Journalism Schools or Communication Faculties? Teaching Research Methodology to Communication Students [¿Escuelas de periodismo o facultades de comunicación? Enseñar la metodología de investigación a los estudiantes de comunicación] Anna TOUS ROVIROSA Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona [email protected]Lorenzo MARINI Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona [email protected]Javier DÍAZ NOCI Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona [email protected]Resumen La mayoría de las universidades españolas, y desde luego las más antiguas, disponen de estudios (grados) en comunicación. Aunque inspiradas en la tradición de las escuelas de periodismo, a su vez basadas desde el mismo origen de éstas en el modelo estadounidense de las journalism schools, desde la década de 1980 se han asegurado convertirse en facultades de ciencias de la comunicación (más que de la información) o incluso ser parte de facultades de ciencias sociales. La investigación, en cambio, ha pasado de un predominio de la tradición humanística (de la historia a la semiótica, pasando por las ciencias del lenguaje o los estudios de inspiración literaria) a incardinarse decididamente en los usos y costumbres de las ciencias sociales. A pesar de titularse facultades de ciencias de la comunicación, son pocos los actuales estudios de grado en España que ofrecen en su currículos –inclinados, bien en su vertiente de periodismo como de comunicación audiovisual o publicidad y relaciones públicas, a la formación de profesionales para los medios de comunicación– asignaturas de metodología científica. Los másteres de investigación en comunicación se muestran igualmente débiles en este tipo de materias. Analizamos aquí cuál es la situación de este tipo de enseñanzas de grado y posgrado en España y proponemos algunos rasgos metodológicos para su enseñanza. Abstract Most of the Spanish universities, and certainly the oldest ones, offer degree in Communication. Even if they come from the journalism schools established in Spain between 1930 and 1970, which found their inspiration in the American tradition of journalists’ training, from 1980 onwards the Spanish colleges have found their way to become communication (rather than information) faculties, and they have even managed to join some social science faculties –or those sociology faculties have managed to join communication colleges. Research on communication, on the other hand, has evolved from following some liberal arts’ tradition (from history to semiotics and language sciences) to becoming a social sciences branch of study. Making a long story short, even if they present themselves as faculties of communication sciences,
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Journalism Schools or Communication Faculties? Teaching Research Methodology to Communication Students [¿Escuelas de periodismo o facultades de comunicación? Enseñar la metodología de investigación a los estudiantes de comunicación] Anna TOUS ROVIROSA Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona [email protected] Lorenzo MARINI Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona [email protected] Javier DÍAZ NOCI Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona [email protected] Resumen La mayoría de las universidades españolas, y desde luego las más antiguas, disponen de estudios (grados) en comunicación. Aunque inspiradas en la tradición de las escuelas de periodismo, a su vez basadas desde el mismo origen de éstas en el modelo estadounidense de las journalism schools, desde la década de 1980 se han asegurado convertirse en facultades de ciencias de la comunicación (más que de la información) o incluso ser parte de facultades de ciencias sociales. La investigación, en cambio, ha pasado de un predominio de la tradición humanística (de la historia a la semiótica, pasando por las ciencias del lenguaje o los estudios de inspiración literaria) a incardinarse decididamente en los usos y costumbres de las ciencias sociales. A pesar de titularse facultades de ciencias de la comunicación, son pocos los actuales estudios de grado en España que ofrecen en su currículos –inclinados, bien en su vertiente de periodismo como de comunicación audiovisual o publicidad y relaciones públicas, a la formación de profesionales para los medios de comunicación– asignaturas de metodología científica. Los másteres de investigación en comunicación se muestran igualmente débiles en este tipo de materias. Analizamos aquí cuál es la situación de este tipo de enseñanzas de grado y posgrado en España y proponemos algunos rasgos metodológicos para su enseñanza. Abstract Most of the Spanish universities, and certainly the oldest ones, offer degree in Communication. Even if they come from the journalism schools established in Spain between 1930 and 1970, which found their inspiration in the American tradition of journalists’ training, from 1980 onwards the Spanish colleges have found their way to become communication (rather than information) faculties, and they have even managed to join some social science faculties –or those sociology faculties have managed to join communication colleges. Research on communication, on the other hand, has evolved from following some liberal arts’ tradition (from history to semiotics and language sciences) to becoming a social sciences branch of study. Making a long story short, even if they present themselves as faculties of communication sciences,
very few of them are currently offering degrees whose teaching subjects include preparation on research methodology (humanities or social sciences), since they are studies rather oriented to train practitioners (in journalism, audiovisual media or public relations and publicity) ready to work in the media than to prepare researchers on communication. Research masters in communication are equally weak in this respect. We aim to analyze which is the situation of this kind of syllabi in Spanish communication graduate and postgraduate studies, and we try to pose some proposals on teaching methodologies on research.
