Influence of Mass Media on Career Choices of Final-Year High School Students in Brașov County, Romania

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Clarify the Hypotheses: The study would benefit from the explicit articulation of research hypotheses. While the objectives are helpful, clearly stated hypotheses would improve analytical focus.

Tighten the Literature Review: The review covers a breadth of sources but would be stronger with more synthesis and structure. Group studies thematically or chronologically and highlight specific gaps your study addresses.

Improve Language Clarity: While the English is largely readable, sentence structure and style could be polished. Watch for overly dense paragraphs and redundant wording.

Strengthen the Limitations Section: Expand on how the non-probabilistic sample and regional focus limit generalizability. Discuss potential self-reporting bias from the questionnaire format.

Policy Implications: Consider adding more concrete, actionable recommendations for educators or media literacy advocates in the conclusion.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The English is mostly clear, but there are areas with awkward phrasing, overuse of nominalizations, and overly long paragraphs. A native-speaking editor or a thorough language edit is recommended to improve clarity and style.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 1 comments

 

Reviewer 1 comment 1: Clarify the Hypotheses: The study would benefit from the explicit articulation of research hypotheses. While the objectives are helpful, clearly stated hypotheses would improve analytical focus.

 

Response 1:

Thank you for the suggestion. Based on the points mentioned, a set of hypotheses has been added to the methodology section. Please refer to lines 332–341.

``This study proposes a set of analytical variables:
H1: High school students perceive mass media as having an ambivalent role in career choice, being both a valuable source of information and a potential means of manipulation.
H2: Students who value personal development tend to associate career choice with opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and intercultural interaction.
H3: Students’ career choices are significantly influenced by their perception of workplace benefits and conditions.``

 

 

Reviewer 1 comment 2: Tighten the Literature Review: The review covers a breadth of sources but would be stronger with more synthesis and structure. Group studies thematically or chronologically and highlight specific gaps your study addresses.

Response 2:

Based on the above observations, the research team decided to rewrite the introduction, fulfilling two objectives:

1. Reducing the word count and aiming to ensure clarity in both expression and ideas.
2. Attempting to systematize the theoretical framework into the following sub-sections:
       1.1. The Theoretical Bases of Career Decision-Making
       1.2. The Influence of Mass Media and Digital Culture
       1.3. Media, Motivation, and Modernity: Shaping Teen Career Aspirations in the Digital Age
       1.4. Statistical Insights into Media, Motivation, and Youth Vocational Choice

We hope that these changes bring greater clarity to the expression and presentation of ideas.

 

Reviewer 1 comment 3: Improve Language Clarity: While the English is largely readable, sentence structure and style could be polished. Watch for overly dense paragraphs and redundant wording.

Response 3:

Thank you for your feedback. We have revised and rewritten several sentences throughout the text to better align with academic language, ensure fluency, and meet the requirements of your journal.

Reviewer 1 comment 4: Strengthen the Limitations Section: Expand on how the non-probabilistic sample and regional focus limit generalizability. Discuss potential self-reporting bias from the questionnaire format.

Response 4:

Thank you for your suggestion. Based on your comments, the following sentence has been added to the limitations section in the conclusions:

See lines 734–738.

 

``Moreover, the use of a non-probabilistic sample limits the generalizability of the findings, as the results may not accurately reflect broader student populations. Another potential limitation is the reliance on self-reported data collected via questionnaire, which may introduce bias due to social desirability or inaccurate self-assessment.``

Reviewer 1 comment 5: Policy Implications: Consider adding more concrete, actionable recommendations for educators or media literacy advocates in the conclusion.

Response 5:

Thank you for the suggestion. Based on your comments, the following text has been added at the end of the Discussion section:
Lines 685–697.

``Based on these findings, several educational policy implications can be formulat-ed to support students in making sustainable and informed career decisions. First, the integration of media education and critical thinking into the national curriculum is es-sential to help students evaluate media messages and distinguish between aspirational content and realistic opportunities. Second, career counseling services must be strengthened and diversified, especially in schools where access remains limited. Per-sonalized guidance—both individual and group-based—should be offered starting from early school years, in order to foster self-awareness and long-term planning. Third, teacher training programs should emphasize the importance of being a role model, as well as professional enthusiasm and active involvement in supporting students’ vocational exploration. Finally, cooperation between schools, families, and professionals outside the educational system (e.g., mentors, career counselors, experts from various fields) should be encouraged through structured partnerships, career fairs, and experiential learning programs.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Journalmedia-3767673-: The Influence of the Media on the Career Choices of High School Students

I have carefully review the manuscript. Here are my comments;

The manuscript contributes to literature on SDG 4 and unveiled differential influence of mass media on career choices among students. However, the manuscript in its current state would require a major revision and resubmission for consideration.

