BA Communications Research: Skills and Factors
If there was one thing I hated when I was in college, it was conducting research. Somehow, spending hours collecting and testing data or scouring the library for the right information struck me as tedious, boring work.
There are people who thrive on this kind of activity, though. Perhaps it’s time we examined these kinds of people a bit more closely.
The Mark of a Good Researcher
Researchers for mass communications may be able to pass themselves off as scientists, at least at first glance. After all, they are precise and step-by-step in their approach toward testing hypotheses and analyzing data.
Besides those, potential and actual communications researchers possess enough curiosity to fuel their research, as well as enough healthy skepticism (read: critical thinking) not to accept something at mere face value.
Disseminating your Research
As a student, you will likely be expected to publish a research paper of your own. A little creativity and an ability to express yourself well will go a long way toward helping you achieve that goal.
If you ever wanted to develop self-confidence, then you’re in luck: you won’t merely be called upon to produce a research paper; you’ll also be called upon to present it. If you’ve got good presentation skills (or you’ve been thinking of honing them), then this is your big chance.
While I may not be the communications researcher type, I’m thankful that I had these kinds of people as friends during my college days. They helped pull me through the intensive thesis preparation times, and they’re probably still doing what they do best today.