1. Introduction Spain, as a member of the European Union and as a member of the so called European Space for Higher Education, concreted for the first time in the Bologna Declaration1, a pledge which was signed by 28 more countries to unify their higher education systems, has since June 1999 tried to adapt its graduate and postgraduate programs to those of the common group of those 29 European countries (for an excellent analysis on the current situation, see García Jiménez & Gómez Mompart, 2012). The first major decision was to abandon the so called licenciatura in favor of the standardized name “degree” and the second one was to substantially modify the postgraduate programs, since the Spanish universities jumped into doctorate directly from the licenciatura. It is true that doctorate programs included necessarily a set of teaching subjects –whose importance, type and number differed greatly depending on each university and department–, and that most universities offer master programs as well as proper titles as well –most of them, addressed to specialization and to satisfy the needs of the professional market–, but research masters were, instead, very scarce. The need to adopt the degree + master + doctorate scheme has led the Ministry of Education of Spain, however, to take some polemical decisions, the main one to impose a 4+1 (four years’ degrees + 1 year masters), instead of the more widespread European 3+2 scheme. It is easily seen how postgraduate studies are of reduced importance to access the market, or, referring to research, how the importance of the teaching subjects needed to be able to conduct a doctoral research is, exactly, just a half of those considered compulsory in Europe: 60 ECTS in Spain and 120 in most European countries. We have considered for our analysis the Spanish research master programs in communication, and just one of them (the one of the Complutense University of Madrid) offers the 120 ECTS a European student needs to follow up with his or her doctoral studies. Moreover, one of those Spanish master programs (the one of the Autonomous University of Barcelona) offers just 33 ECTS. All the rest are just 60 ECTS master programs, although usually they complete their offer with non-compulsory subjects, to normally one third more subjects (an offer of subjects which add 90 ECTS, of which the student has to choose just 60 ECTS). This framework, in a country which has suffered in 2012 a reduction of its budget for research in more than 25%, situating Spain within the European nations which dedicate a lesser effort to this important field (research and innovation, and decreasing), conditions to a great extent the importance given to the teaching of research methods. One should expect that, due to the 4+1 scheme, those subjects should be located inside the degree programs, since the postgraduate ones are just the half of the ECTS and hours offered by most European countries, especially the leading ones. It had to be thought that, due to this concentration of teaching stuff in the master programs, the importance given to methodology should clearly exceed to more thematic subjects. This is not true: the importance given to methodology of science is low in Journalism degrees, and even in Journalism and Communication research master programs. This is even more painful if we consider that the reasons mentioned when the first Journalism (later on, Communication –or even Social and Communication Sciences, Documentation and Communication Sciences and other several names) faculties were created starting in 1970 included the need of providing this study with the scientific status enjoyed by some other practitioner-oriented studies, such as Law. For several reasons, the model chosen is more that of the Journalism School more than the one of
the more scholarly faculties, even though Journalism (and Audiovisual Communication, Advertising and Public Relations, the triad which usually completes the Communication degrees’ branches in Spain, and conditions the orientation of the doctoral studies, focused in one of those fields more than in the teaching of the methodological tools needed for scholarly research) was conceived from the very beginning as a degree –then, a licenciatura– which included in its syllabus (to a greater or lesser extent, depending on each university and on the origin of the creators of the faculty) some professional skills, usually entrusted to practitioners, and some others subjects of a more academic profile, entrusted to the departments of history, economy, sociology or psychology, which a longer research tradition. A common complaint listened to communication scholars in Spain is that their faculties have been colonized by scholars whose interests are far from journalism and media2. This dichotomy has characterized, and still does, the dissimilar importance given to practice and research, the reluctance to decidedly embrace methodology, and the different fashion waves observed in the research devoted to, especially, journalism in Spain in the last forty years of existence of the communication faculties. During the first decades, Semiotics and History, even Literature (or researches which used concepts and tools taken from it) and Linguistic occupied the efforts of a great part of the scholars involved in communication research in Spain. Media-oriented studies were predominant as well. Humanities, as a result, were dominant in our studies. But currently, the discussion on whether journalism and communication studies must be included within the humanities or the social sciences have been decided in favor of the second choice, since at least formally and officially communication is included within the Social and Juridical Sciences by the Ministry of Education and the Spanish (and the several autonomous communities’) evaluation and quality agencies. Since the scholars that want to have some progress (and better salaries) in Spain need to have an accreditation from one of those agencies and are evaluated by professors of Sociology, Political Science, Education Sciences, Economy and Law –and sometimes even by professors of Communication, whose traditions come clearly from the peer-reviewed impact publications culture, represented by the devotion by such indexes like Thomson-Reuters’ Journal Citation Report and, to a lesser but growing extent, Scopus, from which only Law, with its largely claimed national focus, escape3. As a result, specific
2 Just an example, the University of the Basque Country has changed several times the name of the Faculty of Communication, currently called Social and Communication Sciences Faculty, even though the importance of Sociology and Political Science, attending to the number of students, is very far from the weight of the studies on Journalism, Audiovisual Communication or Advertising. On the other hand, the curricula of the members of the other departments (Law, History, Social Psychology, Economy, Sociology, Political Science) is, in general, much more impressive that the one of their communication colleagues. This is explained because of the larger, much more clearly scholarly-oriented tradition of the first group and because the composition of the second group of departments, especially their older fellows –the oldest ones not being even communication graduates, since the degree does not exist in Spain before 1970–, to a considerable extent coming from the media. A gap is also observed in this group, since the attitudes of part of its members refer to the need of preparing the students to the practice of journalism in the different media, adding in the last years the Internet and the online media, but are defended by people which is not a practitioner from, literally, the last century. As a result, there is still a group of scholars which is not completely aware of the importance of incorporating methodology to the syllabi, and, as a result as well, this has been left in the hands of the non-practitioner departments. 3 This has been ingeniously defined as “the ANECA effect” by Jaume Soriano, himself a lecturer on Methodology in the Communication Faculty of the Autonomous University of
