Mass Comm Bachelor of Communication Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Mass Comm Bachelor of Communication facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which element is part of the 'Five Ws' foundational to news reporting? → Why
2. Which Supreme Court case established that the government faces an extremely heavy burden to justify prior restraint of the press? → Near v. Minnesota (1931)
3. What is 'uses and gratifications theory' in communication research? → Audiences actively choose media to satisfy specific needs
4. In a given situation, what does our role indicate based on our position? → What we do
5. What kind of design element are single or groups of dots? → Point
6. What is 'content analysis' as a research method? → Systematic coding and analysis of media content to identify patterns
7. Which countries implemented media literacy requirements in their basic education systems before the United States? → Australia, Canada, and Great Britain.
8. What does 'agenda-setting theory' propose? → Media tells the public what to think about, not what to think
9. What is 'native advertising'? → Paid content designed to match the look and feel of the surrounding editorial content
10. Which of the following is NOT one of the four factors courts consider in a fair use analysis? → The profit motive of the original copyright holder
11. What is 'A/B testing' in social media content strategy? → Comparing two versions of a post to determine which performs better
12. What is 'creative brief' in advertising production? → A document outlining the strategy, target audience, and objectives to guide ad creation
13. What is the design word for a "continuous" or "moving" dot? → Line
14. What is 'positioning' in advertising strategy? → How a brand occupies a distinct place in the consumer's mind relative to competitors
15. In research methodology, what is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research? → Qualitative explores meaning and experience; quantitative measures numerical data
16. A way to keep track of, evaluate, and solve problems. The organization is able to predict new problems and deal with them before they get out of hand. → Issues management
17. Which FTC rule requires advertisers to disclose material connections with endorsers? → The Endorsement and Testimonial Guidelines
18. What function does the Fill Light serve in a standard three-point lighting setup? → Fill in the unappealing shadows created by the key light. (Correct Answer)
19. Which country's media education efforts were often highlighted for the evolution of the field of study? → Great Britain.
20. What kind of light does a table lamp give off? → Incandescent
21. Which of these nations has a history of valuing collectivism? → India
22. Done at the beginning of the design project to guide the entire process. It is used for problem identification and solving. → Formative research
23. What is the inverted pyramid structure used in broadcast journalism? → Most important information first, then supporting details
24. How did Ruminski and Hanks (1995) categorize the definitions of critical thinking provided by AEJMC respondents? → As skills in analysis of information.
25. What does 'reliability' mean in the context of research measurement? → Consistency of results when the same measure is applied repeatedly
26. Under U.S. copyright law, how long does protection last for a work created by an individual author after January 1, 1978? → The author's lifetime plus 70 years
27. Which nonverbal communication skill is universal, meaning that everyone uses it the same way? → Facial expressions
28. What is the optimal volume for a video? → -12 db
29. Provide a definition for ethics. → Analyzing what is right and wrong, and what is good and bad.
30. The idea that people outside of a group have about what people in that group are like before they meet them. → Stereotypes