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Become a smarter Consumer by become a better Researcher

Viewing ads and asking friends is one way of getting information, but is it research?

Consumer Reports Want to buy something, but you aren't sure which brand or model? Consumer Reports is a great tool that will offer some answers… The publication helps consumers make informed buying decision via product comparisons, ratings, and reviews Consumer Reports started as a magazine designated as not-for-profit It is the nation's largest consumer product testing and research source Consumer Reports accepts no advertising and claims to have bias-free reviews as a result They buy all their products and services for review on the open market, the same as any consumer would-in stores, online, etc. Their advice, ratings, and recommendations are based on their independent testing of both products and services Consumer Reports is a very reliable source. Their reputation is based on providing accurate information. Therefore the researcher does not have to go through the process of checking them out.

The table of contents will obviously direct you to where you want to go in the publication. Most larger studies are in the middle of the magazine. This is where you will find the articles that you can use. ‘Features’ Or ‘Lab Tests’ will usually indicate that tests have been done on a product.

Consumer’s Union is the organization that creates Consumer Reports Consumer’s Union is the organization that creates Consumer Reports. They run the product tests. If you see a reference to CU, it simply means the lab team testing the product. Test design. For some products, industry or government agencies have developed standardized tests that CU follows. But very often, CU develops its own testing procedures, and even builds the testing equipment needed. For example, to test mattress durability, engineers built a "mattress basher" that pounds mattresses with "fannies" made of glued-together bowling balls. Testing. Most of CU's product tests are conducted in modern, well-equipped laboratories at its National Testing and Research Center in New York. Auto testing is carried out at CU's test track in southeastern Connecticut. A product may undergo only a few or a dozen or more test sequences. These may include: Laboratory tests, during which each sample is subjected to exactly the same procedures and measurements; Controlled-use tests, in which a group of users try out the product according to CU directives; Evaluations by panels of experts. To eliminate bias, wherever practical, test managers remove original packaging and identifying labels and replace them with standard containers and code numbers before user-panel testing begins.

The rating systems are consistent except one is used in symbolic form (red being best rating) and the other is used in alphabetical form (E for Excellent being the best rating) The Alphabet rating gives the Overall Score The Symbol rating gives Individual Attributes Score There is also a check system that will rate them as a Best Buy, Recommended Product, or Don’t Buy.