bibliography on methodology applied to communication is scarce in Spanish languages (see, however, Cervantes and Sánchez, 1994; Piñuel and Gaitán, 1995 and 1998; Busquets, 2004; Berganza et al., 2005; Vilches, 2012), and it imposes the use of bibliography in other languages and from other disciplines, singularly Sociology (Ávila et al., 2010; Borge et al., 2011; Muñoz-Alonso, 2011). But this is a part of our further research, which are the references used for teaching methodology in our communication degrees and research masters. Our humble study, of which we just present here the first results, is initiated by all these concerns, and by the necessity of adapting ourselves to the trends in the teaching of research skills4. Originally, this research was designed to examine which are the contents of the subjects of all the research masters on communication in Spain, but later on was considered of importance to extend the study to the teaching of methodology in the journalism degree, in order to compare the evolution of both graduate and postgraduate programs. A database was designed by professor Javier Díaz Noci, coordinator of the Master of Advanced Studies on Social Communication, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona), helped by Lorenzo Marini, doctorate student at the Department of Communication, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, to gather all the data for every subject taught in the Spanish masters, and that same database was applied to the degree subjects on methodology by Dr Anna Tous Rovirosa, who is one of the lecturers who teaches that subject at the Autonomous University of Barcelona5. The first phase of the project, which is the one we are presenting in this paper, is basically descriptive, and will be completed with a comparative study of the subjects, in both graduate and postgraduate programs, taught in the best universities of the main European and American countries, both North America (United States and Canada) and South America (we have considered the most developed countries: Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile; see Vassallo de Lopes, 2012). We are considering to enlarge the database items adding fields such as references used, so we can trace a map of the most mentioned and influential books and articles on methodology applied to communication research. The data obtained in this common database (we have unified all the records, but can discriminate the ones we need, i. e. graduate and postgraduate subjects, at any time) has been analyzed applying some basic descriptive statistics, crossing fields to the point of obtaining significant statistic results. Data correspond to the academic year 2011-2012, and we intend to gather the same data during several years, observing during a longitudinal research which are the trends, changes or whether the characteristics we observe currently are consistent or not. 2. Undergraduate syllabi on research methods The results of the analysis conducted on the degree subjects on methodology offer a total amount of 23 subjects considered out of 15 universities, four of them private (managed by religious groups) and 11 public universities. As a first conclusion, just some of the almost 40 faculties of communication in Spain include in their syllabi one
Barcelona and author of a handbook in Catalan language titled L’ofici de comunicòleg. Mètodes per investigar la comunicació. Eumo, Barcelona, 2007. 4 The part concerning the postgraduate studies is benefited by a research and teaching grant provided by the CQUID (Centre per la Qualitat i la Innovació Docent, Center for Teaching Quality and Innovation) to the Master of Advanced Studies in Social Communication which is currently coordinated by professor Javier Díaz Noci. 5 The head and coordinator of the subject is prof. Teresa Velázquez.
or more than one subject on methodology, as recommended by the Libro blanco. Títulos de grado en comunicación (ANECA, Madrid, 2007): “Knowledge of the elemental methodology of social sciences and of the research techniques, especially for research in social communication”. Differently from “Communication theories”, which is a compulsory subject for every communication degree in Spain, it is up to each faculty and department to offer a subject on research methods. Just one university, as far as we know, integrates both theory and research in one subject (see Shimanoff, 1980; Singletary, 1994; Salwen & Stacks, 1996; Singletary & Stone, 1998), the University of Murcia. It means, for most of the cases examined, a subject called “Research methods in communication” or even “Research methods in journalism” –not to be mistaken for another group of subjects, taught almost exclusively in the Complutense University of Madrid and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, called “Precision journalism”, or how to apply those techniques to reports, not to research. Almost fifty per cent of the subjects examined are not compulsory.
UNIVERSITY FACULTY COURSE ECTS COMPULSORY TYPE FIELD METHODS
University of Navarre Communication
Epistemología de la comunicación 3 No
Methodological
University of Navarre Communication
Métodos de investigación en comunicación 4 No
Methodological
Social Science
Quantitative Qualitative
Nebrija University Communication
Métodos de investigación en comunicación 6 No
Methodological
Social Science
Quantitative Qualitative
Universidad Complutense de Madrid Communication
Metodología de la investigación en comunicación 6 No
Methodological
Social Science
Qualitative Quantitative
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Communication
Mètodes de recerca en comunicación 6 Yes
Methodological
Social Science
Quantitative Qualitative
Universidad Católica de Murcia Communication
Gestión y exposición de trabajos académicos 6 Yes
Methodological Practical
Social Science
Quantitative Qualitative
Universidad Católica de Murcia Communication Humanidades 3 Yes
Universitat Pompeu Fabra Communication Investigació d'audiències 4 No
Methodological
Social Science Quantitative
Universitat Pompeu Fabra Communication
Tècniques de recerca aplicades a la comunicación 4 No
Methodological
Social Science
Quantitative Qualitative
Table 1: Methodological subject taught in the journalism degrees in Spain
Source: Prepared by the authors
