The basic groundwork of any public relations organization is research. Research involves gathering information to be utilized and the interpretation of that information.
Secondary research frequently involves archival research, which is the inventory of organizational materials at the start of the campaign. This can show sales history, profile of customers, etc…People also seek out information from libraries and online databases like search engines. The search engines allows everyone with computer access to search for information, statistics, and such on the internet.
Qualitative research is designed for probing attitudes and perceptions, assessing how far the message travels, and the testing of messages. ” The primary techniques for qualitative research are content analysis, interviews, focus groups, copy testing, and ethnographic observation and testing.”
Quantitative research is information that is used to represent the general population. This information can be attained by conducting random sampling studies which allows everyone in the target audience to be in the sample. “Sample size determines the margin of error in the statistical findings.”
