This document defines key terminology related to research methods and types of research. It discusses the differences between primary and secondary research, quantitative and qualitative research, and audience, market, and production research. It also provides examples of each type of research. The primary purpose is to outline fundamental concepts in research methods for reference.

1. Research
James Gannon

2. Terminology
• Circulation
– How many copies of a print product that have been
distributed
• Hits
– How many times a certain webpage had been viewed
• Box Office Figures
– How much money a film has made at the cinema
• Ratings
– How something had been rated (4/5, 5 stars, 95% etc)
• Sales
– How many products have been sold

3. Primary Research
• Definition
– Research you do yourself
– Where the audience and the researcher are in direct contact
• Advantages
– You can create your own research to get the information you need for your work
– You could ask extra questions during and interview
• Disadvantages
– It can take a long time to set-up your research. You then have to gather your results and then
present them
– Finding the right people to ask can sometimes be a challenge
• Example
– Questionnaires/Surveys
– Interviews
– Focus Groups
– Vox Pops
– Product Analysis
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4. Secondary Research
• Definition
– Studying previously undertaken research
– Using existing research in your own work
• Advantages
– The research has already been done for you. You just need to look at it and then use
it in your project.
– There can be a wide range of resources available
• Disadvantages
– The research may not be quite what you were looking for
– The research might not always be easy to find
– You have to rely on how well others have researched
• Example
– Internet research
– Library research
– Archive research
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5. Quantitative Research
• Definition
– Expressed or expressible as a quantity
– Research that you can quantify/measure and put into percentages, fractions and
numbers
• Advantages
– It is useful for studying large numbers of people
– Useful for obtaining data that allow quantitative predictions to be made
– Provides precise, quantitative, numerical data
• Disadvantages
– The researcher’s categories that are used might not reflect local
constituencies’ understandings
– The researcher’s theories that are used might not reflect local
constituencies’ understandings
• Example
─ Sales
─ Box Office figures
─ Website hits
─ TV ratings

6. Qualitative Research
• Definition
– Research that goes more in depth- finding out opinions/beliefs/reasoning
– Presented as full text or discussions
– Makes the person have to reflect and expand on their answer
• Advantages
─ Issues and subjects covered can be evaluated in depth and in detail.
─ Interviews are not limited to particular questions and can be redirected or guided by
researchers in real time.
• Disadvantages
─ The quality of research is heavily dependent on the skills of the researcher and can be
easily influenced by personal idiosyncrasies and biases of researchers.
• Example
─ Reviews
─ Responses
─ Discussions
─ Forums

7. Audience Research
• Definition
– Finding out about who consumes a product
• Advantages
– it will assure that your campaign will respond directly to your
target audience.
– Finding out the likes and dislikes effectively.
• Disadvantages
– It may be time consuming.
• Example
– Surveys
– interviews

8. Market Research
• Definition
– Finding out about the market place where a product is
sold
• Advantages
– It facilitates planned production.
– Helpful in improving relations with dealers.
• Disadvantages
– A disadvantage of doing market research is the time
associated with doing the research and performing
questionnaires and interviews.
• Example
– Sales

9. Production Research
• Definition
– Finding information and resources required to produce a
piece of media.
• Advantages
– It could give ideas about what to include in the product.
– a wide audience will see the advertisements and it will increase
public knowledge and likeness of the product.
• Disadvantages
– it is easy to over advertise, causing people to get bored of them.
• Example
– Surveys

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

11. Harvard Referencing
Name of the film being researched;
1. Film – David Ayer, Suicide squad
2. Book – Suicide Squad Vol. 2: Basilisk Rising
3. Website – www.dccomics.com/comics/suicide-
squad-2016/suicide-squad-1
4. Magazine article –
http://www.theverge.com/2016/8/9/12405466/sui
cide-squad-movie-discussion-amanda-waller-
deadshot-harley-quinn-dc