Principles of Public Relations - Exam 2 Study Guide

Analytics

A field of data analysis used to describe, predict and improve how organizations communicate with publics; commonly refers to tracking of website traffic and resulting behavior.

Communications audit

A systematic documentation of an organization's communication efforts to understand how it communicates with its publics.

Constraint recognition

When people detect a problem or situation in their environment but perceive obstacles that limit their behavior to do anything about it.

Demographics

Data describing objective characteristics of a population including age, level of income or highest educational degree obtained.

External publics

Groups of people that exist mostly outside of an organization and have a relationship with the organization.

Formal research

Research designed with clear rules and procedures for collection and analysis of information.

Formative research

Research conducted at the beginning of the planning process, or during the implementation of a plan.

In House

When public relations people are employed directly within an organization rather than working for an external agency or contracted as independent consultants.

Informal research

Research conducted without clear rules or procedures, which makes the findings difficult to replicate or compare to other research or situations.

Internal publics

Groups of people with shared interests within an organization.

Level of involvement

The degree to which people feel or think that a problem or issue affects them.

Mission Statement

A formal statement of an organization's steady, enduring purpose.

Organizational culture

Groups of people that identify as part of an organization such as employees and members.

Primary publics

Groups of people identified as most important to the success of a public relations campaign or program.

Primary Research

Systematic design, collection, analysis and application of original data or observation.

Problem or opportunity statement

A concise written summary of the situation that explains the main reason for a public relations program or campaign.

Problem recognition

When people detect a problem or situation in their environment and begin to think about it.

Psychographics

Data describing psychological characteristics of a population including interests, attitudes and behaviors.

Reliability

Consistency and precision of a particular research technique.

Research

The systematic gathering of information to describe and understand situations, and to check out assumptions about publics and public relations consequences. Its main purpose is to reduce uncertainty in decision making.

Secondary publics

Groups of people who are important to a public relations campaign or program because of their relationship with primary publics.

Secondary research

Collection, summary, analysis or application of previously reported research.

Situation analysis

A report analyzing the internal and external environment of an organization and its publics as it relates to the start of a campaign or program.

Summative research

Research conducted at the end of a campaign or program to determine the extent that objectives and goals were met.

Tertiary publics

Groups of people who indirectly influence or are indirectly affected by a public relations campaign or program.

Utilitarianism

Principle that the most ethical course of action is the one that maximizes good and minimizes harm for people.

Validity

Accuracy of a particular research technique in measuring or observing what the researcher intends to measure or observe.

Vision Statement

A declaration of an organization's desired end-state.

RPIE

Research, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation

SWOT Analysis

Description and discussion of an organization's internal strengths and weaknesses and its external opportunities and threats.

Situational theory of publics

Theory that the activity of publics depends on their levels of involvement, problem recognition and constraint recognition.

Latent publics

People who are affected by a problem or issue but don't realize it.

Aware publics

People who recognize that they are affected by a problem or issue in their environment.

Active publics

People who behave and communicate actively in response to a problem or issue.

Qualitative research

Research that results in in-depth description and understanding without relying on the use of numbers or statistics to analyze findings.

Quantitative research

Research that results in numerical or statistical data and analysis.

Content analysis

A systematic method for analyzing recorded information such as audio, video or text.

Units of Analysis

Words or Symbols; Characters; Time and Space; Items

Survey

- Systematic queries of subsets of the population under study

- Best survey depends on the sampling procedures, the questions, and how they are asked

Longitudinal surveys

Explore how people change over time or to track a process.

Experiment

Allow you to test and predict

Control group

No manipulation or exposure

Treatment group

Manipulated or exposed group

Interview

- A conversation where questions are asked to elicit information

- Particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant's experiences

Focus Group

- A structured approach for gathering group data.

- Explore how people will react to proposals and gather information for developing questionnaires used in formal research methods

- Major strength is the open, spontaneous, detailed discussions they generate.

Direct Observation

observing behavior as it occurs

Participant observation

Research method in which the researcher deliberately interacts with the environment and those being observed.

Nonparticipant observation

Research method in which the researcher avoids interaction with the environment or those being observed.

Benchmarking

Process of setting a point for comparison with eventual program results in order to observe change over time. (Benchmarking can also be used to make performance comparisons with other organizations or industry standards.)

Consequentialism

Results-based system of ethics that holds that the best ethical decision is the one leading to the best outcomes or impacts.

Frequency

The average number of times people in an audience are exposed to a particular message in a defined period of time.

Funnel

A model for tracking how people move from exposure and awareness to action, particularly in online marketing where the goal is to convert a large number of web page viewers to sales leads or purchases.

Impressions

A measure of how many people were exposed to a message.

Mission

Overall reason an organization exists.

Overhead expenses

Costs of running a business that are not directly related to the product or services delivered.