The precedent table shows how this subject, the most usual and specific one, taught matter and focus is evidently followed by a minority of the communication faculties in Spain. If we considered that the aforementioned Libro blanco explains that the goals of the communication studies in Spain are the training of professionals for the media and of researchers on communication, seems quite evident that the majority of our universities do not really care about this aspect, or they do just when some of their students choose to follow their academic career applying for a research master. It means, thus, that the responsibility for training students of communication in research techniques is left in the hands of the postgraduate coordinators. We will examine in the next epigraph whether they answer adequately to this demand or not. All those subjects, on the other hand, are devoted to social sciences, and more concretely to two techniques: descriptive statistics and content analysis, and privilege a quantitative approach (Riffe, Lacy & Fico, 2008), probably the one in which the students are lesser familiarized with. Just one university, Pompeu Fabra, offer a couple of subjects, one for quantitative and another one for qualitative research methods, but in fact they are shared with the Political Science degree, and managed by that department, not communication. Probably the wider approach, including experiments and focus groups, is the one provided by two Madrilian universities: Rey Juan Carlos University and Carlos III University, the youngest ones of the region –and with the youngest teaching staff. Humanities are present in several subjects, such as media or journalism history, but not on the humanities research techniques and tools. Just one university
offers a subject called “Humanities”, the Catholic University of Murcia, a private center, but we are not sure whether the syllabus contains any reference to research methods. They offer another subject, called “Gestión y exposición de trabajacadémicos” (“Design and explanation of scholarly papers”), which is, no doubt, another aspect our faculties private university, CEU San Pablo (Madrid) focuses the subject related to research to documentation, a branch of the humanities, and as a result, the subject just teaches the first part of the research process, but not the design or the methods used to carry on a complete research on communication. And, finally, just one university offers a suon epistemology, a question that is contained, if it is, in the syllabi of “Communication theories” (epistemology is programs in Spain). The quantitative approach is strengthened by the offer of communication faculties in which sociologist are really influential, clearly the University of the Basque Country, whose faculty is called Social and Communication Sciences (in this order), Valencia and Pompeu Fabra (where it is cand managed by the Faculty of Political Science). Finally, there is another group of subjects on audience research, offered by Pompeu Fabra University and Rey Juan Carlos University. Innovation is, on the other hand, a word scarcely Dif ferently from other traditions (be a content suitable for this kind of methodological subjects, and it would be of some profit in order to show the students how thesinterest of a future journalism practitioner, cnewsroom. Just some subjects, like professor José Luis Dader (Complutense Univerother few universities (Autonomous of Barcelona is another example), try to present a practitioner’s point of view of the use of some techniques applied to journalism.
Figure 1: Methodological subject
As a proposal, and following the general trenon research methods applied to communication studies, we are in favor of a theoretical
Audience
research; 2;
10%
Humanities; 2;
10% Statistics;
Paper writing;
offers a subject called “Humanities”, the Catholic University of Murcia, a private center, but we are not sure whether the syllabus contains any reference to research methods. They offer another subject, called “Gestión y exposición de trabajacadémicos” (“Design and explanation of scholarly papers”), which is, no doubt,
our faculties rarely deal with –even in the master programs.private university, CEU San Pablo (Madrid) focuses the subject related to research to
umentation, a branch of the humanities, and as a result, the subject just teaches the first part of the research process, but not the design or the methods used to carry on a complete research on communication. And, finally, just one university offers a suon epistemology, a question that is contained, if it is, in the syllabi of “Communication
epistemology is a subject, by the way, almost invisible in the master
The quantitative approach is strengthened by the offer of specific subject in those communication faculties in which sociologist are really influential, clearly the University of the Basque Country, whose faculty is called Social and Communication Sciences (in this order), Valencia and Pompeu Fabra (where it is called “Data analysis”, and managed by the Faculty of Political Science). Finally, there is another group of subjects on audience research, offered by Pompeu Fabra University and Rey Juan
Innovation is, on the other hand, a word scarcely mentioned in the syllabi examined. ferently from other traditions (see, for example, Diakopoulos, 2012) it seems not to
be a content suitable for this kind of methodological subjects, and it would be of some profit in order to show the students how these scholarly contents, usually far from the interest of a future journalism practitioner, could be applicable in everydaynewsroom. Just some subjects, like precision journalism, introduced in Spain by professor José Luis Dader (Complutense University of Madrid) and followed by some other few universities (Autonomous of Barcelona is another example), try to present a practitioner’s point of view of the use of some techniques applied to journalism.
: Methodological subjects taught in the Spanish communication degrees.Source: Prepared by the authors
As a proposal, and following the general trends of the aforementioned specific subject on research methods applied to communication studies, we are in favor of a theoretical
Epistemology;
1; 5%
Methods; 11;
55%
Statistics;
3; 15%
Paper writing;
1; 5%
offers a subject called “Humanities”, the Catholic University of Murcia, a private center, but we are not sure whether the syllabus contains any reference to research methods. They offer another subject, called “Gestión y exposición de trabajos académicos” (“Design and explanation of scholarly papers”), which is, no doubt,
even in the master programs. Another private university, CEU San Pablo (Madrid) focuses the subject related to research to
umentation, a branch of the humanities, and as a result, the subject just teaches the first part of the research process, but not the design or the methods used to carry on a complete research on communication. And, finally, just one university offers a subject on epistemology, a question that is contained, if it is, in the syllabi of “Communication
a subject, by the way, almost invisible in the master
specific subject in those communication faculties in which sociologist are really influential, clearly the University of the Basque Country, whose faculty is called Social and Communication
alled “Data analysis”, and managed by the Faculty of Political Science). Finally, there is another group of subjects on audience research, offered by Pompeu Fabra University and Rey Juan
mentioned in the syllabi examined. see, for example, Diakopoulos, 2012) it seems not to
be a content suitable for this kind of methodological subjects, and it would be of some e scholarly contents, usually far from the ould be applicable in everyday life in a
, introduced in Spain by sity of Madrid) and followed by some
other few universities (Autonomous of Barcelona is another example), try to present a practitioner’s point of view of the use of some techniques applied to journalism.
