This document summarizes various research methods, including primary and secondary research. It discusses surveys, questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, the internet, libraries, archives, and newspapers. For each method, it outlines the advantages and disadvantages. Primary research methods discussed include surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. These allow researchers to collect original data, but can be time-consuming. Secondary research examines existing data from sources like the internet, libraries, archives, and newspapers. While faster than primary research, the data may be outdated. The document concludes by stating it has discussed different research techniques and their pros and cons.
#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024
Research Methods Guide
1. Unit 1 assignment 1 research method
Name: Sihamsubject: Media
date of submission: 20th September
Introduction
This report will present primary and secondary research
methods, and educate you about all the other research methods and what they do, and the
advantages and the disadvantages about research methods.
Research methodsResearch can be defined as the search for knowledge or any
systematic investigation. Also there are so many different methods you could use while
researching for data or anything else you could use primary research, which is using survey
or questionnaire or interview all these methods are primary because, it’s you’re data and
you’re collecting it. Secondary is when you get information that’s not yours from places or
other people for example, internet, library. It is not your data you got it from someone else,
this is called secondary research.
Primary research
primary research is a collection of original primary data is something that doesn’t exist and
data that someone has collected themselves this has lots of benefits because they have
control of the data. It is often undertaken after researcher has gained some insight into
issue by reviewing secondary research or by analysing previously collect primary data. It’s
usually accomplished by some methods, for example: surveys or questionnaires or even
market research. Strength would be that the data is collect by you so you know that these
are defiantly right and have collect the answers from people so you might have even quotes
for proof. Weakness is that is going to take long time for you to collect the data and
probably can find ready data by doing secondary research.
Survey A survey is a method of data collection that is used by people to gather information.
Survey is used by individuals to collect self-report data. The advantages: are they can reach high
level of capability in resenting a large population. Disadvantages: would be that the answers are
always restricted .Surveys are used sometimes to collect self –report data, schools sometimes use it
to collect information from students.
InterviewerAn interview is an official meeting which is hold for someone to get back ground
information. Advantages are that the questions and the answers would be clear for the person that’s
getting interviewed. Disadvantages would be that the answers might be forced to choose because
the alterative answers the interviewer gives them under meaning.For example Interviews can be
2. used when you have new product and you can get people and interview them about the product and
they tell you honest opinion of the product, they would use this feedback to improve their product
Questionnaire
Questionnaire is used to get answers from wide range audience; the questionnaire can come in
different forms, from ticking boxes to free text responses. Advantages are that it iseasier to collect
information also the answers are gathered in standardised. Disadvantages are you might not know
who said what or have more details information and questions might not make sense to people. One
way you could use questionnaire method is as a data collection method for evaluation.
Focus group
Focus group is when a group of people are free to talk with other group members and is like group
conversation.
Advantages of focus group is almost like discussion or debate you could say what you want also is
useful method because if you have new product you could show it to focus group and they could tell
you real opinion and you could see rom there reaction how would the public react to it.
Disadvantages would be that some people don’t feel comfortable speaking there opinion to a whole
group.“You could use a focus group” When you exploring brand perception to find out other peoples
idea and what they think about.
Secondary research
Secondary research is research that is carried out looking at already existing data, data that
you didn’t collect. For Examples: books, magazines, journals newspapers or internet among
others. Here. The strength would be that you didn’t have to waste that much time looking
for it and doing all the work yourself, and have different type of data’s weakness would be
that they might not be right or are old.
Internet
The internet is a global network which reaches out to millions of people around the world. It
helps people socially, environmentally and workwise. Advantage would be that people could
reach each other around the world it also helps people and educate them and you could
find out so many things from the internet that’s why it’s been around for so many decades
because it’s useful. And the advantage for using it to research would be that you could get
data’s from the internet quickly that’s big benefit of using internet and you can use it for any
kind of research the internet is one of the biggest research resources out there for people to
use. Disadvantages would be that social networks could be very harmful at times to people
also kids can go and watch or even see anpropite images and videos also some websites and
users give the wrong information to people. Also another disadvantage would be using the
internet to research might be bad idea at times because they might give you wrong
information or wrong data’s.”When would you use the internet? “You would use the
3. internet when your researching for anything, because the internet is worldwide network
and you could find out anything you want from the internet is good resource to research.
Library
A library is a room full of books and films and studies material for the public and students
it’s to help and educate people if the cants effort to buy the stuff they could borrow it.
Advantages are that the library offers great resources to students and gives them space to
study and they can borrow books and films and anything they want from library also is good
way to research and you could find all the resource that you want in the library.
Disadvantages: would be that the research that you might be looking for are bit old and
data’s are old to or they might not have the type of resource you want. When would you
use interview method? You would use interview method when you have new product and
you want to ask someone about the product. You use the library when you’relooking for
books reaching for things or even get data’s from the library for example in our media class
we was told to find historical book and we went down to the library and we found it, its
good for resources like that
Searching archives
Searching archives is a long term device that has tapes and other stuff backup for future
reference. Advantages are that data is already collect so it takes less time and it’s backed up
so you don’t have to worry about losing it. Disadvantages are that you can’t handle the
variables and some data’s may be missing and information can be old and not updated. You
would use searching archives when you’re researching for history and trying to find out
things.
Newspapers
Is a paper that goes worldwide and is publication of unstapled sheets containing news
around the world? Advantages would be that lots of people can improve the knowledge and
understanding about the world and get lots of different kind of jobs for people.
Disadvantages would be environmentally its waste of paper, and the text of writing is really
small so people with bad eye site won’t be able to see example to use the newspaper would
be to check the weather and keep with the news, some people might even research for jobs
in the newspapers.
Conclusion
4. This report discusses about different method techniques and different ways to research
things. And the advantages and disadvantages about primary research and secondary
research, and when they are used and why.