My comments are as follows;

1. Suggested Title; Influence of the Mass Media on Career Choices of Final Year High School Students in Brașov County, Romania

 

2. Abstract:

• Include the Brașov County, Romania, in lines 4 and 7 as indicated in the manuscript.

 

• The abstract seems long. Check the acceptable word count from the author guidelines in the journal website.

 

3. Keywords: Rearrange alphabetically.

 

4. Introduction

 

• The introductory section is too long.
• There are instances of repetition of already mentioned statement.
• Some sentences are hard to read and the paragraphs are not connected for smooth transitions.
• The research gap that the study aims to fill seems to be missing.
• The research objectives should be stated in the last paragraph in the introductory section.
• The in-text citation style was not consistent. The journal format is the use of numbering.
• Author/s surname should be mentioned in the beginning of a sentence before the number to avoid confusion.

 

5. Method

• Include the country where the study was carried out.
• Move the study objectives to the introductory section.

 

6. Results

• No reference was made to all the tables in the result section.
• Delete percentage and cumulative percentage columns in table 4.
• Avoid repetition of options in the table. Just state the results.
• Delete on commas in front of the figures in table 6.
• 3 Implications for sustainable career development: this is not suitable. Label as correlation analysis

 

7. Discussion

• Line 641-642: Girls seem more receptive than boys to media influence, which can be explained by a stronger need for external role models in the absence of concrete guidance from school or family. The higher representation of girls in this study could influence the result and should be mentioned in the interpretation as well.
• Cultivation and self-determination theories mentioned in the discussion section were not highlighted in the introduction.

See other comments in the manuscript

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 2 comments

 

Reviewer 2 comment 1: Suggested Title; Influence of the Mass Media on Career Choices of Final Year High School Students in Brașov County, Romania

 Response 1:

Thank you for your suggestion. It has been taken into account, and the indicated title has been added.

Reviewer 2 comment 2: Include the Brașov County, Romania, in lines 4 and 7 as indicated in the manuscript.

 Response 2:

Thank you for the suggestion. This has been added to the abstract as indicated, providing clarification regarding the location of the research.

Reviewer 2 comment 3: The abstract seems long. Check the acceptable word count from the author guidelines in the journal website.

 Response 3:

Thank you for your suggestions. The abstract has been entirely rewritten to comply with the guidelines regarding word count, structure, and required content. The new abstract contains 188 words, fitting within the indicated maximum of 200 words, as follows:
See lines 4–19.

``This study examines the influence of mass media on the career choices of high school students from Brașov County, with a focus on their underlying motivational factors. Employing a quantitative design, it draws on data from a standardized questionnaire completed by 1,314 students from local high schools. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used in the analysis. While some students identify mass media as a key source of career guidance, documentaries and career fairs are more frequently cited as trusted sources. Students’ perceptions of mass media are ambivalent: 55.1% see it as manipulative, while 41.7% and 24.7% acknowledge its informative and educational roles. Personal motivation emerges as the most significant influence, with 64.8% guided by individual talents and abilities, compared to lower influence from family or media role models. Correlational analysis highlights the importance of personal development, creativity, and collaboration in career motivation. The study suggests that mass media indirectly shapes students’ aspirations by reinforcing values like social recognition, mobility, and identity. Finally, it reveals a strong link between career interest and expectations for respectful, stable, and growth-oriented work environments, pointing to a pragmatic orientation toward professional sustainability.``

 

Reviewer 2 comment 4: Keywords: Rearrange alphabetically.

Response 4:

This aspect has been addressed: career choice; high school students; mass media; professional motivation (see line 20). 

Reviewer 2 comment 5:The introductory section is too long.There are instances of repetition of already mentioned statement. Some sentences are hard to read and the paragraphs are not connected for smooth transitions. The research gap that the study aims to fill seems to be missing.

