In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Show Public relations professionals within any organization have a tedious job to do on a day-to-day basis. In almost all cases, the public relations professional would have to take part in various research methods to ensure the organization is not only operating strategically but efficiently as well. The success of an organization depends on this vital data collected by the public relations professional. Both informal and formal research methods are utilized to solidify just that. In this paper the writer will discuss these methods in detail to include the differences between them, some benefits and drawbacks of each as well as examples of how the public relations professional would utilize each research method. Public Relations and Research…show more content…
 In my last blog post, I explained why it’s important for marketing and communication departments to include research in their annual planning process. Now I’d like to take a deeper dive into the different types of research, advantages, and disadvantages of research methods, and reporting survey results. Before we get too far into the weeds, I was reminded of a quote from a study manual I reviewed a few years ago. About research and public relations professionals, it said: “We are not scientists.” Agreed, however, it is important for marketing and communication professionals to be able to identify research methods and explain them and their terms. Formal or informal?At its core, you can divide research into two buckets: formal and informal. Formal research is just as the name implies, it’s conducted using scientific investigation to replicate measurable results. If done correctly – with a truly random sample – the formal research findings can be applied to a larger group or universe. An example of formal research is phone surveys – an often-unpopular form conducted during election cycles – but nonetheless an effective means of gauging a candidate’s popularity. Informal research is just the opposite – its findings cannot and should not be applied to a wider group. You probably do informal research regularly, and it’s common to do it when you’re gathering feedback before doing formal research. An example includes hosting a focus group with customers or individuals who may purchase competitive products. Another example is if you’ve been to a trade show and had a conversation with someone in your booth. It can be helpful but don’t forget it may not be representative of a wider audience. Qualitative or quantitative?Research can be further broken down into qualitative – open-ended responses – that are considered informal. An example of qualitative research is a focus group. You may gather detailed responses from participants, however, it’s not measurable nor can it be used to represent a wider audience. Quantitative research is measurable, can be represented numerically and is projectable. You might use quantitative research with a survey that asks respondents a series of close-ended questions. You can tabulate these responses and, if the sample size is large enough, apply your findings to a larger group. Examples of research:
In addition to these common research examples, consider doing a content analysis of materials produced by your company as well as the media. This is an informal, primary research method. Review internal materials such as literature, presentations and intranet content to determine if the materials meet objectives for targeted internal publics. The same can be done to compare content that appears in the media, such as magazines versus online. You can study trends in content and tailor your future content to better align with internal and external audiences. Tabulating resultsDepending on the type of research your company does, whether done internally or by a third party, tabulating and communicating the results is a significant step in the process. Thankfully, online surveys done through a third party make this part much simpler. You can easily collect the information and the website may even produce reports or graphs to visually communicate the information. Research results, such as survey responses, can be logged in a spreadsheet and easily shared among colleagues. Generate charts or graphs to make your findings more visual and easily shareable in presentations. For informal research, it can be more time-consuming. For in-person interviews or focus groups, audio files can be transcribed by a third party. If possible, get permission from your focus group to record the session. As you watch the video, pay attention to not only the words spoken by the attendees but their physical appearance and gestures. You can tabulate responses from attendees – just remember that the information is not a scientifically valid representation of a broader audience. Research in planningThe Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) places a significant value on research in any planning process. According to PRSA, these are some questions to ask yourself or your organization as you’re incorporating research in your annual planning.
Throughout these questions, remember awareness, attitude, and action. The main difference between formal and informal research is that formal research uses scientific methods and we can apply its results to a larger group. In informal research, on the other hand, non-scientific methods are used and we can only apply their results to a smaller group. Research involves collecting data and information on a specific topic. In addition, we can divide research into two broad categories, formal research and informal research. Before conducting a research study, it is always important to decide how formal or rigorous your study will be. Key areas covered1. What is formal research - definition, characteristics 2. What is informal research - definition, characteristics 3. Difference between formal and informal research - comparison of key differences key termsInformal Research, Formal Research What is formal research?Formal research is a type of research study that is conducted using a systematic approach and scientific methods. A formal research study typically comprises several components: summary, introduction , literature review , research design and method , results and analysis, conclusion, bibliography . Overall, formal research is more scientific than informal research and aims to discover new information or solve a problem. It always uses up-to-date, reliable sources. In addition, the information sources used in research are also recorded using a reference system. Researchers usually begin a formal research study with a hypothesis ; then they rigorously test that hypothesis. They also research and analyze the existing literature on their research topic. This allows them to look at the research topic from multiple perspectives and acknowledge different problems that need to be solved. Compared to informal research, formal research tends to be objective or unbiased. This happens mainly because formal research uses scientific methods that involve objective information. If the research involves participants in surveys or interviews, for example, the researcher must first obtain their written consent. In addition, we can make the findings from formal research accessible to a larger audience. Informal research is the use of non-scientific methods to collect and analyze data. Because the research uses non-scientific methods, its results cannot be transferred to a wider audience. Most of us do informal research on a regular basis. Conducting a simple survey, informal interviews with a target group, soliciting opinions from colleagues, searching company files, etc. are all non-scientific methods of data collection and thus forms of informal research. Informal research doesn't require a lot of time or effort. This usually just involves searching through some information or collecting some data. Let's say you buy a new laptop. You'll ask for your co-workers' opinion and may search some websites and reviews for more information on laptop brands. Your decision here is based on informal research. But it is important to know that this information can be subjective. In addition, since this is informal research, you may not need to worry about the source of the information. definitionFormal research is a type of research study conducted using a systematic approach and scientific methods, while informal research is the use of non-scientific methods to collect and analyze data. MethodsWhile formal research uses scientific methods, informal research uses non-scientific methods Time and effortInformal research takes less time and effort than formal research. objectivityFormal research tends to be more objective or unbiased than informal research. sourcesIt is necessary to list the sources of information in a formal research, but informal research does not follow this practice. Application of knowledgeFormal research results can be applied to a larger group, while informal research results can only be applied to a smaller group. diplomaFormal research is a type of research study conducted using a systematic approach and scientific methods, while informal research is the use of non-scientific methods to collect and analyze data. In addition, formal research tends to be more objective and unbiased than informal research. So this is the main difference between formal and informal research. Reference:1. " 3.1: Choosing a Research Methodology." Professional Communication, ECampus Pressbooks, September 1, 2019. 2. Johnson, Ryan. “ Take a closer look at the types of research and coverage. “Two rivers marketing. Image courtesy:1. “ Online poll icon or logo ” By Tungilik - Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia2. “ Research scene vector” by Videoplasty.com (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia |
What is research and how do informal and formal research methods differ
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