By tracing the epistemological and theoretical roots of the major methodological perspectives, Gunter identifies the various schools of social scientific research that have determined the major perspectives in the area. Drawing a distinction between quantitative and qualitative methods, he discusses the relative advantages and disadvantages of each approach, and examines recent trends that signal a convergence of approaches and their associated forms of research.

The unique strength of this book is that it discusses the theoretical underpinnings of media research methodologies, and thereby presents a deeper discussion of methodologies than simply whether or not they offer techniques that generate reliable data.