Lesson 6 - Primary Research Methods 2

1Lesson Six Research Methods 3

Lesson 6

RESEARCHMETHODS 3


Students will …

1. list sampling types

2. select representative samples

3. reduce sample errors

4. plan the survey

5. ask the questions

Learning Outcomes


The world’s most famous newspaper error

President Harry Truman against Thomas Dewey

Chicago Tribute prepared an incorrect headline without first getting accurate information

Reason? bias inaccurate opinion polls

Sampling


Most research cannot test everyone. Instead a sample of the whole population is selected and tested. If this is done well, the results can be applied to the whole population.

This selection and testing of a sample is called sampling.

If a sample is poorly chosen, all the data may be useless.

Sampling

Populationthe group of people we wish to understand. Populations are often segmented by demographic or psychographic features (age, gender, interests, lifestyles).

Samplea subset of the population that represents the whole group

Respondentspeople who answer


Two MethodsSampling

This relies on available people. For example, people passing in the street or walking through a mall.

This is not objective or representative. Thus, it is often not scientific or reliable.

Non-

probability

or

Convenienc

e Sampling This is a sample selected

randomly and according to

scientific guidelines.

To create a simple random

sample, you need (1) a list of the

members of the population (2) a

way to create random numbers.

Probability or Random Sampling


SamplingLists and Random Numbers



What is your

primary daily

media channel?

How

accurate is

this

statistic?

What is the

margin of

error?

The Margin of Error is the measure of accuracy of a survey. The smaller the margin of error, the more accurate the survey.

SamplingMargin of Error


What is your

primary daily

media channel?

Margin of Error = 1/√n x 100n = number of respondents

48,804 people in TNS sample√48,804 = 220.9161/221 = 0.0045x 100 = 0.45%= 60.55% to 61.45%

How

accurate is

this

statistic?

What is the

margin of

error?

SamplingMargin of Error


41 respondents

How

accurate is

this

statistic?

What is the

margin of

error?

Margin of Error= 1/√n x 100n = number of respondents41 respondents√41 = 6.4031242374328486864881/6.4 = 0.15625x 100 = 15.6% margin of error

21.4% to 52.6%

consider themselves

unfriendly to the

environment

Margin of Error= 1/√n x 100n = number of respondentsWhat would the margin of error be for 25 respondents?√ 25 = 51/5 = 0.2X 100 = 20% margin of error


Planning a surveyStart-up

questions

Ask yourself the following 3 questions:1. WHO will be the respondents?

2. WHAT information do you want to learn from them?

3. HOW can you effectively get that information?



questions

WHO will be the respondents?

Select respondents relevant to your focusEg: Ask computer hardware related q’s tohardware engineers / IT professionalsAsk toy related questions to children andmothers



questions

WHAT information do you want to learn from them?

• Think clearly of your focus• Think clearly of what the results might look like

Be specific



questions

Be specific

Example:This research is done to ascertain the:- Awareness of / knowledge of- Attitude towards / perception of- Demand foretc



questions

HOW can you effectively get that information?

• Choose effective questions• Decide on type of survey (mail, interview, telephone, online)• Decide on response categories• Design layout• Decide on target population• Decide on sample size• Select sample



questions

Online Surveys

Advantages of online surveys:• Access to a large number of people, • Quick

Disadvantages of online surveys:• You cannot control the conditions - someone else may answer - not physically there to clarify or probe further


The QuestionsStart-up

questions

Asking questions

1. Avoid jargon, slang, abbreviations2. Avoid ambiguity, confusion and vagueness3. Avoid writing double-barreled questions4. Avoid leading 5. Avoid treating a respondent’s belief about a hypothesis as a test of the hypothesis



questions

Asking questions

1. Avoid jargon, slang, abbreviations

Example:How often do you use Polyethylene carriers?

Ask instead:How often do you use plastic bags?



questions

Asking questions

2. Avoid ambiguity, confusion and vagueness

Example:Do you eat out often?

Ask instead:In a typical week, about how many meals do you eat away from home, at a restaurant,cafeteria, or other eating establishment?



questions

Asking questions

3. Avoid Double-barreled questions

Example:Do you support or oppose the use of lead in lipsticks and paint?

