONE. Pretoria

University of South Africa. Department of communication science.2014.Media Research: Tutorial Letter 101/2014 for COM4802. Pretoria