Principles and Methods of Audience Analysis

Question 1

The first question to ask when undertaking any form of research is

Answer 1

Do I need to ask a question right now?

Question 2

When ready to begin questioning, we need to be

Answer 2

Clear about the value and purpose of the questions we are going to ask.

Question 3

We need to preface all the research we do by answering the question

Answer 3

Whom are we asking this question for? Is it to encourage development and growth in others? Or is it because we need to learn more?

Question 4

Nine useful questions to ask yourself before questioning another are

Answer 4

1. Do I need to ask a question now?
2. What am I currently unaware of in this situation?
3. What assumptions are driving my behaviour?
4. What is the most useful question I can ask now?
5. What is the best way to frame and ask the question?
6. What size of information do I need to gather?
7. What kind of information do I need to gather?
8. What kind of state do I wish the other person to induce in him/herself by answering my question?
9. How does this question help move us closer to the desired end outcome?

Question 5

Exploratory research is undertaken when

Answer 5

We have little or no prior knowledge of our audience; providing the foundation upon which more specific research can take place.

Question 6

Descriptive research can

Answer 6

Enable us to describe what is happening within, or to, our audience rather than uncovering why it is happening.

Question 7

Explanatory research involves

Answer 7

Identifying causal relationships between variables; enabling us to answer the question ‘Why?’ rather than just the questions ‘What?’ and ‘Who?’

Question 8

Predictive research is about

Answer 8

Interpreting the findings of our explanatory research in order to predict likely future behaviours.

Question 9

Research can also be defined by the characteristics of the data we wish to acquire.

Answer 9

This can be quantitative or qualitative in nature.

Question 10

The purpose of qualitative research is to

Answer 10

Gain insights into attitudes, motivation, values, concerns and lifestyles, and to develop an understanding of why people behave as they do.

It tends to focus on the use of focus-groups, in-depth interviews, observation and content analysis. The design tends to emerge as the research develops. The data takes the form of words, pictures and/or objects.

Question 11

The purpose of quantitative research is to

Answer 11

Measure what percentage of people in any given population act, think or feel in a certain way. It identifieds and draws meanings from measurable quantities. Its purpose is to enable generalizations to be drawn, predictions created and causal explanations offered. They tend to focus on large samples using samples, questionnaires to enable the creation of precise measurements, classifying features and statistical models. This type of research is often used during the later stages of a research project.

Question 12

When it comes to choosing between qualitative and quantitative research, it is recommended that

Answer 12

qualitative research be done first to gain insights, followed then by quantitative research to explore whether these preliminary findings are reflected sufficiently throughout the larger population.