Applied Media Research
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 300
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2026
Choose Your Format
Choose Your Platform | Help Me Choose
$130.00 USD
Ebook
$65.00 USD
Applied Media Research is a practical, introductory textbook designed for communications and media students who plan to enter one of the many different communications fields. This new publication distinguishes itself from traditional communications research textbooks by focusing on real-world application rather than theoretical study or research methodologies. Students will learn to answer critical professional questions: Who is our audience and what do they want? What projects should we produce? How can we tell authentic stories?
Using an applied framework, media research is looked at through many lenses, including audience, business, and content development. The text teaches how to evaluate internet sources, AI data, scholarly research, journalism, and industry reports; how to conduct production research for scripted and non-fiction content; and even how to research their own career paths. Case studies focused on popular media like Spongebob, Spotify, and Netflix's House of Cards are designed to capture students' attention and to demonstrate how data-driven research transforms creative and business decision-making. Written by Dr. Kelly Leahy, a 30-year media veteran on faculty at Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School of Public Communications, this book emphasizes practical skills like media acumen, research literacy, and systematic investigation over guesswork—capabilities essential for success in today's competitive media landscape.
Applied Media Research includes comprehensive ancillary materials offering:
- Test banks
- PowerPoints
- Sample syllabi
- An instructor's manual
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 Introduction to Applied Media Research
Chapter 2 Answering Interesting Questions: An Introduction to Methods
Chapter 3 Applied Methods
Chapter 4 Developing Media Acumen & Research Literacy
Chapter 5 Using & Critiquing Scholarly Research
Chapter 6 Using Journalism as Research
Chapter 7 Using Internet and AI Sources for Research
Chapter 8 Using Industry Reports and Business Research
Chapter 9 Production Research for Scripted Production
Chapter 10 Production: Researching for Non-Fiction
Chapter 11 Audio Research for Production
Chapter 12 Change the World: Using Research for Impact
Chapter 13 Understanding and Researching Audiences
Chapter 14 Using Research to Make Business Decisions
Chapter 15 Researching Media Careers
References
Further Reading
Dr. Kelly Leahy is assistant professor in the Television, Radio, and Film department of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications of Syracuse University. Dr. Leahy has developed and produced broadcast and digital media for PBS, Discovery Kids, iCivics, and Nickelodeon among others. Her research focuses on educational media and technology, with a concentration in media literacy, civics, digital games, television, and web content. She has served on boards and advisory boards for the White House, the Library of Congress, and National Association for Media Literacy Education among others. She was awarded the Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for her dissertation research on young children and emerging technology. Leahy earned a doctorate in education from Harvard University, and is an alumna of Northwestern University and the American School of Paris.