This document provides an overview of quantitative and qualitative research methods and sources. It discusses primary and secondary research, including how primary research involves collecting new data from scratch, while secondary research uses existing data. It also outlines several methods for data gathering, including observations, interviews, focus groups, portfolios, and surveys. Finally, it summarizes the purpose and methods of research organizations BARB and RAJAR, which measure television and radio audiences respectively.

1. INDEX
• Quantitative & Qualitative
• Methods and source of research
• Purpose of research
• Data gathering agencies
• Self generated work
• Research board BARB
• Radio joint audience research RAJAR

2. Quantitative
Quantitative data is more efficient, but may however miss contextual detail.
Quantitative research is used to quantify data and generalize results. Data collected
is usually illustrated by numbers and graphs. Quantitative research is used to
illustrate the amount of work that has been produced in order for them to gain a
thorough understanding into a chosen topic or discussion. This method of research
is often more time consuming and expensive as it involves having to give a rather
elongated explanation relating to the topic of choice.
Qualitative
Quantitative research is recommended during earlier phases of research projects.
Research is done to gain an understanding of underlying reasons and motivations.
Data is in the form of words, pictures or objects. It is performed in order to
uncover prevalent trends in thought and opinion. Qualitative research is used by
students to demonstrate the amount of detail which they have looked into when
researching into a chosen topic or discussion.

3. Primary research
Primary research involves researching but with is no data available for the
researcher, meaning they have to start from scratch. Methods of collecting research
can include designing questionnaires, collecting data from respondents and then
analyse the result. As well as this researchers may undertake looking into other
resources including focus panels, questionnaires and audience panels.
Secondary research
With secondary research, the researcher has the necessary data available now due
to the surveys and methods conducted in the primary research task. This data is
made available through looking into other publications or reports, including
newspaper or annual reports of companies. Secondary research doesn’t take as
much time as much of the data necessary is already available for the
researcher, however resources are still looked into and can include things such as
books, internet browsing, databases and media formats.

4. • Research is about looking into what people don’t already know. Often what people know, or
think they know about something, is incorrect. Research must be undertaken in order to give
people a more detail look, explanation and incite into a chosen topic or discussion of their
choosing.
• Audience research: Audience research is a method undertaken in an attempt to find out
opinions and thoughts of a specific audience that relates to you chosen topic of study.
Qualitative audience research engages with relatively small numbers of individuals in order to
gain a complex, detailed and in-depth understanding of their experiences and response to
watching a performance.
• While quantitative research engages with larger numbers that have a statistical relationship to
a population as a whole, qualitative research provides descriptions of the responses of
particular audiences members to particular performances at a particular time and place.
• Market research: Market research is a method undertaken which involves the researcher
undertaking research into information about a chosen market or customer(s). Market research
is for looking into what people want and why they want it. It can also involve discovering how
they act. Once this research is carried out, it can be used to determine how to market a certain
product.
• Production research: Production research consists of undertaking specific research which
involves looking into certain products or companies in order to gain a thorough understanding
as to what their production is about, how the companies have gone about working with certain
productions and why they have chosen to work with such productions.

5. Data gathering is a term used in order to relate to the gathering of research and information for a
chosen topic.
• Observations: The use of objective, third-party observers allows for the gathering of standardized
qualitative data across multiple classrooms or sites.
• Interviews: Interviews provide information about project strengths and weaknesses. Successful
interviews often begin with a standard set of questions for the interviewee but allow for more in-
depth questions to be answered about the project for the interviewer.
• Focus groups: Focus groups help to determine the feelings, and way of thinking of people interested
in a topic or project being discussed, regarding their experiences. Focus group participants are able
to influence each other, which provides for a more natural environment, allowing for people to share
information and therefore expand on their opinions and thoughts towards the topic of choice.
• Portfolios: Portfolios are a specialised way of showing data collected in a large quantity that relates
to a topic or project, it may be used to gain a more detailed understanding of a person abilities and
improvement and, as a result are an attractive alternative to more traditional assessment
approaches such as just standard data gathering or essays.
• Surveys: Data gathered from surveys allow organizations to see different opinions given by people
who have developed interest in the project and can suggest whether or not the project will or will
not be successful.

6. • Self generated work is crucial in a research process for any topic being
discussed as it proves that not only have you looked into the topic being
discussed but that you have an understanding in the topic also. Self
generated work can consist of short paragraphing that explains the topic
you are discussing in detail but can also be made up of other aspects such
as pictures, videos, audio material and records of events that have taken
place which relate to the topic.
• For example for my research I have chosen to research the latest James
Bond film titles Skyfall. For my self generated work I would have to include
work such as pictures from magazines, posters, videos from either
interviews discussing filming or the storyline of the film or music that has
been made for the purpose of the product.

7. BARB stands for broadcasters research audience board and are an organisation
responsible for providing official measurements of UK television audiences.
BARB is responsible for providing information stating how many people watch
various or specific channels on television. This includes programmes being
viewed, when they are watched and the type of people who are viewing these
channels at any one time. Viewing data is collected every second and delivered
every minute for channels that receive these programmes within the UK. When
people agree to join the BARB panel their homes are all monitored electronically.
Each piece of equipment that is connected to each TV set in the home is also
monitored in this way, which looks at the equipment and determines which of
the monitors currently being used by the owners to monitor the TV screen at
anytime. Each television in one house is connected to its own meter which holds
an electronic record for the set allowing for the company to keep a detailed
check and monitor on what programs and channels are viewed. The meter is a
small box which is put close to each television set and connected to it. The meter
automatically identifies the channel that is being watched by the panel member.

8. • RAJAR stands for radio joint audience research and measures by listening across
all radio distribution platforms being tuned in to or listened including online.
RAJAR has conducted extensive testing of electronic devices that capture
listening, either by picking up signals within station transmissions or by
matching captured audio against a database of all transmissions in order to
check what stationed are being tuned into by listeners. This would allow
measurement to capture both conscious and unconscious listening meaning
they would manage to monitor who is actually listening to the stations they’ve
tuned onto and who isn’t listening despite the fact they have tuned in, and would
theoretically end listeners attributing their listening to the wrong station.