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Public Relations Research

Public Relations Research. Part IV: Key Research Methods (section 1). Overview. Determining research method Common PR research methods Focus Groups – Advantages/Disadvantages Surveys – Advantages/Disadvantages. What kind of research?. It depends:

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Public Relations Research

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  1. Public Relations Research Part IV: Key Research Methods (section 1)

  2. Overview • Determining research method • Common PR research methods • Focus Groups – Advantages/Disadvantages • Surveys – Advantages/Disadvantages

  3. What kind of research? It depends: • What do you want to find out from whom? • Time? • Budget? • Expertise – DIY vs. trained researcher? • Who needs information and why?

  4. 1. Focus Groups • Focused discussion led by moderator • About 6-12 participants • Typically a few focus groups • Homogeneous group • Different locations/times

  5. Focus Groups • Qualitative data gathering • “In their own words” • Valuable for exploring, understanding, testing ideas • Learn new information • High cost • Small sample – not representative of entire population • Difficult to interpret, generalize • Considered subjective, not scientific, informal • Difficult to quantify, chart/graph data Advantages Disadvantages

  6. 2. Surveys • In person • Mail questionnaires • Online/Email • Telephone

  7. Surveys • Formal (but can be informal), primary method • Speed of data collection • Convenient for respondent • No geographic limitations • Quantifiable results • Low response rates • Sample limitations • Limited control on who is completing it • Requires careful development • Requires assessment and analytical skills to make conclusions Advantages Disadvantages

  8. How many? • Census v. Sample • How many do you need to survey? All or some? • Probability sampling v. Nonprobability sampling • Random sampling – representative • Determining sample size & accuracy

  9. For Survey Credibility • Reliability – How sure of your answers? Do you need 100%, or is 80% good enough? • Most aim at Margin of Error - +/- 5% (if surveyed everyone, or repeat survey using sampling method) • Aim at “reasonable” Confidence Level of 95% (same survey with same audience 100 times, 95 times similar results) • Validity – means that the study measured what it is supposed to measure – the accuracy of the study • Both require mathematical calculations

  10. Survey Design • Structure, order and types of questions • Wording of questions • Be careful of those socially responsible answers • Always pretest with target audience • “Triangulation” of methods helpful

  11. Analysis • Skill needed to analyze – although software now available making it simpler • Translate results • Report data

  12. Reporting Survey Results Ethical reporting – full disclosure “The scientific survey is applicable to the city of… Persons interviewed were a scientific sample of all hourly employees…Of 1,000 surveys mailed out, 675 were returned and tabulated, a response rate of more than two-thirds or 67%. This is considered a very high response for this kind of survey…” from the Universal Accreditation Board Accreditation Study Course Coaching Guide

  13. End of Part IV Please go to Part V: Key Research Methods, section 2

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