Unit 3- Research Techniques for the Creative Media Industries

What us research and why is it important?
collection of info to base final product on
primary and secondary
Primary research involves the collection of original data or data that does not already exist. Primary Research is often undertaken after the researcher has gained some insight into the issue by collecting secondary data.

Some good sources are interviews, observations, questionnaires, surveys, types of questions, focus groups, audience panels, participation in internet forums, data gathering agencies, eg Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB), Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd (RAJAR), self-generated eg, own video, audio or photographic records of events.

Secondary research is the collection of existing research material or data.

Some good sources are books, journals, reference-based books and directories, periodicals, newspapers, film archives, photo libraries, worldwide web, searching internet forums, CD Rom databases, audio material, ratings, circulation figures, government statistics.

Quantitative Research- quantifying or putting a numerical value on something (e.g. 60% of males in the UK play Fifa 2012) Use of sampling techniques (such as consumer surveys) whose findings can be expressed numerically, enabling the researcher to estimate (forecast) future events or quantities. Some good examples are programme ratings, readership circulation figures, hits on a website, box office figures, sales of CD's and DVD's. To get quantitative, we use closed questions to get data. Closed questions are very straightforward. They tend to be yes, no or multiple choice limited answers.

Qualitative- People's opinions or points of view. Open Questions are used mostly to get opinions for qualitiative data. Sources are game reviews, film reviews, fanzine websites and attitudes.