taught in the Spanish communication degrees.
ds of the aforementioned specific subject on research methods applied to communication studies, we are in favor of a theoretical
and practical approach to initiate our students in the scientific research. Probably, in spite of having just one semester or term (shorter in the case of some universities, this is the case of the Pompeu Fabra). Differently from the old degree, in the new one adapted to the ESHE we prefer to train our students not just in the design of a research project adapted to their interests, preferences and profile, but also encourage them to effectively carry it on and present some results. This is the case of the subject of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, which in fact includes, to a great extent, the contents taught in two different subjects before, as a result of the reduction for five to four years. If a reform of the higher education in Spain should lead to the adoption of the 3+2 scheme, then the insertion of such subjects would be even more difficult, and would displace research methods’ teaching to the master syllabi, not a bad option if they are conceived differently from now. We propose to encourage groups instead of individual approach. In order to compare the results, we propose only one object of study (i.e., cultural consumption habits amongst teenagers and young people) and entrust each group with a concrete aspect of it. We propose to underline the innovative aspects of the focuses, starting with a good knowledge of the previous literature and a state-of-the-art of the subjects, techniques and research lines of the international production, i.e., using the last five years production published in the best journals of communication. Finally, and reversing the tendency observed, we propose to integrate when possible both quantitative and qualitative techniques (Bruhn Jensen, 2002), and, when possible as well, to take into account the humanities, reception studies and media effects. Basically, however, we prefer to concentrate our teaching in data design and analysis, data elaboration (SPSS), and, altogether with content analysis, discourse analysis using different, from rhetoric to semiotics (O’Keeffee, 2006). Epistemology is another question that should be present in our syllabi. As a final remark, we do not obliterate which is a clear tendency in methodology: a mixed approach, as represented by the most recent bibliography, i. e. Creswell (2009), Hesse-Biber (2010) and Tashakkori and Teddlie (2009 and 2010), longitudinal studies Newsom; Jones; Hofer, 2012) and multilevel modeling (Goldstein, 2010; Smith, 2011). A proposal which we extend to master programs. 3. Postgraduate syllabi on research methods: Masters
The landscape of methodology teaching in postgraduate programs in communication is even more complex in Spain than it is in degree programs. Heterogeneity is even greater, and, probably and partially due to the recent implantation of the master system in Spain (starting approximately in 2007) and to the obligation imposed by the Ministry of being just one-year, 60 ECTS programs, impose some difficult decisions on the syllabi. The great heterogeneity of researches and of the researchers’ interests, who in many cases prefer to teach their own concrete subjects rather than insist on the methods they use, helps us elucidate why master programs are so different amongst them and so extremely diverse.
As we can see in figure 2communication a huge majority is devoted to thematic approaches, and just a fifthof them deals with methodology. It seems to be very few if we remember that most of the universities in Spain do not offer such subjects in their graduate programs, or they are not compulsory. As a result, which do not include a systematical syllabus on research methods, since they are not taught or are taught in just a semester or term from a very limited (mainly a quantitative approach) or general point of view.Curiously enough, especially when the quantitative methods observed in the graduate programs2010, and their claim to be systematic also using qualitative techniques)methods are extensively preferred iapproach. More than one half of the methodological subjects teach qualitative methods (52%), and 31% of them combine both quantitative and qualitative methods. A minority of the methodological subjects, 17%, are
Thematical
78%
Figure 2 Type of subjects taught
As we can see in figure 2, amongst the subjects of the Spanish masters on communication a huge majority is devoted to thematic approaches, and just a fifthof them deals with methodology. It seems to be very few if we remember that most of the universities in Spain do not offer such subjects in their graduate programs, or they are not compulsory. As a result, a lack of such training is observed in thosewhich do not include a systematical syllabus on research methods, since they are not taught or are taught in just a semester or term from a very limited (mainly a quantitative approach) or general point of view. Curiously enough, especially when compared with the aforementioned preference for the quantitative methods observed in the graduate programs (see, i.e., Bernard & Ryan 2010, and their claim to be systematic also using qualitative techniques)methods are extensively preferred in postgraduate studies –and also a combined approach. More than one half of the methodological subjects teach qualitative methods (52%), and 31% of them combine both quantitative and qualitative methods. A minority of the methodological subjects, 17%, are devoted to exclusively quantitative methods.
Methodological
21%
Thematical
78%
Practical
1%
Subject taught: Type
, amongst the subjects of the Spanish masters on communication a huge majority is devoted to thematic approaches, and just a fifth part of them deals with methodology. It seems to be very few if we remember that most of the universities in Spain do not offer such subjects in their graduate programs, or they
a lack of such training is observed in those programs which do not include a systematical syllabus on research methods, since they are not taught or are taught in just a semester or term from a very limited (mainly a quantitative
compared with the aforementioned preference for (see, i.e., Bernard & Ryan
2010, and their claim to be systematic also using qualitative techniques), qualitative and also a combined
approach. More than one half of the methodological subjects teach qualitative methods (52%), and 31% of them combine both quantitative and qualitative methods. A minority
devoted to exclusively quantitative methods.
