BY MICHAEL DOJC Show
Many market, research groups are experiencing tunnel vision when it experiencing tunnel vision when it comes to focus group testing. By dipping and double dipping and triple dipping into the same pool of people again and again, focus groups are really working with a fuzzy lens. I started attending focus groups when I was 16 years old and I always relished the experience of not only trying out a new product, but being paid for it as well. Though it didn't take long for me to rush through the surveys, get my cash and run. Since then, I have been repeatedly called, approximately twice a month, by the various groups in the Toronto area and even more times since I turned 19. But now the novelty has worn off and I am beginning to realize the sheer inconsequence of the groups. I am not the only disenchanted frequent focus group attendee at these gatherings. It did not take long to notice that it is the same people who go every time. We all know the drill so well that we are never refused entry by the faceless telephone operators who screen candidates. I came up with this simple formula that has never failed me yet. The first thing you have to realize is that the person on the other end of the phone does not care about you, and while they may not believe everything you say, they will diligently write it down as if it were the gospel. The following is an example of the typical screening process: "Hi, this is Casey from X recruiting, would you be interested in participating in a focus group? It pays $30 for 45 minutes." The answer to this question is an assured "yes" or "sure," depending on your personal preference both will do quite fine. "First we have to see if you qualify. Have you done a focus group in the last three months?" The answer is "no." Even if you have attended one, they will never check their records and even if the same person called you the last time, it is highly unlikely they will remember, considering that they make hundreds of calls every day. "Do you or any of your immediate family members work in advertising, television, journalism or media?" Again the answer is "no" and the same aforementioned rules apply. "Which of the following have you purchased in the last week?" The answer to any question of this type is always an affirmative "yes." Never take a chance. The one negative you give could be the qualifying question. It has happened to me-on numerous occasions and they never let you take it back. "Actually I did buy a bottle of wine this week, .1 just remembered," I coyly added after being rejected. I was not even given the courtesy of a response as the dial tone rang in my ear. Do not be concerned that the phone operator will find you strange for haying purchased every item they list off. -They really couldn't care less. On many occasions they will ask you if you have any friends who would be interested in coming out. Always give them as many names as you can. It never hurts to be nice to people and who knows, maybe your friends will return the favour. One of my friends invented a fictional twin brother and requalified under the inventive alias for the same focus group just one hour later than the one he had signed up for under his own name. After finishing the first group, my friend went to the bathroom, put on a backwards Yankees cap, and went right back in. Once you get in, the rest is child's play. The focus group supervisors will explain everything they want you to do in baby speak and they may even do it twice to make sure you understand that you should write your assigned number in the top left-hand corner of the survey sheet beside the word marked "number." It's become almost a social event for my friends and I who now go in-groups and make bets as to who will get out first. We take pleasure in writing down funny answers to the stupid questions that are invariably asked, like, how an image of a certain beverage makes you feel. It's truly amazing that companies are throwing around millions of dollars in these so-called research ventures, where they inter view professional focus group attendees who couldn't care less about the product a company is hawking, even if it's one they use on a regular basis. Michael Dojc is a student at McMaster University and an Intern at the Town Crier in Toronto. Published on April 12, 2019 by Raimo Streefkerk. Revised on August 17, 2022. When collecting and analyzing data, quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while
qualitative research deals with words and meanings. Both are important for gaining different kinds of knowledge. Common quantitative methods include experiments, observations recorded as numbers, and surveys with closed-ended questions. Common qualitative methods include interviews with open-ended questions, observations described in words, and literature reviews that explore concepts and theories. Quantitative and qualitative research use different research methods to collect and analyze data, and they allow you to answer different kinds of research questions. Quantitative and qualitative data can be collected using various methods. It is important to use a data collection method that will help answer your research question(s). Many data collection methods can be either qualitative or quantitative. For example, in surveys, observations or
case studies, your data can be represented as numbers (e.g. using rating scales or counting frequencies) or as words (e.g. with open-ended questions or descriptions of what you observe). However, some methods are more commonly used in one type or the other. Quantitative data collection methods
Qualitative data collection methods
When to use qualitative vs. quantitative researchA rule of thumb for deciding whether to use qualitative or quantitative data is:
For most research topics you can choose a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach. Which type you choose depends on, among other things, whether you’re taking an inductive vs. deductive research approach; your research question(s); whether you’re doing experimental, correlational, or descriptive research; and practical considerations such as time, money, availability of data, and access to respondents. Research questionHow satisfied are students with their studies?Quantitative research approachYou survey 300 students at your university and ask them questions such as: “on a scale from 1-5, how satisfied are your with your professors?” You can perform statistical analysis on the data and draw conclusions such as: “on average students rated their professors 4.4”. Qualitative research approachYou conduct in-depth interviews with 15 students and ask them open-ended questions such as: “How satisfied are you with your studies?”, “What is the most positive aspect of your study program?” and “What can be done to improve the study program?” Based on the answers you get you can ask follow-up questions to clarify things. You transcribe all interviews using transcription software and try to find commonalities and patterns. Mixed methods approachYou conduct interviews to find out how satisfied students are with their studies. Through open-ended questions you learn things you never thought about before and gain new insights. Later, you use a survey to test these insights on a larger scale. It’s also possible to start with a survey to find out the overall trends, followed by interviews to better understand the reasons behind the trends. How to analyze qualitative and quantitative dataQualitative or quantitative data by itself can’t prove or demonstrate anything, but has to be analyzed to show its meaning in relation to the research questions. The method of analysis differs for each type of data. Analyzing quantitative dataQuantitative data is based on numbers. Simple math or more advanced statistical analysis is used to discover commonalities or patterns in the data. The results are often reported in graphs and tables. Applications such as Excel, SPSS, or R can be used to calculate things like:
Analyzing qualitative dataQualitative data is more difficult to analyze than quantitative data. It consists of text, images or videos instead of numbers. Some common approaches to analyzing qualitative data include:
Frequently asked questions about qualitative and quantitative researchWhat is data collection? Data collection is the systematic process by which observations or measurements are gathered in research. It is used in many different contexts by academics, governments, businesses, and other organizations. Sources in this articleWe strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below. This Scribbr article
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... What tool is often used to gather the opinions or views of research?The questionnaire is the main instrument for collecting data in survey research. Basically, it is a set of standardized questions, often called items, which follow a fixed scheme in order to collect individual data about one or more specific topics.
What kind of research is used to quantify attitudes opinions behavior and other defined variables?Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into useable statistics. It is used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables – and generalize results from a larger sample population.
What type of research that is subjective or measured?Qualitative Research is primarily subjective in approach as it seeks to understand human behavior and reasons that govern such behavior. Researchers have the tendency to become subjectively immersed in the subject matter in this type of research method.
What type of research systematically provides measurable statistics?Quantitative Research uses measurable data to formulate facts and uncover patterns in research. Quantitative data collection methods are much more structured than Qualitative data collection methods.
|
Which type of research is used to measure the incidence of various views and opinions in a chosen sample?
zusammenhängende Posts
Urheberrechte © © 2024 de.apacode Inc.
