RESEARCH METHODS Josh Harris

TYPES OF RESEARCH

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Qualitative Research is research which is used to express people’s opinions and views on the topic which is being researched. One example of Qualitative Research is Observation. This is where the researcher observes the topic being researched. This method is frequently used when a researcher want to look at a subject. The one thing when looking a qualitative research is not to introduce researcher bias, which is where the researcher may be one sided and not evaluate both sides of their research. Another example of Qualitative Research is Questionnaires. This is a document which contains a series of questions which relate back to the topic. When using a questionnaires to collect qualitative data, you can only use open questions as they are the types of questions which give you an opportunity to express your personal opinion on the topic which the questionnaire is based on. A third example of Qualitative Research is Focus Groups. These are where there is a group of people and a researcher will ask them questions which relates to the topic the group is discussing and they respond with their opinions and views of the topic.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Quantitative Research is a research method which allows a researcher to gather results which can be statistically analyzed. One example of Quantitative Research is Focus Groups. This is because sometimes they can contain closed questions which can only be analyzed statistically. An example of this would be: “8 out of 10 people said they would consider taking up cosplaying as a hobby”. Another example of Quantitative Research is Questionnaires. When using questionnaires to analyze quantitative research, they will only contain closed question questions, unlike qualitative research which uses open questions. Another example of Quantitative Research is the Use of Statistics. Statistics is the most mathematical way to analyze data as it makes it easier to analyze than qualitative research, although it doesn’t give you results which express people’s views on a topic.

METHODS OF RESEARCH

PRIMARY RESEARCH Primary Research is a form of research which the researcher has done themselves. One example of Primary Research would be Focus Groups. These are a form of both qualitative and quantitative primary research. This is where a researcher will meet up with a group of people and ask them questions on the topic they are researching. Focus groups can include both open and closed questions because some of the questions may be closed so can only be quantitatively analyzed whereas the researcher may want to ask question which give the interviewees the opportunity to express their opinions, which can only be qualitatively analyzed. Another example of Primary Research would be Questionnaires. This is because they are made by the researcher and they are compiled with a series of questions which are relevant to the topic being studied. A third example of Primary Research would be Observations. This is where a researcher will watch an activity which is relevant to what they are studying and then will record results and then incorporate the results into the investigation.

SECONDARY RESEARCH Secondary Research is a form of research which is conducted by other people but is used by other people in conducting their own research. One example of Secondary Research is Books. There are millions of books our there which means that there are books on almost every single topic so they are easily accessible. Another example of Secondary Research is Journals. Some researchers will make journals of what they have found out during their research and you could look at the journals and make notes on what it is in the journal and incorporate it in some way into your own research. A third example of Secondary Research is the Internet. The Internet has millions of websites so if you want to use the internet as a form of research, you just search what you are looking for and you can look at a website and find the relevant information you need for your investigation.

PURPOSES OF RESEARCH

AUDIENCE RESEARCH Audience Research is a form of research which looks into the a particular audience for a radio or TV programme or network. One example of Audience Research is Demographics. This is a source of quantitative data as it is used to analyse populations. This form is research is used mainly in marketing as when it comes to looking at the results of a marketing campaign, you can use demographics to analyse which population reacted the most to the campaign. Another example of Audience Research is Audience Profiling. This is an economic characteristic which analyses who watches a programme based on their income, geographical location, lifestyle etc. A third example of Audience Research is Audience Data. This is a measurement of demographic and behavioural characteristics of individuals which use internet based on certain characteristics such as their browsing history.

MARKET RESEARCH Market Research is the activity which involves gathering information about consumers’ needs and their preferences. One example of Market Research is Product Market. This deals with the 7 P’s of marketing: Product, Pricing, Place, Promotion, Physical environment, Process and People. Another example of Market Research is Competitor Analysis. This is an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of current competitors. This can reveal what the competitor believes about their marketing and target market. A third example of Market Research is Advertising Effects. This is where a media company will look at one of their campaigns and they will analyse how their campaign has affected the general public.

PRODUCTION RESEARCH Production research is where information on a media product is collected and analysed based on the content and production. One example of Production Research is Finance. When it comes to making a media product, one of the first things you must do is be able to come up with a rough budget for how much it’s going to cost to make the product you want to make. Another example of Production Research is Locations. This a crucial thing to consider because when it comes to filming a programme, you need to decide which are the best locations to shoot the scenes you need to and whether they are relevant to the plot and the storyline. A third example of Production Research is Personnel. When it comes to making a media product, you need to decide which are the most needed personnel to have on set when you are making your media product to help you. These include security, crew, camera crew, floor runner, etc.

BIBLIOGRAPHY research and-how-does-it-benefit-you