 Response 5:

 

Based on the aforementioned suggestions, the research team decided to revise the introduction, achieving the following goals:

1. Reducing the word count and aiming to ensure clarity of expression and ideas;
2. Eliminating redundancies and improving the flow between sentences to enhance academic coherence;
3. Organizing the theoretical framework into specific subsections for greater clarity, as follows:

• 1. The Theoretical Bases of Career Decision-Making
• 2. The Influence of Mass Media and Digital Culture
• 3. Media, Motivation and Modernity: Shaping Teen Career Aspirations in the Digital Age
• 4. Statistical Insights into Media, Motivation, and Youth Vocational Choice

We hope that these changes bring greater clarity to the expression and presentation of the ideas.

 

 

Reviewer 2 comment 6:The research objectives should be stated in the last paragraph in the introductory section.

 Response 6:

Thank you also for this suggestion. The research objectives have been moved to follow the last paragraph of the introduction. Please refer to lines 269–278.

 

Reviewer 2 comment 7:The in-text citation style was not consistent. The journal format is the use of numbering.

 Response 7:

 

Dear reviewer, thank you for your comment! Now the references have been revised and consistent.

Reviewer 2 comment 8:Author/s surname should be mentioned in the beginning of a sentence before the number to avoid confusion.

 Response 8:

Thank you for your kind appreciation! We confirm that the entire article has been reviewed and revised in accordance with the provided recommendations, and several changes have been made accordingly—for example: citations 8, 9; citation 9; citation 17; citation 18; citation 23, etc.

Reviewer 2 comment 9:Include the country where the study was carried out.

Response 9:

This has been implemented. Please see line 288. Thank you!

 

Reviewer 2 comment 10:Move the study objectives to the introductory section.

Response 10:

This has been implemented, and we thank you for the suggestion. Please refer to lines 267–279. 

 

Reviewer 2 comment 11: No reference was made to all the tables in the result section.

Response 11:

We confirm that each table has been thoroughly reviewed and cross-checked with the text. References to the tables have been included in the manuscript to enhance clarity and ensure better understanding of the information presented.

 

Reviewer 2 comment 12:Delete percentage and cumulative percentage columns in table 4.

Response 12:

These two modifications to Table 4 have been implemented as suggested. Please see lines 450–451 for verification.

 

Reviewer 2 comment 13:Avoid repetition of options in the table. Just state the results.

Response 13:

This element has been deleted in accordance with the instructions received.
Moreover, an additional similar instance was identified and removed as well—see lines 571–572, where a sentence was repeating the variables already expressed in the table.

 

Reviewer 2 comment 14: Delete on commas in front of the figures in table 6.

Response 14:

This has been implemented. Please refer to lines 506–507.

Reviewer 2 comment 15: 3 Implications for sustainable career development: this is not suitable. Label as correlation analysis

Response 15:

Thank you for the suggestion. Given that the section is based on a correlational analysis aimed at highlighting the factors influencing career orientation, we have proposed a more precise and appropriate title, namely: Analyzing the relationship between career orientation and key influencing factors.

 

Reviewer 2 comment 16: Line 641-642: Girls seem more receptive than boys to media influence, which can be explained by a stronger need for external role models in the absence of concrete guidance from school or family. The higher representation of girls in this study could influence the result and should be mentioned in the interpretation as well.

Response 16:

We appreciate the reviewer’s insightful observations and fully acknowledge their validity. This aspect was initially highlighted by our team in the methodology section, where we stated the following:

“The distribution exhibits a slight predominance of girls, a factor that may influence career perceptions and choices, particularly in terms of motivational dimensions or access to information regarding professional opportunities” (Watts et al., 2015).

In light of the reviewer’s comment and for greater clarity, this sentence has been moved from the methodology to the discussion section. Please refer to lines 618–620.

Reviewer 2 comment 17: Cultivation and self-determination theories mentioned in the discussion section were not highlighted in the introduction.

Response 17:

 

Thank you for your suggestion. Based on your earlier observation that the introduction was too lengthy, we have added brief clarifications regarding the two theories directly in the introduction, while maintaining a concise format.

Please refer to lines 39–47 for these adjustments.

