Research Methods

Research Methods

Quantitative vs Qualitative

Quantitative data deals with quantities and numbers, and is easy to measure. This type of data would be useful for statistics as part of an infographic or to show clear graphs of audience behaviour.

Qualitative data is in depth analysis into why your audience behaves in such a way. This data can’t be measured as easily, but is incredibly useful as it will give context to a finding.

Surveys/Questionnaires

Surveys and questionnaires are a fantastic (and relatively easy) way to gather data, and can provide you with quantitative (and on occasion qualitative) results that are easy to measure and analyse. They can be created online and distributed by email, social media or advertised on websites, using online tools such as Survey Monkey, Zoomerang or Polldaddy. 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Quick to design and send out to large samples	Not able to gain detail behind the responses
Easy to measure	Doesn’t ensure responses from relevant participants

Interviews

Interviews are a conversation between two people, with the interviewer instigating questions to develop in-depth insights into audience behaviour. Interviews gather qualitative data, and can be conducted in person, via instant messaging or on the telephone.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Able to gain in depth responses	Not as easy to measure and analyse
Ensures the participants you are speaking to will be relevant to your research	Participants could be influenced by the interviewer or the interviewing environment

Focus Groups

Focus groups are ‘group interviews’ with a twist. The researcher will ask a group of people relevant to the research a question, and the focus group then discuss it and share their opinions with each other whilst the researcher observes. In the session, make sure you manage the conversation carefully, as there could be a dominant participant who controls the conversation and influences other participants.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Able to generate extra data from the group interaction	Not as easy to measure and analyse
Allows a large sample size for qualitative data collection	The researcher could have less control in a focus group setting compared to an interview

Observation

The final kind of research is observation, in which the researcher observes the participants and collects quantitative data in a natural setting. Observation can be carried out online, or in a situation like a focus group. It can retrieve useful data to compare what your audience says with what they do.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Can compare the data to responses from participants to make a comparison	The observations can not be generalised
Generates relevant and quantifiable data	If a group is aware they are being observed, they may behave differently