Methodological
Quantitative vs qualitative methods
In addition, social sciences are privileged instead of the humanities, like in the programs, even though the journalistic tradition is thought to be more related to the literae humaniores, even more remarkable in the Englishespecially the United Kingdom, where journalism is rarely considered a university degree. The subjects exclusively total, while the ones related to social sciences are 65% of them.19% of the subjects taught, and the rest are practical subjects or of combined methodologies. When aggregated all the subjects that have something to do with one or other knowledge field –some subjects are dedicated to professional training, even if they are part of a research master–, the proportion is of three quarters for the social squarter for the humanities –social sciences. Probably as a result of the basic type of the communication masters, the predominance of the subjects devoted to analyze sources is overwsurprisingly, the subjects related to statistics are just 9% of the total, less than content (and discourse) analysis, which in addition are 20%, one fifth of the subject taught, even more if we add up all the specific disnarratology, 3% each. Interviews and surveys (main techniques of ethnography; see Machin, 2002; Murphy & Kraidy, 2003; concretely, Adams, 1989) come to 5%, liof the Communication Historians’ Association of Spain, their influence on postgraduate programs seems to be decreasing). Focus groups, a fashionable techniquecommunication studies as early as 1998 subjects. The variety of techniques does not include experiments, which is even more surprising (Campbell & Stanley, 2011)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Quantitative
Series1
Methodological Subjects
Figure 3 Quantitative vs qualitative methods
Source: Prepared by the authors
In addition, social sciences are privileged instead of the humanities, like in the programs, even though the journalistic tradition is thought to be more related to the
, even more remarkable in the English-speaking countries, and especially the United Kingdom, where journalism is rarely considered a university
exclusively related to the humanities are less than one fifth of the total, while the ones related to social sciences are 65% of them. Arts and Humanities are 19% of the subjects taught, and the rest are practical subjects or of combined
When aggregated all the subjects that have something to do with one or other some subjects are dedicated to professional training, even if they are
, the proportion is of three quarters for the social s–a proportion of 27% for the arts and humanities, 73% for the
Probably as a result of the basic type of the communication masters, the predominance of the subjects devoted to analyze sources is overwhelming: more than one half. And, surprisingly, the subjects related to statistics are just 9% of the total, less than content (and discourse) analysis, which in addition are 20%, one fifth of the subject taught, even more if we add up all the specific disciplines related to discourse analysis: semiotics and narratology, 3% each. Interviews and surveys (main techniques of ethnography; see
Murphy & Kraidy, 2003; Paterson and Domingo, 2008, and for surveys ) come to 5%, like historiography (even though the importance
of the Communication Historians’ Association of Spain, their influence on postgraduate programs seems to be decreasing). Focus groups, a fashionable techniquecommunication studies as early as 1998 by Morrison), is taught in only 2% of the subjects. The variety of techniques does not include experiments, which is even more
& Stanley, 2011).
Quantitative Qualitative Both
9 27 16
Methodological SubjectsQuantitative vs Qualitative
In addition, social sciences are privileged instead of the humanities, like in the degree programs, even though the journalistic tradition is thought to be more related to the
speaking countries, and especially the United Kingdom, where journalism is rarely considered a university
related to the humanities are less than one fifth of the Arts and Humanities are
19% of the subjects taught, and the rest are practical subjects or of combined
When aggregated all the subjects that have something to do with one or other some subjects are dedicated to professional training, even if they are
, the proportion is of three quarters for the social sciences, one a proportion of 27% for the arts and humanities, 73% for the
Probably as a result of the basic type of the communication masters, the predominance helming: more than one half. And,
surprisingly, the subjects related to statistics are just 9% of the total, less than content (and discourse) analysis, which in addition are 20%, one fifth of the subject taught, even
ciplines related to discourse analysis: semiotics and narratology, 3% each. Interviews and surveys (main techniques of ethnography; see
, and for surveys ke historiography (even though the importance
of the Communication Historians’ Association of Spain, their influence on postgraduate programs seems to be decreasing). Focus groups, a fashionable technique (applied to
, is taught in only 2% of the subjects. The variety of techniques does not include experiments, which is even more
Subjects are preferably devoted to several research interest“thematical”, in contrast to the “methodological” ones), and the variety of them is greater than the variety of techniques. Communication is the main approach, logically. Media studies are the main focusa cultural perspective–; Bertrand & Hughes, 2005;Anderson, 2012, and journalism the preferred field (that is: printed press). One particular media shows a growing importance: the Internet, since it exceeds the number of subjects dedicated to audiovisual (in which television is dominant). Cinema, public relations and other fields have their own masters, so it is not surprising the short importance they receive in the offer of the research masters.
Content analysis
11%
Discourse analysis
9%
Narratology
3%
Historiography
5%
Focus Groups
2%
Interviews
3%Surveys
2%
Methodologies Taught
Figure 4: Methodologies taught Source: Prepared by the authors
evoted to several research interests (we have named the as “thematical”, in contrast to the “methodological” ones), and the variety of them is greater than the variety of techniques. Communication is the main approach, logically.
are the main focus (Adams, 1986; Berger, 1998, 2000; Stokes, 2003 ; Bertrand & Hughes, 2005; Nabi & Olier, 2009; Priest, 2010;
, and journalism the preferred field (that is: printed press). One shows a growing importance: the Internet, since it exceeds the number
of subjects dedicated to audiovisual (in which television is dominant). Cinema, public relations and other fields have their own masters, so it is not surprising the short
y receive in the offer of the research masters.
Source analysis
53%
Statistics
9%
Semiotics
3%
Methodologies Taught
(we have named the as “thematical”, in contrast to the “methodological” ones), and the variety of them is greater than the variety of techniques. Communication is the main approach, logically.