Ask instead:Do you support the use of lead in lipsticks?

Do you support the use of lead in paint?



questions

Asking questions

4. Avoid Leading

Example:Do you help the environment by using canvas shopping bags?

Ask instead:Do you use canvas shopping bags?



questions

Asking questions

5. Beliefs as real

Example:Do you think more educated people wear fur clothing?

Ask instead:What is your education level?

Do you wear fur clothing?



questions

Organising questions

Question types:Closed –• Likert scales

• Semantic scales

• Ranking scales• Structured questions

(age, income, education level, etc)

Open –• Opinion• Overall / final comments


The Introduction[Fashion and the Environment]We are a team of [Fashion Marketing] students from Raffles

College of Higher Education. We are conducting this survey as part of our research project for our Academic Research and Communication Skills module under our lecturer and research supervisor Kavita Parwani.

The questionnaire should take about 5 minutes to complete. Our research project examines [the attitudes of the students of

Raffles College of Higher Education towards the reuse, reduction and recycling of clothing.] We hope that your response will help us understand our subject in greater depth.

The information we gather is confidential and anonymous, in other words, we will not name you or identify you in connection with the information you provide.

If you have any questions about the survey or our research project, please feel free to contact me, [Josephine Lim, at [email protected]] or our supervisor Kavita Parwani at [email protected]


REFERENCESBabbie, E. (2008). The Basics of Social Research (4th ed.) USA: Cengage.

Dewey Defeats Truman (2009) Deweydefeatstruman. http://

www.deweydefeatstruman.com/

Ghauri, P. & Gronhaug, K. (2005). Research Methods in Business Studies –

A Practical Guide, Essex: Pearson

Neuman, WL. (2009). Understanding Research. London: Pearson.

Visocky O’Grady, K. & Visocky O’Grady, J. (2009). A Designer’s Research

Manual, USA: Rockport.


Exercise

Question:Japan and its recent tsunami victims do not need the

world’s interest, sympathy and financial assistance as

Japan is a wealthy nation that can take care of itself.

In groups:

Part 1: Conduct secondary research (Lesson 3)

Part 2: Conduct primary research (Lesson 4-5)

Part 3: Evaluate the research (Lesson 6)

Part 4: Submit a short report on your findings (Lesson 7)


Group Exercise:• Select your topic (Japan / Random)

• Select your focus

• Write 7-10 research questions

• Mix of Demographic and Psychograpic areas

• Select 10 respondents

• Do the survey

• Tabulate and analyse the results

• Optional: Calculate margin of error

• Findings? Write out your findings, and the analysis of these

findings.


Project Step 3:Presentation 3: Research Methods

• Prepare a 5-6 minute presentation explaining

your primary research methods.

• Explain how you will collect information/data

on the topic. Explain whether you decided to do

quantitative or qualitative research and why.

• Which method(s) will you use? Why?

• Who will you sample? How? Why?

• What questions will you ask? Give examples.

• What problems do you foresee?

• Detail your sources.

• Design PowerPoint slides.

homework


Quantitative data used to measure subjective information.

Psychographic research attempts to quantify the qualitative.

Collected via a questionnaire in a survey or structured interview.

Common psychographic variables are: opinions, religious beliefs, music tastes, personality traits and lifestyle choices.

Data CollectionPsychographic Question Types

Likert Scales


Quantitative data used to measure subjective information.

Psychographic research attempts to quantify the qualitative.

Collected via a questionnaire in a survey or structured interview.

Common psychographic variables are: opinions, religious beliefs, music tastes, personality traits and lifestyle choices.

Data CollectionPsychographic Question Types

Likert Scales

1. If GAP were a person, what kind of person would it be?Circle the number on the scale that reflects your opinion.

Honest DishonestFashionable UnfashionableGenerous GreedyTraditional ModernRude PoliteSerious Fun

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Semantic

Scales

2. What do you think of Singapore?Circle the number on the scale that reflects your opinion.

Boring FunClean SterileRelaxed UptightCreative Stilted

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Technology

Lesson 6 - Primary Research Methods 2