There are two types of undergraduate research opportunities in journalism — journalistic research and academic or scholarly research.

Journalistic research consists of Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. Undergraduate students interested in Journalistic research use multiple methods to gather and share information — including interviews with experts and “real” people, gathering facts and data, providing background and context, telling real stories and sharing information for the purpose of serving the public or reaching a specific audience.

The second research available is academic or scholarly research. This also asks and answers questions about who, what, where, when, why and how. This type of research is often divided into either quantitative (how much/how many) or qualitative (why) questions. Students use multiple methods to gather and share information typically to an academic audience (conferences and journals) and increasingly in ways that are known as “broader impact” research — as they can help society as a whole.

Examples of research methodology include survey research, in-depth interviews with reporters, editors and consumers of news and information, gathering facts and data from primary or secondary sources such as government databases, historical artifacts, photographs, video or texts in broadcasts, examining ethical, legal and historical impact of journalism and public relations.

All students are instructed on journalistic and academic research methods through required coursework in their first and second years at the School of Journalism, with students progressing from entry-level to more complex research to eventually designing research for advanced client presentations in MOJO Ad, Adzou or for investigative reporting or documentary film producing.

There are multiple opportunities for students who want to get a jump start on journalistic research through the School’s professional newsrooms, student organizations or campus organizations. For a complete list and who to contact, click here.

To find more information on how to get involved in academic research, send an email to Undergraduate Dean Lynda Kraxberger.