Stokes, 2003 –for Nabi & Olier, 2009; Priest, 2010;
, and journalism the preferred field (that is: printed press). One shows a growing importance: the Internet, since it exceeds the number
of subjects dedicated to audiovisual (in which television is dominant). Cinema, public relations and other fields have their own masters, so it is not surprising the short
Figure 5
Considering all the subjects offered in the master syllabi, however, media studies are not the most important approach; political communication is, by far. On the other extreme, subjects related to were fashionable sometime, they are notOnce again, as it happens when considering the methodological subjects, thematic subjects related to social sciences are far more popular than the one related to the humanities, and exactly in the same proportion: 75%
Internet
14%
Audio-visual
7%
Information
society
5%
Advertising
& Marketing
3%
Public relations
Social Sciences
75%
Humanities vs Social Sciences
Figure 5: Media studies. Total and percentage Source: Prepared by the authors
Considering all the subjects offered in the master syllabi, however, media studies are not the most important approach; political communication is, by far. On the other
subjects related to anthropology and language are the less popular were fashionable sometime, they are not in these days, at least in Spain. Once again, as it happens when considering the methodological subjects, thematic subjects related to social sciences are far more popular than the one related to the
and exactly in the same proportion: 75% - 25% (figure 6).
Communication
(general)
30%
Journalism
20%Media
15%
Public relations
3%
Cinema
3%
Thematic subjectsMedia Studies
Humanities
25%
Social Sciences
75%
Thematical SubjectsHumanities vs Social Sciences
(aggregated)
Considering all the subjects offered in the master syllabi, however, media studies are not the most important approach; political communication is, by far. On the other
anthropology and language are the less popular ones. If they , at least in Spain.
Once again, as it happens when considering the methodological subjects, thematic subjects related to social sciences are far more popular than the one related to the
Figure 6: Thematic subjects. Humanities vs Social sciences. Aggregated
Figures 7 and 8 show the relative importance of every subject inside each group (social sciences and the humanities). Aesthetics is the most popular approach in the second group, followed by ethics and media historyseparately within the humanities, ethics and history are of considerable importance, as they are their importance in the future journalist’s curriculum. But, considered in a weighted relatively, their influence is diluted.
Figure 7
Media History
14%
Rhetorics
7%
Semiotics
7%
Gender studies
7%
Antropology
Relative Weight inside the Humanities
: Thematic subjects. Humanities vs Social sciences. AggregatedSource: Prepared by the authors
show the relative importance of every subject inside each group (social ciences and the humanities). Aesthetics is the most popular approach in the second
group, followed by ethics and media history (i.e., Godfrey, 2006). When considered separately within the humanities, ethics and history are of considerable importance, as
ey are their importance in the future journalist’s curriculum. But, considered in a weighted relatively, their influence is diluted.
Figure 7: Thematic subjects. Humanities Source: Prepared by the authors
Aesthetics
45%
Ethics
14%
Media History
Antropology
3%
Language
3%
Thematical subjectsRelative Weight inside the Humanities
: Thematic subjects. Humanities vs Social sciences. Aggregated
show the relative importance of every subject inside each group (social ciences and the humanities). Aesthetics is the most popular approach in the second
. When considered separately within the humanities, ethics and history are of considerable importance, as
ey are their importance in the future journalist’s curriculum. But, considered in a
Figure 8: Thematic subjects. Humanities
Let us compare the relative importance of the most popular subject within the humanities, aesthetics (45% considered separately) and the most popular one within the social science (political comparative perspective (figure
Figure 9
Comms
Policies
10%
Politics
8%
Technology
6%
Development
5%
Relative Weight inside the Social Sciences
Media History
14%
Rhetorics
7%
Semiotics
7%
Gender studies
7%
Antropology
Relative Weight inside the Humanities
: Thematic subjects. Humanities vs Social sciences. AggregatedSource: Prepared by the authors
Let us compare the relative importance of the most popular subject within the humanities, aesthetics (45% considered separately) and the most popular one within the social science (political communication, 21%), and the weighted importance in
arative perspective (figure 9):
Figure 9: Thematic subjects. Humanities
Political
communication
21%
Psychology
12%
Communication
Institutions
10%Information
society
10%
Sociology
10%
DevelopmentLaw
5%
Business &
Commerce
3%
Thematical subjects
Relative Weight inside the Social Sciences
Aesthetics
45%
Ethics
14%
Media History
Antropology
3%
Language
3%
Thematical subjectsRelative Weight inside the Humanities
vs Social sciences. Aggregated
Let us compare the relative importance of the most popular subject within the humanities, aesthetics (45% considered separately) and the most popular one within the
communication, 21%), and the weighted importance in
Political
communication
21%
Communication
Institutions
10%
Figure 10: Thematic subjects. Humanities vs Social sciences. Aggregated
In this last figure, we have divided the pyramid (which shows a clear curve in quartiles, so we can see which kind of subject are in the lower one, in the middle (second and third) and on the top (first quartile). Most of the subjects ofthe humanities, concretely seven: semiotics (these ones, in fact, methodological, but intentionally included of the thematic group of the masters examined)history), and only three of them can be considered related to social sciences: law, development studies and business and commerce. The following quartile, which can be considered the central one, is occupied by only sociainstitutions, information society, sociology, communication policies, politics (other aspects different from political communication) and technology. The second quartile is shared by aesthetics (humanities) and psychology is on the first quartile: communication politics. 4. Discussion and further research This is, in our humble opinion, the situation: the preferences of the researchecommunication in Spain havesciences. Apparently, at least: when comparing the graduate and postgraduate programs, some inconsistencies appear. Which are the reasons of that behavior exceeds the goals of this paper, but some of them Obviously, a research method is neither right or wrong, better or worse, in any case it must be more or less suitable for the goals, focus and universe of a concrete research.