``Self-Determination Theory (SDT) explains how meeting three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) fosters intrinsic motivation and personal development. SDT helps clarify why, in the context of career decision-making, young people are more likely to commit to career paths that align with their internal values and sense of self, rather than those imposed externally (Dunn & Zimmer, 2020; Olafsen & Deci, 2020). Cultivation Theory also highlights the long-term impact of media exposure on individuals' beliefs, attitudes and expectations. Applied to career choice, the theory suggests that social media and influencers can shape how adolescents view success, professional norms and gender roles (Shrum, 2017; Mosharafa, 2015).``

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

REVIEW COMMENTS: journalmedia-3767673-peer-review-v2.pdf

I commend the authors for taking time to rework the manuscript. The manuscript is now more concise, well structured, and coherent. However, more corrections are required before the paper could be accepted for publication.

Here are my comments;

1. Line 5: include Romania after Brașov County. i.e Brașov County, Romania.
2. Line 185: delete the comma at the beginning of the sentence.
3. Line 190: The sentence ‘The influence of mass media and digital culture’ is incomplete. Complete as follows; The influence of mass media and digital culture on Career Choices
4. Line 200: Granic, Morita, Scholten and Singer. The authors are more than three. So, it should be changed to Granic et al.,
5. Line 400: immersive virtual reality. Capitalize each word IVR
6. LINE 404: The APA report Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report [30] states… The statement should read thus; The APA report on Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth [30] states…..
7. Line 436: after seeing success online or after seeing people with successful career online?
8. Line 436. This should be ‘However, only ……..
9. Line 441-442: Repetition. PISA 2022 data shows that 40% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries lack clear career plans—a 50% increase since 2018, has been stated in lines 439-440.
10. Line 563: delete this. (Living Democracy: Talking to Children About Media Use). Number is enough to indicate the reference in-text.
11. Line 592: ……..digital technology.: delete the colon.
12. Lines 617-621: Repetition. As indicated by INS data in the Social Trends study (2021) [35], Romanian youth primarily seek information online, with 76% of adolescents turning to the internet and social media for decisions related to their professional future. Only 27% have used career counselling, showing how digital sources have replaced educational ones. Public figures and influencers are a growing influence on youth, with 20% inspired by them. This influence is associated with online content creation. This paragraph is the same as the previous paragraph.
13. Line 637: …….It. Insert space after full stop.
14. Line 649: …….training.Gender. Insert space after full stop.
15. Line 659: Delete this (January 29, 2025). You can say; A 2025 study by the Center for Independent Journalism Instead of including the date in bracket.
16. Line 660: Delete this (±1% margin of error, 95% confidence level).
17. Line 684: [40] notes. Write out the author/s’s name before number at the beginning of a sentence.
18. Line 837: ing, The …. Change the comma to full stop.
19. Line 842-846: The IBM SPSS Statistics program was utilised for the purpose of data processing should be the first sentence in that paragraph, followed the sentence in 842. This is because the ‘The former comprised the calculation of frequencies and percentages, whilst the latter involved the implementation of Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure the strength of the relationship between the variables 844-845 was making reference to descriptive and inferential methodologies.
20. Line 934: onlysporadically. Insert space.
21. Line 1011: Thus Consequently. This is tautology.
22. Tables 2 and 4 were not mentioned in the text.
23. Commas in front of the figures in Table 7 is making it look clumsy. I repeat, delete the commas.

 

Author Response

Dear Sir/Madam   

With this cover letter, we submit the revised manuscript entitled “Influence of the mass media on career choices of final year high school students in Brașov County, Romania” for publication.

This revised version addresses specifically the comments and suggestions made by Reviewer 2, to whom we would like to express our sincere thanks. We are grateful for the time and effort invested in reviewing our work and for the constructive feedback received, which helped us improve the clarity and quality of the manuscript. We also thank the academic editor for overseeing the review process and for the opportunity to revise our submission.

We have tried to respond thoroughly to all suggestions and recommendations provided. In this letter, we present the changes we have made, in direct response to Reviewer 2’s observations. All modifications in the manuscript have been made using the “Track changes” function in Microsoft Word, and the full extent of revisions can be viewed by enabling the “All Markup” option.

 

Response to Reviewer 2 comments

1. Line 5: include Romania after Brașov County. i.e Brașov County, Romania.

 

Response 1: The country has been added, according to the suggestion provided. See line 5.

