Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1986

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Marilyn Kern-Foxworth

Committee Members

Paul Ashdown, Michael Singletary

Abstract

Students studying public relations in American universities are taught a theoretical model of public relations practice involving research, planning,implementation, and evaluation. Is public relations practiced according to the theoretical model or do real-world variables cause practitioners to alter the practice? A mail survey was conducted and a series of case studies were developed June 1984 through July 1985. Data for the mail survey were gathered through a questionnaire. Three hundred of the pre-registrants for the 38th National Conference of the Public Relations Society of America were selected. Case studies of five oraganizations were conducted. The results of the mail survey were tabulated and analyzed, then compared to the case study findings.

Results showed research is being done mainly to support ideas, programs, plans, and proposals. Practitioners are still slow to study the effectiveness of programs except at the corporate and agency levels. Results also showed data gathering is the most prevalent type of research done among mail surveys, personal interviews, telephone interviews, focus groups, content analyses, and readability tests. It was concluded that the gap between the teaching and practice of public relations exists, has been recognized, and is being identified, but has not been bridged.

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