THE RESEARCH PROCESS



THE RESEARCH PROCESS

The research process consists of a series of steps necessary to effectively carry out research.

It consists of a number of closely related activities :

Define the research problem

Review concepts theories

Formulate hypothesis

Research design and sample design

Questionnaire design

Data collection

Backchecking

Compilation-tabulation

Analysis

Interpretation

Report

Such activities overlap continuously. The various steps are not mutually exclusive.

They are not separate or distinct. One has to anticipate at each step of the research process the requirement of the subsequent steps.

Formulating the research process: The researcher must single out the problem he wants to study. He must decide on what areas he wants information on. The formulation of a general topic into a specific research problem thus constitutes the first step. For this, a thorough understanding of the problem is necessary and this has to be rephrased into meaningful terms for an analytical point of view. It is therefore necessary to have discussions with one’s own people, with experts or other experienced persons.The researcher must examine all available data to know the problem on hand. After this he rephrases the problem in specific terms. The task of formulating a research problem is a step of greatest importance in the entire

Research process because it determines the data which are to be collected, the data which are relevant, the areas to be explored, the choice of techniques to be used

and the final report.

Then the researcher has to state the working hypothesis. The hypothesis helps to guide the researcher by delimiting the area of research and keep on the right tract.

The third step is to prepare the research design. The structure within which the research will be conducted has to be stated. This should be done in such a way that all relevant information is collected with minimum costs,effort and time. The researcher has to select the design appropriate for the project.

The sample design is a definite plan on how the sample is to be selected. It has to be decided before any data is actually collected. Samples can be either probability or non-probability sample.

Collecting the data can be by observation, personal interviews, telephone, mail questionnaire. The method selected will depend on the nature of the investigation, the objective and scope of the study, financial resources, the time available and the degree of accuracy desired.

The questionnaire has to be prepared and pretested.

The field work is then instituted in a systematic manner and in time. Field checks are made so that the information is collected with predefined standard of accuracy.

Then coding,editing and tabulation need to be done.

Then the findings and conclusions are arrived.

The report has to be according to a format. The preliminary pagesw include the title, date, acknowledgement. There should be a table of contents, list of graphs and charts.

The main text should have the introduction, objectives, methodology adopted. The summary of findings come next. The conclusion should be written clearly and precisely.

COPY RESEARCH

Copy research may be defined as the analysis and evaluation of the advertising message- both print and broadcast-

No matter what the advertisement, four basic questions always need to be answered.

What do we know about the product?

What do we say?

How will we say it?

How well did we do?

What do we know, is a problem for copywriters before any ad is prepared. The creative brief gives the details and guidelines for an ad copy to be developed.

The second question ‘what do we say’is the preliminary writing of copy. It is here that copy testing can become useful. Research data is helpful to guide the copy writer on what to say.

The third question ‘what do we say’is the crucial .

It is here where copy testing is most necessary. It is very important that what the advertiser wants to convey is what is understood by the consumer. The positioning of the brand has to be the same as the position that the brand occupies in the minds of the consumers.

The fourth ‘how well did we do is posttesting.

These four questions become the basis for a four stage research programme.

Research prior to the development of the ad.

Research during the development of the ad

Prestesting of copy and ads.

Posttesting of ads.

The first research is to do with the development of ad ideas and evaluation of these ideas..

The second research is essentially the evaluation of the ideas in the rough form.

The third step is the pretest of ads before it is run.

The fourth research is on the effectiveness of the ads after it has run

Copy research attempts to measure and forecast reaction to a complex stimuli.

The number of basic methods of copy research is comparatively small. Each methodis adaptable to a variety of problems. There is no single criteria by which the effectiveness of all kinds of advertising can be measured, because advertising is not homogenous with respect to its objectives.What is an effective ad for one set of conditions is not necessarily an effective ad for another.

Since the objectives of all ads are psychological, the testing methods are actually psychological measures. The categories are initial attention, percepton, interest, comprehension,,feelings, emotion,motivation, beliefs, intentions, imagery,association, recall and recognition.

Initial attention is a subject of a great deal of copy research. Attention, stated simply is to discover how many people see or hear an advertising message. It relates to entire psychological process and no single test is comprehensiveenough to evaluate The whole attention process.

Perception of advertising stimuli often occurs simultaneously with attention.

Interest is reflected by continued favourable attention. It involves feelings as well as ideas and may vary greatly in intensity.

Comprehension has to do with whether the ad message is understood. It is easier to measure this than to measure attitudes and motives.

Feelings and emotions are difficult to define.People feel pleasant, indifferent, depressed and so on.

Recall is demonstrated when people retain the idea without cues. Aided recall occurs when cues are given.

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