Seeking Focus Groups and the Development of Mass Communication Research

Author: Toni Morrison (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: We often find methods dull or even utterly boring; in any book or article, the section on methodology is always skimmed over by readers, who are more concerned with results and ready-to-use theories. This is a regrettable situation, but it may stem from the way we teach and discuss methods—we always treat it as a technique or a set of procedures rather than a pursuit of truth. However, the language we use determines how we communicate with the world and describe it. On the other hand, methodology is the foundation of the techniques we use to articulate things, and therefore it is not just a technique: it is the language of research work, succinctly explaining how we conduct our studies. This is a unique perspective and a valuable book worth reading for aspiring scholars in mass communication research. It seems we have not yet seen a work as comprehensive as this, which elaborates on the development of focus group methodology around methodological debates, discusses the relationship between quantitative and qualitative research from the height of pursuing truth rather than from a technical or procedural perspective, and explores the selection of research methods. We should learn well from the experiences, lessons, and insights of the past and avoid repeating mistakes. How can communication research innovate? Perhaps we will find some inspiration in this book?