This document defines various research terminology used in media production such as primary and secondary research, quantitative and qualitative research, as well as discussing the advantages and disadvantages of different research methods. It also covers topics like audience research, market research, and production research providing examples of each.

1. Research
Allison Hewitt

2. Terminology
• Circulation
– How and through what means a product is distributed, such as a film or a magazine or a
book.
• Hits
– How many times a product has been viewed, whether its at the theatre or on the
internet.
• Box Office Figures
– How much money a film or a theatre production makes in the cinema/theatre.
• Ratings
– How a product is rated, such as on Rotten Tomato's and IMDB: 5 stars, /10, 100%
• Sales
– How much money a product brings in and how much it sells for.

3. Primary Research
• Definition
– The producer does all the research themselves, rather by making questionnaires or having a
focus group meeting where the producers can interact face to face with there theoretical
audience and get feedback.
• Advantages
– You can tailor the questions to match your product specifically.
– In focus groups or face to face questionnaires you can ask people to go into detail about what
they like and do not like about your product.
• Disadvantages
– It can be time consuming to gather the right audience for your questions and to also create
the questions.
– People may be to intimidated that it is the producers product to say how they really feel.
• Example
– Questionnaires/surveys, Interviews, focus groups, Vox Pops, Product analysais

4. Secondary Research
• Definition
– Using and looking into already developed research, such as research on the internet or in archives,
and using this research to help create your product.
• Advantages
– The research is already done for you, all you have to do is cipher through it and collect
the parts that will help you develop the product.
– You can collect a lot of different research with many different outlooks.
• Disadvantages
– The research you collect might not be specific enough, because it won’t be tailored to
your specific product.
– Some information might be wrong which could hinder the development of your product.
• Example
– Looking on websites or in books for information for your product.

5. Quantitative Research
• Definition
– Research that is collected to make quantified data.
• Advantages
– It can be a quick process of asking questions and gathering data.
– It is easy to understand the data that has been produced.
• Disadvantages
– You can not be specific when dealing with questions and answers.
– It is possible that you can get incorrect results.
• Example
– Asking people if it was easy to recognize what brand the product was from in a yes and
no format.

6. Qualitative Research
• Definition
– Qualitative research is high quality and highly detailed research that delves into specifics and
expects detailed answers and explanations from the questions asked. Data will be collected as
full text or discussions.
• Advantages
– Research is thorough and specific, which will help you fully develop your product in a way that
would please the audience.
– You can ask very particular questions that are relative to your product.
– If it is a focus meeting, you can discuss the product in its entirety and get feedback face to
face.
• Disadvantages
– To gather such detailed research and put it into data could be very time consuming.
– Having such in-depth research could feel very creatively restricting.
• Example
– Focus group meeting, open ended questions, ‘why?’

7. Audience Research
• Definition
– Research into what kind of audience likes your product, and asking questions and researching
into your specific audience.
• Advantages
– You will know what exactly your target audience is looking for and want from your product.
– You will be talking to people and asking questions tailored to people who are more likely to
enjoy your product.
• Disadvantages
– Knowing what your audience specifically wants can be very creatively restricting, as you may
not want to try anything that they haven't said they liked.
– It could be hard to limit your product to just one audience.
• Example
– If you are making a sequel to a film, you would ask questions who liked the previous film.

8. Market Research
• Definition
– Research into where the product is distributed and who will buy it there.
• Advantages
– You will know what stores/places to best sell and advertise your product.
– You will be able to see what kind of people visit particular stores and if they will
purchase your product.
• Disadvantages
– Information can be misleading.
– It could be hard to gather information about what type of people shop in certain stores.
• Example
– Surveys, questionnaires or interviews with groups of people in a focus group. If
someone buys something from the company, that person could get an email from the
marketers asking about the quality of there product through survey of some kind.

9. Production Research
• Definition
– Research into how and by what means the product will be developed and made.
• Advantages
– Researching into this will help you find what materials will be best for your product and
how much they will cost.
– It will give you an estimated time frame on how long it will take to fully produce your
product.
• Disadvantages
– Researching into products could be frustrating because it may be hard to find things
specifically related to your products.
• Example
– If creating a video game, you could look at similar games and what kind of software they
were using to help your production of your game.

10. Terminology
• Objective
– Something that is determined by fact or logic.
• Subjective
– Something that is more nuance and determined by mostly opinion.
• Valid
– Something that is understandable and logical.
• Reliable
– Something you can trust to be sound and factual.

11. Harvard Referencing
Name of the film being researched;
- Austen. J (1813), Pride and prejudice.
- Wright. J (2005), Pride and prejudice.
- Widger. D (2008) The Project Gutenburg Ebook of Pride and Prejudice –
Jane Austen (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1342/1342-h/1342-h.htm)
- Waldman. K (2016) The on-going allure of Pride and Prejudice (Vulture)