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 Advantages Disadvantages 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

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

7. Surveys Advantages Disadvantages
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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

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

13. 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

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