Tools in Media Research In every research work, if is essential to collect factual material or data unknown or untapped so far. They can be obtained from many sources, direct or indirect. It is necessary to adopt a systematic procedure to collect essential data. Relevant data, adequate in quantity and quality should be collected. They should be sufficient, reliable and valid.

The selection of suitable instruments or tools is of vital importance for successful research. Different tools are suitable for collecting various kinds of information for various purposes. The research worker may use one or more of the tools in combination for his purpose. Research students should therefore familiarise themselves with the varities of tools with their nature, merits and limitations. They should also know how to construct and use them effectively.

Google Newspaper, television, radio tracking Direct response tracking Rolling sample surveys Internet surveys Website monitoring Inquiry forms Observation Interview Psychological tests

Google- These days google is the first tool of any research. Though it is not reliable, people specially students take the first step of google to gather more information. This is the most easy tool of research The most non-serious tool as its difficult to cross check the authenticity of the information available on different sites. but it also tell different sources from where we can collect information.

Newspaper, TV and radio tracking There are professional services that can be hired to gather and analyse regular media reports and coverage of campaign issues, as well as advertisement (ad) placement in newspapers and other media. This allows for tracking the volume of coverage a campaign generates, message outreach and placement in the media,, and how often the coverage reflects the campaign’s messages or intended framing of issues.. These services are pretty expensive.

a) Advertisement (ad) assessments can provide measures of advertisement recognition and recall. The process begins with face-to-face interviews whereby a researcher goes through a publication page-by-page and asks a reader whether he or she recalls seeing a specific ad, remembers the name of the advertiser or campaign, and how much of the ad was read. b) Framing analysis examines how issues are presented or discussed (framed) in the media. It looks for key themes, expressed as arguments, metaphors, and descriptions to reveal which parts of the issue are emphasized. Content analysis is combined with focus groups and interviews so as to garner different perspectives. Framing analysis is typically done in a campaign’s creative design phase, but analyses can also be done, for example, before and after a campaign to examine changes over time.

Direct response tracking Some ads or public service announcements used in campaigns ask readers or viewers to give a direct response (e.g. hitting a voting button on a website), or perform a measurable action like calling a toll-free number or sending in a coupon. These responses can be counted and used as an indicator for campaign reach.

Rolling sample surveys Adapted from political polling methods, this tool has been applied in public communication campaign outcome and impact evaluations from an independent sample of individuals drawn each day. This tool allows the evaluator to track the day-to-day shifts in public interest and behaviour, and enables evaluators to create natural experiments based on when known events or media coverage will take place.

Inquiry Forms- Questionnaire – A questionnaire is a form prepared and distributed to secure responses to certain questions. It is a device for securing answers to questions by using a form which the respondent fills by himself. Checklist – tick the right option Score-card – score the service Rating Scale - Excellent Very good Good Average Below average Poor Very poor Opinionnaire - An opinionnaire is defined as a special form of inquiry. It is used by the researcher to collect the opinions of a sample of population on certain facts or factors the problem under investigation. Attitude Scale

Observation- Observation offers the researcher a distinct way of collecting data. It does not rely on what people say they do, or what they say they think. It is more direct than that. Instead, it draws on the direct evidence of the eye to witness events first hand. It is a more natural way of gathering data. Whenever direct observation is possible it is the preferable method to use.

Interview- Interviews are an attractive proposition for the project researcher. Interviews are something more than conversation. They involve a set of assumptions and understandings about the situation which are not normally associated with a casual conversion.

Psychological tests- Among the most useful and most frequently employed tools of educational research psychological tests occupy a very significant position. Psychological tests are described to describe and measure 193 a sample of certain aspects of human behaviour or inner qualities.

Aptitude tests- “Aptitude tests attempt to predict the capacities or the degree of achievement that may be expected from individuals in a particular activity”. Aptitude is a means by which one can find the relative knowledge of a person in terms of his intelligence and also his knowledge in general.