Planning

Forethought about goals and objectives and the strategies and tactics needed to achieve them.

Pop-up

Planned events or experiences that are set up quickly in a temporary location for a short time.

Proselytizing

When members of publics advocate or promote to others the goals and objectives of a communication strategy. Proselytizing is a key part of strategic campaigns going viral.

Reach

Percentage or number of people exposed to a message at least once via a specific communication channel during a defined period of time.

Strategic decision-making

Daily management and communication decisions made with mindfulness of the objectives, goals and mission of the organization.

Tactical decision-making

Daily management and communication tactics implemented without consideration of the strategic objectives, goals and mission of the organization.

Unconferences

Meetings or conferences organized by their participants for active peer-to-peer exchange of ideas and information. Unconferences are less structured and more participatory (e.g., fewer one-to-many presentations) than traditional conferences.

Problem Statement

1. Written in the present tense. "What's happening now?"

2. Describes the situation in specific and measurable terms.

3. Does not imply solutions or place blame.

Goals

- Statements that indicate a desired result for PR efforts

- A general outcome expected when a campaign or program is completed (or something to be reached at some point)

- The big picture: what do you want to happen as a result of the public relations campaign?

- More specific than a mission but more general than objectives

SMART Objectives

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely

Outcomes

Observable results of public relations work.

Outputs

Tasks or work attempted and completed, including communication tactics produced. Outputs can be completed without necessarily leading to meaningful results (i.e., outcomes).

Impact

The broadest and furthest-reaching results of public relations efforts, often stated in terms of societal benefit.

Strategy

Underlying logic that holds a plan together and offers a rationale for why it will work.

Message content strategy

Deals with how messages are developed, created and expressed.

message delivery strategy

Deals with the message dissemination channels.

Tactics

Specific actions taken and items produced in public relations.

Key messages

- All should work in unison to support your campaign.

- Avoid: over-saturating key publics; creating conflicting messages

Budgets

- Everything costs $

- Consider personnel, overhead and media costs

Billable rate

Amount that an agency or firm charges clients per hour for an employee's time.

Pro Bono

Work conducted as a public service without fee or payment.

Advertorial

Paid advertising that is presented in the form of editorial content.

Brochureware

Web pages that present essentially the same material as printed materials such as brochures.

Controlled media

Channels of communication that allow public relations practitioners to write, edit, produce and distribute messages as they see fit.

Diversity

Inclusion of different types of people and different types of views.

Glass ceiling

Metaphor used to describe a present but unseen barrier to promotion for women and minorities.

Loyalty

A sense of obligation or support for someone or something, including both organizations and publics.

Media gatekeepers

People or processes that filter information by deciding which content is published, broadcasted, posted, shared or forwarded.

Third-party credibility

Tendency of people to attribute greater trustworthiness or expertise to a source other than the original sender of a persuasive message.

Uncontrolled media

Channels of communication that are outside of the control of public relations practitioners.

Campaign

A series of activities that are planned in advance and relate to a specific goal.

PESO

- A planning tool for marketing and public relations.

- Lies in the integration of different forms of media.

- Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned

Persuasion

- Develop a pattern of "yes" answers

- Offer choice between this or that

- Get a commitment to action

- Ask for more; be prepared to settle for less

- If the sender has little power over the receiver, this is the primary strategy.

Crafting messages

1. If receivers oppose your position, present arguments on both sides of the issue.

2. If receivers already agree with your position, your message will have greater impact if you present only arguments consistent with the receivers' views.

3. If receivers are well educated, include both sides of the argument.

4. If you use messages containing both sides of the argument, do not leave out relevant arguments on the opposing side, or receivers who notice the omission will grow suspicious of your presentation.

5. If receivers are likely to be exposed later to persuasive messages countering your position, use two-sided messages to "inoculate" the audience to build resistance to later messages.

Media relations

Management of relationships between an organization and members of the media who write, edit, produce and deliver news.

Pitching

When a public relations person approaches a journalist or editor to suggest a story idea.

Advertising value equivalency (AVE)

A calculation of the value of news or editorial coverage based on the cost of the equivalent amount of advertising space or time.

Attitudinal

Having to do with affect, emotion, favor or disfavor toward an organization, brand, product, service, idea or any other attitude object.

Behavioral

Having to do with observable human action.

Big data

Large amounts of data from traditional and digital sources that can be used for ongoing discovery and analysis of media content and human behavior.

Boundary spanner

Developing external relationships in order to accomplish your business objectives.

Clipping services

Businesses that monitor print and electronic media for mentions of clients in local, national or international outlets.

Cognitive

Having to do with mental processes such as thinking, knowing, perceiving, learning and understanding.

Independence

In public relations ethics, the value of autonomy and accountability in providing objective counsel.

Likert-type items

Questionnaire items that ask people to respond to statements with a range of defined response options such as the range from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree."