Balance de la investigación en comunicación. Un estudio desde los trabajos de titulación de grado en Ecuador

Introduction: Since the implementation of the Organic Law of Higher Education (LOES) in 2010 in Ecuador, a remarkable increase in scientific production and academic innovation has been observed. However, this trend has not been significantly reflected in undergraduate degree works in communication. Methodology: Descriptive research was conducted on the degree works of undergraduate students in Communication at the Salesian Polytechnic University (UPS) in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca between 2016 and 2021. A total of 427 academic articles published in the university repository were analyzed. Results: The study reveals that Quito leads in the amount of research, with 49.56%, followed by Guayaquil with 30.44%, and Cuenca with 20%. Discussion: The degree works analyzed reflect a predominant focus on media communication and new media, with a particular emphasis on the analysis of the message and the influence of the Internet and social networks. The differences between cities such as Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca reveal preferences towards specific topics such as critical discourse analysis and cultural industries, influenced by the local media and cultural environment.