1. Unit 1: P1, M1, D1
Why would you complete research if you were creating a new media product?
• To find out if your target audience would buy your product
• To find out how much you could sell your product for
• To find out how to make your product more appealing to your target audience
• To find out how to market your product to your target audience
Find definitions of the 4 research methods and give your opinions as to advantages/disadvantages for each one.
Method Definition Advantage Disadvantage
Primary
This is research that has been
collected as an individual.
• Questionnaires
• Experiments
• Observations
This is good because this is a
trusted source it is also good
and you know the data is up to
date and modern. It also good
as you can research certain
things.
You have created questions
that suit you. You will also
find that this is also a very
time consuming task and
takes a lot of effort.
Secondary
This is research that already
exists.
• Internet
• Books/Magazines
• Biographies
• Surveys
This process is quick and easy
and also very time saving and
efficient also most of the time it
is a reliable source.
-Quality of research
-Not specific to researcher’s
needs
-incomplete information
-not timely
Quantitative
Any data with numbers of
statistical analysis
• Survey
• Focus Groups
• Polls
• Questionnaire
• Precise and easy to
receive information for it
• For efficient results
• Can be used to test
hypothesis
A large sample of the
population must be studied in
order for it to be more
statistically accurate.
- context of the study or
experiment is ignored
Qualitative
Information using words
• Questionnaire – open
ended
• Focus Groups
• Interviews
-useful
-freedom
- does not need a strict design
plan before it begins.
-gains more detailed
information
requires more evaluation
-the researcher interprets the
research according to their
own biased view, which skews
the data gathered.
-time consuming
2. Unit 1: P1, M1, D1
What research methods (e.g. primary, secondary, qualitative, quantitative) did you use when completing the
assignments in year 11 for Unit 9 (Photography Techniques) and Unit 18 (Advertising) ?
During these two units we used secondary and primary information sources. I used secondary research for
specific information and also to gain a bank of inspiration and ideas. We used primary research to find out
feedback on our projects and final pieces. This allowed us to see what other people thought of our work to make
sure we have finished to the best possible standard and to ensure that all mistakes have been prevented. I also
used primary information to find out and make my own ideas.
How did you collate, store and use the information when researching for your year 11 units?
(e.g. did you book mark key websites? Keep a list of websites used? Print off or save any info for your folders?)
When I used secondary research to find out information on the internet I would copy the information that I had
found and put it onto a word document and save it so that I would lose it ensuring I wouldn’t have to do it again. I
would also write down or bookmark all the useful websites I had used to make sure that if I needed any more
information off of this site then I would know exactly where to find it and see all the information.
What research techniques (e.g. using the library, the internet, watching videos, reading info, recces, practises,
plans etc) did you use when completing the assignments in year 11 for Unit 9 (Photography Techniques) and Unit
18 (Advertising) ?
During this project (unit 9) we mostly used the internet to gain inspiration for our projects. We also used other
students work from previous years. We used the internet to look at other artist work to see what we could do In
our own projects the internet also allowed us to get any information for anything we needed to know. We also
used all of these same techniques in our unit 18 (Advertising) these techniques were very useful in this task.
If you didn’t use some of the methods in year 11, would use you them if you were to do your projects again?
How and why would you do this?
Yes I would use the research methods in the future because it will help to develop and improve what I create in
the task. Using these will also make sure that my work has been done to the best ability as primary research will
allow other people to see my work to tell me if they can spot any changes that would enhance the quality of my
work.