 

 

1. Line 185: delete the comma at the beginning of the sentence.

 

Response 2: This has been done. Thank you!

 

1. Line 190: The sentence ‘The influence of mass media and digital culture’ is incomplete. Complete as follows; The influence of mass media and digital culture on Career Choices

 

Response 3: The subtitle has been modified according to the instructions received. See line 48.

 

1. Line 200: Granic, Morita, Scholten and Singer. The authors are more than three. So, it should be changed to Granic et al.,

 

Response 4: The citation has been modified as follows: Granic et al., and Singer [8,9], considering that these are two distinct sources – Granic et al. [8] and Singer [9]. See line 58.

 

1. Line 400: immersive virtual reality. Capitalize each word IVR

 

Response 5: This has been addressed; see line 97. Thank you!

 

1. LINE 404: The APA report Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report [30] states… The statement should read thus; The APA report on Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth [30] states…..

 

Response 6: The sentence has been modified as you suggested. See line 131.

 

1. Line 436: after seeing success online or after seeing people with successful career online?

Response 7: The sentence has been modified according to the provided clarification. See line 133. Thank you!

1. Line 436. This should be ‘However, only ……..

Response 8: Here as well, the sentence has been modified according to the provided clarification. See line 134.

 

 

1. Line 441-442: Repetition. PISA 2022 data shows that 40% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries lack clear career plans—a 50% increase since 2018, has been stated in lines 439-440.

Response 9: That is correct, thank you for the observation. The sentence has been deleted; see lines 136–138.

 

1. Line 563: delete this. (Living Democracy: Talking to Children About Media Use). Number is enough to indicate the reference in-text.

Response 10: This has been done; see line 148.

 

1. Line 592: ……..digital technology.: delete the colon.

Response 11: This has been done; see line 176.

 

1. Lines 617-621: Repetition. As indicated by INS data in the Social Trends study (2021) [35], Romanian youth primarily seek information online, with 76% of adolescents turning to the internet and social media for decisions related to their professional future. Only 27% have used career counselling, showing how digital sources have replaced educational ones. Public figures and influencers are a growing influence on youth, with 20% inspired by them. This influence is associated with online content creation. This paragraph is the same as the previous paragraph.

 

Response 12: You are absolutely right; there were some formatting errors. We mention that the paragraph has been deleted, and only the first part has been retained. See lines 187–193.

 

1. Line 637: …….It. Insert space after full stop.

 

Response 13: We identified this issue at line 208, and it has been resolved. The same correction was made at line 709. Thank you!

 

1. Line 649: …….training.Gender. Insert space after full stop.

Response 14: This issue has been resolved at line 220. Thank you!

 

1. Line 659: Delete this (January 29, 2025). You can say; A 2025 study by the Center for Independent Journalism Instead of including the date in bracket.

Response 15: Thank you for the suggestion. This issue has been resolved at line 230.

 

1. Line 660: Delete this (±1% margin of error, 95% confidence level).

Response 16: Thank you for the suggestion. This issue has been resolved at line 230.

 

1. Line 684: [40] notes. Write out the author/s’s name before number at the beginning of a sentence.

Response 17: This has been done; see lines 246–248.

 

1. Line 837: ing, The …. Change the comma to full stop.

Response 18: Thank you! The modification has been made; see line 295.

 

1. Line 842-846: The IBM SPSS Statistics program was utilised for the purpose of data processing should be the first sentence in that paragraph, followed the sentence in 842. This is because the ‘The former comprised the calculation of frequencies and percentages, whilst the latter involved the implementation of Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure the strength of the relationship between the variables 844-845 was making reference to descriptive and inferential methodologies.

Response 19: This inversion has been made; see lines 300–302. Thank you!

 

1. Line 934: onlysporadically. Insert space.

Response 20: This modification has been made; see line 346.

 

 

1. Line 1011: Thus Consequently. This is tautology.

Response 21: Agreed, it was a formatting error. We have deleted the word “THUS.” Thank you!

 

1. Tables 2 and 4 were not mentioned in the text.

 

Response 22: Table 2 has been mentioned at line 402, and Table 4 has been mentioned at line 436.

 

1. Commas in front of the figures in Table 7 is making it look clumsy. I repeat, delete the commas.

Response 23: Table 7 has been modified in accordance with the suggestions provided. Thank you!

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf