RPIE

Attitude

A cognitive predisposition relating to likes and dislikes. Subjective rather than objective. Attitudes help people evaluate an object, situation or issue and may relate to behavior. Once attitudes are influenced, new behaviors may follow.

Audience Segmentation

The breakdown of an audience into demographic, psychographic or other dimensions. These divisions allow planners to adapt strategies, tactics and messages to audience need or interest

Baseline Data

Data collected before or at the beginning of a project or program. These data will be compared to information collected during and after program effectiveness.

Benchmarking

Comparing products and services from one organization to those of competitors or those recognized as best. The goal is to identify standards for improvement or superior performance.

Communications Audit

A complete analysis of an organization’s communications process, both internal and external. The audit is designed to reveal how an organization wants to be perceived by designated publics, what it is doing to foster that perception and how it is actually perceived.

Content Analysis

A study of publications, print, online and broadcast media reports, speeches, and letters to measure, codify, analyze and/or evaluate the coverage of an organization, its people and its activities. In a strict sense, content analysis uses a rigorous, statistical methodology.

Descriptive research

Collecting information that describes existing conditions, the status quo of individuals, group opinions, opinions or behavior. Usually designed to test a theory or hypothesis.

Evaluation Research

Process of evaluating concepts, design, plan, implementation and effectiveness of a program.

Formal Research

Uses principles of scientific investigation such as the rules of empirical observation, random sampling in a program/plan during implementation.

Formative Research

Gathering information for use in making decisions before a program or making adjustments in a program/plan during implementation.

Gantt Chart

A bar chart that shows the visual and linear direction of project tasks useful for tracking deadlines and monitoring a project’s progress as well as for planning and scheduling tasks. A Gantt Chart visually lays out the order in which tasks will be carried out. It can identify resources needed for each task.

Goal

Statement that spells out the overall outcomes of a program. Usually a more specific expression of a mission or purpose and are directly related to the problem or opportunity at hand.

Historical Research

Collecting information that exists on the record. Ie. personal papers, journals, and online databases.

Informal (nonscientific) Research

Methods of gathering information that don’t necessarily follow the scientific method and are usually subjective and exploratory. Can look at values or qualities and is good for pre-testing formal strategies.

Mission

The overarching reason an organization exists; a visionary statement that can guide an organization’s purpose and planning for many years

Objective

The measurable result that must be achieved with each public to reach the problem goal.

Omnibus Survey

A quantitative research method that combines questions from several organizations into a research company’s national or regional poll; also called subscription studies.

Opinions

Observable responses or statement concerning issues or topics. Opinions are specific to a topic and time, rational, and changeable. Public opinion is often described as the composite opinion of al people who make up a public.

Outcomes

Measurable result of change in action, attitude, awareness, behavior, opinion, support.

Outputs

Measure of tools, tactics or activities supporting a plan or project.

Population

Individuals who are sought in a survey.

Positioning

The process of managing how an organization distinguishes itself with a unique meaning in the mind of its publics- that is, how it wants to be seen and known among its publics, especially as distinguished from its competitions.

Primary Research

Investigation or data collected you do yourself or you hire someone to do for you

Problem Statement

A brief summary of the situation as it is now.

Proportional Sampling

A method used to ensure that a survey sample includes representatives of each subset in the survey population in a proportion to that group’s size in the universe.

Publics

Groups of people connected by some common interest or other identifying factor. Publics may identify themselves, such as fans of a sports team or residents of a neighborhood, or be identified by a public relations planner.

Qualitative Research

Research that gathers impressions and feelings about topics or probes understandings or issues without relying on statistical methods.

Quantitative Research

Research that can be numerically stated or compared and may use statistical standards.

Random Sample

Each person in a population has an equal chance of being chosen.

Reliability

The extent to which a survey, test or measuring procedure yields the same results on repeated trials

Research

Systematic information gathering to describe and understand situations, check assumptions about public and make programming decisions.

Respondent

In polling, a person who participates in a survey or poll by answering questions.

Risk Assesment

The determination and ranking of how likely certain emergencies or crises are to happen.

Risk Management

The process of assessing risk and developing strategies to manage such risks.

Sample

A portion of a larger hole.

Scientific Method

Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of data through replicable observation and experimentation.

Secondary Research

Using research findings of others or collecting information secondhand.

Situational Analysis

Information pulled together to define a situation.

Stakeholder

A person or group with an interest in an organization or cause, someone affected by an organization or someone who can affect an organization.

Strategy

The overall concept, approach or general plan for a program designed to achieve objectives.

Strategic Thinking

Formulating plans for achieving goals

Summative Research

Gathering information as a way of monitoring a program and documenting the effectiveness of a whole program or its parts

Tactics/Tools

The exact activities and methods used at the operational level to implement a strategy and reach an objective

Trend Analysis

Tracking and analyzing trends in news coverage, online activity, marketplace events and the overall environment to prepare and respond as changes occur

Validity

Refers to the degree to which a research study accurately assesses what the researcher set out to evaluate.