Data types and research methods.

Be able to evaluate and research data used by media institutions. 

• Research techniques and methods.

What are the basic classifications of research and what are the strengths and weaknesses:

• Primary- Information that you have researched and found out yourself.
• Secondary- Information that other people have found out.
• Quantitive- Getting as much data as possible but it may be in less detail.
• Qualitative- Getting less data but it is in more detail and it is more valuable.

Media companies do research into their target market to see what they like/dislike so they don't waste money as they could be spending millions of pounds on these products. 

Quantitative- 

• A downfall is that people may not be truthful in questionaires and they may lie just so that they finish it quicker
• There are many strengths with this type as it is quick and easy and they may have a wide range of answers and statistics. 

Qualitative- 

• A downfall of this type is that it takes a long time and people may lie as they have been put on the spot. 
• The strengths are that it is very detailed information and it can help to understand in a clearer way than quantitative.

Secondary-

• One weakness would be that it could be unofficial and/or done by a not professional person. The reviews could be done by one person with a different opinion to everyone else. 
• One strength is that it is easy to access secondary data and it is easier to get this than doing a survey yourself. 

Primary-

• The strength of this research is that it usually results in very useful and detailed information. You can find out what you want to find out and not what other people wanted to find out. 
• One weakness is that people could not like the options that you have given them and it is very time consuming.