Outline: Research

Amal El Yahcoubi
Com 4310 Public Relations
Dr. Ibahrine

Chapter 8: Research

I. Essential First Step:
-Every public relations program or solution should begin with research. Most don’t, which is a shame.
-Research should be applied in public relations work both at the initial stage, prior to planning a campaign, and at the final stage to evaluation a program’s effectiveness.
-Early research helps to determine the current situation, prevalent attitudes, and difficulties that the program faces.

II. What is Research?
It is the systematic collection and interpretation of information to increase understanding.
A firm must acquire enough accurate, relevant data about its public, products, and programs to answer these questions:
--How can we identify and define our constituent groups?
--How does this knowledge relate to the design of our massages?
--How does it relate to the design of our programs?
--How does it relate to the media we use to convey our messages?
--How does it relate to the schedule we adopt in using our media?
--How does it relate to the ultimate implementation tactics of our program?

III. Principles of Public Relations Research:
The principles in setting standards for public relations research are:

1. Establishing clear program objectives and desired outcomes tied directly to business goals.

2. Differentiating between measuring public relations ouputs, generally short temr and surface, and measuring public relations outcomes, usually lore far reaching and carrying impact.

3. Measuring media content as first step in the public relations evaluation process.

4. Understanding that no one technique can be expected to evaluate PR effectiveness.

5. being wary of attempts to compare Public Relations effectiveness with advertising. effectiveness.

6. Organization should have a clear identified key messages, target audiences, and desired channels of communication. The more confused an organization is about its target, the less reliable its public relations measurement will be.

IV. Types of Public Relations Research:
Research is conducted to do three things:

1.Describe a process, situation or phenomenon
2.Explain why something is happening, what its causes are, and what effect it will have
3.Predict what probably will happen of we do or don’t take action

Applied Research:
Applied Research in Public Relation can be either strategic or evaluative.
--Strategic research is used primarily is program development to determine program objectives, develop message strategies, or establish benchmarks
--Evaluative research, sometimes called summative research, is conducted primarily to determine whether a public relations program has accomplished its goals and objectives.

Theoretical Research:
This research is more abstract and conceptual than applied research. It helps build theories in public relations work about why people communicate, how public opinion is formed, and how a public is created.
It is important as a framework for persuasion and as a base for understanding why people do what they do.
It can help practitioners temper management’s expectation of attitude and behavioural change resulting from public relations programs.

Secondary Research
It allows examined or read about and learn from someone else’s primary research, such as a library. It is also called “desk research”.
Among the typical sources of secondary research are:
---Industry trade journals
---Government
---Informal contacts
---Published company accounts
---Business libraries
---Professional institutes and organizations
---Omnibus surveys
---Census data
---Public records
---Online database

V. Methods of Public Relations Research:
Three primary forms of Public Relations dominate the field which are:
---Surveys: to reveal attitudes and opinions
---Communication: Communication between management and target audiences
---Unobtrusive measures: such as fact-finding, content analysis and readability studies.

Surveys:
Surveys come in two types:
1.Descriptive surveys
2.Explanatory surveys
Survey consist of four element
1.Sample
2.Questionnaire
3.Interview
4.Analysis of Results

The Sample:
It must be representative of the total public whose views are sought.
Random Sampling: equality and independence
There are four types of random sampling:
1.Simple random sampling
2.Systematic random sampling
3.Stratifies random sampling
4.Cluster sampling
Nonrandm sampling:
Come in three types
1.Convenience samples
2.Quota samples
3.Volunteer samples

The Questionnaire:
Researches should observe the following in designing their questionnaire:
1.Keep it short
2.Use structured rather than open-ended questions
3.Measure intensity of feeling
4.Don’t use word or words that have more than one meaning
5.Don’t ask loaded questions
6.Don’t ask double-barrelled questions
7.Pre-test
8.Attach a letter explaining how the respondents’ answers are, and let recipients know that hey will remain anonymous
9.Hand-stamp the envelopes, preferably with unique commemorative stamps
10.Follow up your first mailing
11.Send out more questionnaires that you think necessary
12.Enclose a reward

Interviews:
Interview can provide a more personal, firsthand feel for public opinion.
Focus group: It must follow the following guidelines
1.Define your objectives and audience
2.Recruit your groups
3.Choose the right moderator
4.Conduct enough focus groups
5.Use a discussion guide
6.Choose proper facilities
7.Keep it tight rein on observers
8.Consider using outside help
Telephone Interviews:
Mail Interview
Drop-off interviews
Intercept Interviews
Delphi Panels
Internet Interviews

VI. Evaluation:
Evaluation of public relations programs depends on several things:
---Setting measurable public relations program objectives
---Securing management commitment
---Determining the best way to gather data
---Reporting back to management
---Selecting the most appropriate outcomes

VII. Research and the Web:
Evaluating Web Sites
The number of times a Web Site is visited by an individual.
---Value of the web
---Intimacy
---Precision
---Timeliness
---Cost

Web research consideration :
Establish objectives
Determine criteria
Determine benchmarks
Select the right measurement tool
Compare results to objectives
Draw actionable conclusions