Trends of Research Methods and Sampling Techniques in Political Communication Studies

TRENDS OF RESEARCH METHODS AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES IN POLITICAL COMMUNICATION STUDIES By GALADIMA DANLADI JOHN* Abstract The mass media in the country have to face challenges of processing and disseminating relevant political communication messages for the development of democratic system of government. Scholars of mass communication in the country are facing the problem of knowing the different media messages shaping public opinion during electoral politics and also, keeping tract of changes in the media, as well as types and methods of message delivery in a democracy. This study examined the different research methods used by scholars to understand trends in political communication in different countries. The results show that scholars used content analysis method more than other methods of research; while newspapers and television were the popular media frequently used for such research on political communication. The paper recommends the use of two or more research methods in conducting political communication in order to capture all perspectives in competitive events such as electoral politics which is the plank on which democratic government rests. Key Words: Research methods, Political communication, Mass media, Democracy, Journals JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 1, No. 1, April 2009, 17 – 33. About the author Galadima Danladi John, is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria. Full Article Words: 5,528 Pages: 17 To access full article, click on download. Article Citation Galadima, J. D. (2009): Trends of research methods and sampling techniques in political communication studies. Journal of Communication and Media Research 1(1): 17 – 33.