Research and Evaluation on a Dime

1. RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ON A DIME Religion Communicators Council 2015 National Convention Alexandria, Virginia Douglas F. Cannon, Ph.D., APR+M, Fellow PRSA Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University April 10, 2015

2. WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION Research is fundamental to public relations planning and evaluation. Religion communicators often say they don’t have the time, money or background for research. This session looks at simple, cheap methods—qualitative and quantitative, primary and secondary—for gathering information about publics and communication effects. Communicators can use these techniques to determine realistic objectives, plan programs, assess results and demonstrate effectiveness.

3. Topics Introduction • What’s research? What’s evaluation? • Why do we research? Why evaluate? • Research and religion communicators • 4-step public relations process Research • Types of research • Secondary research • Research techniques • Primary qualitative, quantitative research tools Evaluation • Things to evaluate • Basic evaluation questions • Measurement levels

4. Introduction

5. What’s Research? • Gathering information (listening, observing, monitoring) • Testing hypotheses, strategies, messages • Judging results

6. What’s Evaluation? • Judging results against agreed-upon objectives established during planning • Determining value of effort

7. Why do research? • To learn about, understand or assess situations • To gather information about publics • To gauge public opinion, track issues, monitor industry trends • To test ideas, plans, messages, products • To monitor, evaluate progress or feedback • To make decisions, prepare for planning • To generate publicity

8. Why Evaluate? • To judge effects, outcomes • To determine value of what you did • To maintain accountability • To document contributions to your organization • To learn from successes, failures • To provide information for future efforts

9. When to research? • Continuously: Environmental scanning • Before a campaign • Assess problem • Assess publics • Assess media, social climate • During a campaign • Implementation checking • In-progress monitoring • Benchmarking • After a campaign • Evaluate outputs • Evaluate outcomes

10. Research & religion communicators I conduct communication audits to identify communication problems between the organization and various publics. • 2006: 1.96/5 (n=115) • 2011: 1.98/5 (n=150) • 2013: 1.72/5 (n=46)

11. Research & religion communicators I report public opinion survey results to keep management informed of the opinions of various publics. • 2006: 2.96/5 (n=115) • 2011: 2.34/5 (n=150) • 2013: 1.67/5 (n=46)

12. 4-step Public Relations process • RACE • ROPE • R-PIE

14. Research

15. Types of PR research • Secondary: Information gathered by others • Primary: Information gathered firsthand • Qualitative: impressions • Quantitative: numbers

16. Secondary research • Search engines: Google Scholar, Google, Yahoo • Research organizations • Gallup (http://www.gallup.com) • Pew Research Center (Religion and Public Life) (http://www.pewforum.org/) • Institute for Public Relations (http://www.instituteforpr.org/) • The Association of Religion Data Archives (http://www.thearda.com/) • Academic journals • Public Relations Journal (http://www.prsa.org/Intelligence/PRJournal/) • Research Journal of the IPR (http://www.instituteforpr.org/research-journal/) • Journal of Public Relations Research • Public Relations Review • Trade publications/blogs • Mr. Magazine (https://mrmagazine.wordpress.com/) • Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog (https://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog) • CommPRO (http://www.commpro.biz) • Ragan’s PR Daily (http://www.prdaily.com) • RTDNA Daily (http://rtdna.org/)

17. Other sources • University departments, schools, colleges • Advertising • Communication • Journalism • Mass Communication • Public Relations • University agencies • Bradley Public Relations, Brigham Young University (http://www.bradleypr.com/) • Cardinal Communication, Ball State University (http://cardinalcomm.org/blog/) • Center for Communication Research, Texas Tech University (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/ccr/index.php) • Lindsey + Asp Advertising + Public Relations, University of Oklahoma (http://www.lindseyandasp.com/) • The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, University of Alabama (http://plankcenter.ua.edu/)

18. research techniques • Asking questions • Direct—to gauge knowledge • Indirect—to probe motivations • Observing • Consulting sources • Reviewing lessons learned

19. Primary research tools • Surveys • Direct observation • Interviews • One-on-one (guided, depth or informal) • Group (focus groups) • Experts/panels • Content analysis • Copy/message testing

20. Qualitative tools • Interviews (formal, informal) • Focus groups (Sunday school classes) • Direct observation (meetings, events) • Expert panels (Lectionary study groups) • Message tests (Sunday school classes)

21. Quantitative tools • Surveys • SurveyMonkey.com • Qualtrics.com • Facebook • Content analysis • Readability tests

22. Survey samples • Random • Self-selected • Purposive

23. Evaluation

24. Evaluation • Measurement: Using metrics tied to objectives (quantitative) • Assessment: Judging success, failure (qualitative) • Evaluation: Determining value (Were results worth the effort?) (qualitative)

25. Things to evaluate • Preparation (research, planning) • Implementation (execution) • Output (messages, efforts) • Outcomes (immediate results compared to objectives) • Outgrowths (long-term or societal changes)

26. Basic Evaluation Questions • Adequately planned? • Message(s) understood? • How could strategy have been more effective? • Audiences reached? • Objectives achieved? • What was unforeseen? • Budget met? • Future improvements?

27. Measurement Levels

28. Message-Exposure Measures • Clippings/mentions • Media impressions (Placement x circulation/viewership/listenership) • Internet hits, likes, follows, retweets • Requests for information • Systematic tracking/online analytics (Analyze volume and content of media placements or online engagement) • Advertising equivalency (not acceptable) (Space/time x advertising rate)

29. Summary Introduction • What’s research? What’s evaluation? • Why do we research? Why evaluate? • Research and religion communicators • 4-step public relations process Research • Types of research • Secondary research • Research techniques • Primary qualitative, quantitative research tools Evaluation • Things to evaluate • Basic evaluation questions • Measurement levels

30. Contact Information Douglas Cannon Department of Communication Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University dfcannon@vt.edu 540-231-2331 106 Shanks Hall (0311) Blacksburg, VA 24061

Research and Evaluation on a Dime

Research and Evaluation on a Dime

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