Comms
Policies
10%
Politics
8%
Technology
6%
Development
5%
Relative Weight inside the Social Sciences
Source: Prepared by the authors
: Thematic subjects. Humanities vs Social sciences. AggregatedSource: Prepared by the authors
In this last figure, we have divided the pyramid (which shows a clear curve in quartiles, so we can see which kind of subject are in the lower one, in the middle (second and third) and on the top (first quartile). Most of the subjects of the lower one come from the humanities, concretely seven: those related to anthropology, language, rhetoric,
(these ones, in fact, methodological, but intentionally included group of the masters examined), gender studies, ethics and media
history), and only three of them can be considered related to social sciences: law, development studies and business and commerce. The following quartile, which can be considered the central one, is occupied by only social science subjects: communication institutions, information society, sociology, communication policies, politics (other aspects different from political communication) and technology. The second quartile is shared by aesthetics (humanities) and psychology (social sciences), and just one subject is on the first quartile: communication politics.
Discussion and further research
This is, in our humble opinion, the situation: the preferences of the researchecommunication in Spain have dropped from the humanities to embrace the social sciences. Apparently, at least: when comparing the graduate and postgraduate programs, some inconsistencies appear. Which are the reasons of that behavior exceeds the goals of this paper, but some of them have been mentioned or hinted at the preface. Obviously, a research method is neither right or wrong, better or worse, in any case it must be more or less suitable for the goals, focus and universe of a concrete research.
Political
communication
21%
Psychology
12%
Communication
Institutions
10%Information
society
10%
Sociology
10%
DevelopmentLaw
5%
Business &
Commerce
3%
Thematical subjects
Relative Weight inside the Social Sciences
: Thematic subjects. Humanities vs Social sciences. Aggregated
In this last figure, we have divided the pyramid (which shows a clear curve in quartiles, so we can see which kind of subject are in the lower one, in the middle (second and
the lower one come from anthropology, language, rhetoric,
(these ones, in fact, methodological, but intentionally included in the syllabi , gender studies, ethics and media
history), and only three of them can be considered related to social sciences: law, development studies and business and commerce. The following quartile, which can be
l science subjects: communication institutions, information society, sociology, communication policies, politics (other aspects different from political communication) and technology. The second quartile is
(social sciences), and just one subject
This is, in our humble opinion, the situation: the preferences of the researchers on dropped from the humanities to embrace the social
sciences. Apparently, at least: when comparing the graduate and postgraduate programs, some inconsistencies appear. Which are the reasons of that behavior exceeds the goals
have been mentioned or hinted at the preface. Obviously, a research method is neither right or wrong, better or worse, in any case it must be more or less suitable for the goals, focus and universe of a concrete research.
Political
communication
21%
Communication
Institutions
10%
But, if we claim for communication studies a double status (humanities and social sciences) it should be reflected in the importance given to both methodologies groups, but it is not, or, at least, the relation is unbalanced –in favor of the social science and, in the syllabi of the subjects on methodology taught in our communication degrees, quantitative methods, that is, the ones much more differentiated from the (usually thought as) qualitative methodologies of the humanities. And, again, the situation is reversed in the master programs, in which qualitative methods are clearly privileged (Bruhn & Jankowski, 1991; Altheide, 1996; Yin, 2011; for a more general perspective, see Pascale, 2001 and Silverman, 2010 and 2011). Making a long story short, we are just saying that, as a matter of fact, we are able to observe a gap between what was done a couple of decades ago and which is a clear tendency in our days, as we are trying to explain in this paper. Figures will help us to visualize which is the importance given in communication studies in Spain and to detect which are the needs in this field, at least, if we want to improve the expertise of our communication students in research to the point that it’ll be comparable to that of the students of similar disciplines, like economy, political science, sociology or even law. And this is a greater need if we consider that the reform of the degrees in Spain has led, in some universities (for example, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra) to offer combined programs, in which communication subjects, that is, journalism, audiovisual communication or advertising and public relations subjects must be chosen in combination with itineraries on those disciplines. Innovation is, in this respect, an important goal. Few disciplines are so susceptible of using such a large range of disciplines –combining qualitative and quantitative and, which is even more important– as communication studies are. Communication is a knowledge field which applies methodologies of the social sciences and the humanities, and both traditions are important. In our humble opinion, discarding one or the other attending to the moment’s fashion is sterile, so students should receive a good training in both of them. A good knowledge of all those techniques, and of the communication theories –a field which is far more original than methodologies– should give as a result a solid training on how a research on communication should be design. Further research, as we have previously explained, is needed to confirm or not the general trends we have drawn in the precedent lines: increasing importance of the social science, a preference for the quantitative methods (and the descriptive statistics) during the graduate program yield to the quantitative methods (discourse analysis) during the postgraduate programs. Research masters in communication are weak in research method teaching; one should expect that several fashionable subjects, the most popular one political communication, include the explanation on which methods (quantitative and/or qualitative, statistics, ethnography or content analysis, if not experiments, which seems to be the less popular technique) are used, so those subjects substitute the explicit teaching of research methods and tools, This seems to be just the contrary of which is practiced in some other disciplines and countries, but this will be the goal of our further research, a comparative study which include a prospection on which kind of bibliography, in which language and privileging which approaches, is recommended in the different syllabi of the best master programs all around the world. 5. References 5.1.General references on methodology
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