This document defines key terminology used in research and summarizes different types of research methods. It discusses primary and secondary research, quantitative and qualitative research, audience and market research, and production research. It also defines objectives, subjective, valid, and reliable research. Finally, it provides an example of Harvard referencing style.

1. Research
Leah Brackpool

2. Terminology
• Circulation – meaning how many copies of a print product
that have been distributed.
• Hits – meaning how many times a certain webpage has
been viewed.
• Box Office Figures – meaning how much money a film has
made in the cinema.
• Ratings – meaning how something had been rated. For
example; 4/5 stars or 95%
• Sales – meaning how many products have been sold.

3. Primary Research
• Definition
Primary Research means research that you do yourself where the audience and the researcher are
in direct contact.
• Advantages
Advantages of primary research is that you can talk face to face with viewers and get opinions from
them as a person rather than anonymously online.
• Disadvantages
Disadvantages of this method may be that people may prefer anonymous questionnaires where it
is just a form to fill in on your own rather than someone asking the questions for them. They may
prefer this as the person taking the questionnaire may feel pressured to give inaccurate or false
information on the questions.
• Examples
– Questionnaires/Surveys
– Interviews
– Focus Groups
– Vox Pops
– Product Analysis

4. Secondary Research
• Definition
Secondary Research is studying previously undertaken research. They use
existing research in their own work.
• Advantages
Advantages of using secondary research is that you can use other
peoples ideas and phrases in their own work.
• Disadvantages
Disadvantages of using secondary research is that you may need
permission to use some of their work, meaning people may get mad if
they saw. Also, its good to use your own research.
• Example
– Internet research
– Library research
– Archive research

5. Quantitative Research
• Definition
Quantitative research is expressed or expressible as a quantity. It is research that you can quantify
or measure and put into percentages, fractions and numbers. It is conducted with closed
questions. A closed question is when you ask a question which requires a short, often one word
answer.
• Advantages
Advantages of quantitative research is that it may be a quick research type and it is an
easy way to gather results.
• Disadvantages
Disadvantages of quantitative research is that it is no sure way on how many people
have been asked or what age or their gender also, meaning possible less accurate of
results.
• Example
– Sales
– Box Office figures
– Website Hits
– TV Ratings
– Closed Questions

6. Qualitative Research
• Definition
Qualitative Research is research that goes more in-depth finding out opinions,
beliefs and reasoning. It is presented as full text or discussions and makes the
person have to reflect and expand on their answer.
• Advantages
Advantages of qualitative research is that you can get in-depth answers and
improve the review. This is a much longer way to do this though.
• Disadvantages
Disadvantages of qualitative research is that you have to prepare and get time
ahead as because the answers are much more in-depth than the others, it will
take longer to carry out.
• Example
– Reviews
– Responses
– Discussions
– Forums

7. Audience Research
• Definition
Audience research is finding out about who consumes a product.
• Advantages
Advantages of audience research is that you can see what the product attracts like the
gender and the age. You are also able to find out the dislikes and likes of the audience
and that vital information can be discovered. You are also able to define the target
audience.
• Disadvantages
Disadvantages of audience research is that it can become quite time-consuming and
sometimes the answers many not be detailed at all.
• Example
- Ratings
- Questionnaires
- Interviews
- Focus Groups
- Classification

8. Market Research
• Definition
Market research is finding out about the market place where a product is sold and the
action or activity of gathering information about consumers' needs and preferences.
• Advantages
Advantages of Market research is that you can find out and compare different market
places to sell your product in and also narrowing down an age range and gender to
market your product at.
• Disadvantages
Disadvantages of Market research is that sometimes this information can be incorrect
and in the worst case scenario, the targeted age-range and gender, meaning lack of
sales. This information can also be unreliable, affecting the deadline date in advance.
• Examples:
• Observation
• Focus Groups
• Interviews
• Surveys and Questionnaires

9. Production Research
• Definition
Production research is when you find information and resources
required to produce a piece of media. This is always needed when
developing a product.
• Advantages
Advantages of production research include the gain of knowledge of
how much everything is going to cost and where to get all the main
resources from. This will also help to avoid copyright infringement to
prevent buyers from being confused
• Disadvantages
Disadvantages of production research include unreliable sources, this
can affect the deadline date.
• Example

10. Terminology
• Objective
– This means research that is not influenced by personal
feelings or opinions.
• Subjective
– This means research that has been influenced by personal
feelings or opinons.
• Valid
– This means whether the research proposed is able to
answer the intended outcome/question.
• Reliable
– This means research that produces accurate and consistent
results.

11. Harvard Referencing
1. Ball, W. (2014) The Maze Runner
2. Dashner, J. (2010) The Maze Runner
3. Dashner, J. (2010) The Maze Runner Books
(http://mazerunnerbooks.com/)
4. Drayton, A. (2015) The Maze Runner
(https://www.insights.uca.org.au/reviews/th
e-maze-runner)