How to Take On Research
If you're looking for fresh resources, it's good to know that the 1999 edition of "A Guide to Public Relations Research" is available from Ketchum for $25 per copy.
The 90-page reference manual is updated annually by the firm. First published in 1991, it's broken into eight sections and includes checklists of variables PR pros need to consider when embarking on research.
The manual also delineates the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, as charted below:
Qualitative
- Usually open-ended questions, free response, unstructured
- Rarely projectable to larger audiences
- Generally uses non-random samples
Examples are: focus groups, one-on-one, in-depth interviews and convenience polling
Quantitative
- Usually close-ended, forced choice, highly structured
- Descriptive or explanatory kind of research
- Generally uses random samples
Examples are: telephone polls, mail surveys, shared cost or omnibus studies, Internet surveys
Source: Ketchum, 212/448-4213On the Radar Screen