Benghazi – A practical workshop on “Employing and Using Theory in Media Research” opened Saturday evening at the Martyr Muftah Bouzid Training Hall, located at the Libyan News Agency headquarters. The event is organized by the National Center for Media Research and Communication Sciences, in cooperation with the Libyan News Agency and the Community Service Office at the Faculty of Media, University of Benghazi. Twenty postgraduate students specializing in media and communication are participating, along with researchers, academics from research centers, and media practitioners interested in public opinion studies.
The three-day workshop aims to help participants understand media theories, choose the best theory for their research problem, and transform theoretical hypotheses into measurable variables and indicators. The goal is to ensure that media research is built on solid scientific and methodological foundations.
Dr. Salima Zidan, a journalism professor at the University of Benghazi, told the Libyan News Agency that the workshop’s training content helps participants design comprehensive research plans. These plans begin with identifying the research gap, formulating the study’s title and problem, defining objectives and questions, and using theory in data collection and analysis. This, she said, improves the quality of media research and ensures consistency between theoretical frameworks and practical steps.
Zidan explained that the training program spans three intensive days. The first day covers foundational concepts such as theory, methodology, approach, and models. It also reviews the development of theoretical thought in media and communication research over the past century, from early direct effect theories, through limited and moderate effect theories, to those explaining digital communication.
She added that the second and third days are devoted to practical exercises. Participants are divided into groups to select research ideas, choose the guiding paradigm and suitable theory for each project, and apply them to stages of research design. This includes formulating the research problem, objectives, questions, variables, data collection tools, and interpreting results within the theoretical framework.
Zidan noted that the workshop focuses on developing theoretical thinking among researchers. It aims to ensure the proper use of media theories in addressing contemporary research problems and enhancing the quality of academic work in the field of media and communication.
The workshop is part of a broader program by the National Center for Media Research and Communication Sciences, in cooperation with the Libyan News Agency and the Community Service Office at the Faculty of Media. The effort seeks to support graduate students and researchers, build research skills, and raise the standard of scientific and media studies.