Research Methods Week 7

What is the core purpose of market research compared to marketing or promotion?

Market research focuses on collecting and analyzing data rather than promoting a product.

In professional market research presentations, what must support every recommendation made?

Every recommendation must be supported by evidence and data actually collected during the study.

What is a primary moderation challenge unique to focus group discussions (FGDs)?

A moderator must actively manage the group to ensure one or two people do not dominate the conversation.

While individual interviews capture personal experiences, what do focus groups specifically reveal?

Focus groups reveal group norms and what is considered acceptable within a community.

What is the relationship between a research plan and data collection tools?

A research plan outlines the full project, while data collection tools are the specific methods used like interviews or surveys.

In qualitative research, what does it mean to describe the researcher as an 'instrument'?

Meaning emerges through the researcher's interpretive skill and judgment rather than just a formula.

The process of identifying and reporting patterns or themes within qualitative data is known as _____.

Thematic Analysis

Why is qualitative analysis described as an iterative rather than a linear process?

Researchers must cycle through coding, categorization, and modeling multiple times as understanding evolves.

What is the purpose of 'memo-writing' during qualitative data analysis?

It documents the researcher's thoughts and decisions to ensure transparency and rigor.

What three types of questions does quantitative research primarily aim to answer?

Quantitative research answers 'how much,' 'how many,' and 'to what extent.'

Why does quantitative research utilize highly specific vocabulary and strict protocols?

The rules and language are based on the logic of mathematics and statistics.

Concept: Survey

Definition: A structured method for collecting data from a group of people using a set of identical, non-flexible questions.

What is the foundational reasoning used to interpret data in all quantitative analysis?

Probability is the foundation of all quantitative analysis.

Measurement Level: Nominal

Definition: Data categorized into groups with no inherent rank or order, such as gender or brand names.

Measurement Level: Ordinal

Definition: Data categorized into groups that have a specific rank or order, such as first, second, and third place.

Measurement Level: Interval

Definition: Numerical data with equal spacing between points, such as temperature or satisfaction scores.

In descriptive statistics, what does 'central tendency' describe?

It describes where the data clusters, typically using the mean, median, or mode.

In descriptive statistics, what does 'spread' represent?

It represents how spread out the data is, typically measured by range or standard deviation.

How is the 'Mean' of a dataset calculated?

Add all values in the set together and divide the sum by the total count of values.

Which measure of central tendency is ideal for skewed data because it is resistant to outliers?

The Median

Term: Mode

Definition: The value that appears most frequently in a given dataset.

Term: Range

Definition: The difference between the highest and lowest values in a dataset.

What statistical measure shows how far a single data point is located from the average?

Z-score

What does 'Cross-Tabulation' allow a researcher to do?

It allows a researcher to compare two variables side by side, such as gender versus brand preference.

In statistics, what is the difference between a 'Population' and a 'Sample'?

A population is the entire group you want to represent, while a sample is the specific group you study.

What does the symbol N represent in statistical notation?

The total number of individuals in the entire population.

What does the symbol n represent in statistical notation?

The total number of respondents included in the specific study sample.

Any characteristic that can change across different respondents in a study is called a _____.

Variable

What does 'Statistical Significance' indicate about a research result?

It indicates the level of certainty that the results are real and not simply due to chance.

In most market research, what is the standard acceptable 'Margin of Error'?

Plus or minus 5\%

In most market research, what is the standard 'Confidence Level' aimed for by researchers?

A 95\% confidence level.

What is the primary requirement for a sample to be considered a 'true random sample'?

Every person in the target population must have an equal chance of being chosen for the study.

Why is a high 'non-response rate' a significant problem for researchers?

It can lead to a biased sample that does not accurately reflect the target population.

What tool do researchers use to determine how many people must be surveyed to achieve a specific confidence level?

A sampling calculator.

What is a major challenge in B2B (Business-to-Business) sampling compared to B2C (Business-to-Consumer)?

B2B lacks a comprehensive master list of decision-makers to draw a sample from.

What is the goal of 'Market Segmentation' in research?

To use mathematics to identify clusters of customers with similar characteristics or behaviors.

Which statistical technique is used to reduce large amounts of data into key underlying patterns?

Factor Analysis

Which statistical technique is used to group survey respondents based on their similarities?

Cluster Analysis

Why are online surveys currently dominant in market research despite potential quality issues?

Online surveys are significantly cheaper than other data collection methods.

If a survey sample is too small to provide statistical confidence, how should the data be treated?

It should be treated as qualitative data rather than quantitative data.

What determines if a survey finding has 'Real-World Impact'?

The findings must guide specific design decisions, policy recommendations, or business strategies.

The logic that a small group can represent a large population is the basis of _____.

Sampling

In the dataset \{5, 7, 7, 8, 10\}, what is the Median?

7

In the dataset \{5, 7, 7, 8, 10\}, what is the Mean?

7.4

In the dataset \{5, 7, 7, 8, 10\}, what is the Range?

5

What is the probability of a specific outcome occurring 5 times in a row if the individual probability is 1/2?

1/32 or 3.125\%.

What are 'multivariate analysis' techniques used for in market research?

They are used to examine many different variables at the same time.

What is the first step in the thematic analysis process for qualitative data?

Familiarize yourself with the data.

What is the final step in the thematic analysis process before reporting findings?

Naming and defining themes.

Why must survey objectives be clearly defined before data collection begins?

Findings must be able to guide real decisions regarding pricing, advertising, or product design.