Research Methods

Question: 

"To what extent does the representation of women in contemporary R 'n' B music videos present stereotypically dominant views of female sexuality?"

Research is fundamental to all aspects of media production and is the essential starting point for productions of any size. It can be used to determine many factors of future productions, such as: the financial viability, gather information relevant to the content, assist the planning of technical and logistical requirements.

There are four main methods of research :- Primary, Secondary, Quantitative and Qualitative.

Primary Research 
This is research to obtain original data using such methods as interviews, questionnaires, focus groups and observation. Primary research is carried out for a specific reason and invovles the use of a range of different techniques to obtain this new data.

When planning primary research it it important to:
                             - think carefully about what you are trying to find out
                             - choose an appropriate sample
                             - decide upon an appropriate research technique
                             - be aware of the size, scope and timescale of the task ahead.

One main methods used in primary research is asking people questions. These questions can be presented to the public by, one-to-one interviews with a selected number of people, the production of a questionnaire (this will allow a larger group of people to be surveyed), or organise a focus group.

One-to-one interviews can be a very effective way of recieving reliable, qualitative data from selected individuals, however this method can also be very time consuming.

Secondary Research
Secondary research is based on the use of pre-existing data and information that has already been gathered by other people or organisations. It it often available in books, journals or via the Internet.

Quantitative Research
Type of research that is based on measurable and quantifiable facts and information, producing numerical and statistical data. Quantitative research is about asking people for their opinions in a structured way so that you can produce hard facts and statistics to guide you. To get reliable statistical results, it’s important to survey people in fairly large numbers and to make sure they are a representative sample of your target market.

Both primary and secondary research can produce quantitative data. this includes rating, circulation figures and marketing analysis, as well as the counting and measuring of items of space in a content analysis of a media product. 

Qualitative Research
This is the type of research that is based on opinions, attitudes and preferences rather than hard facts.  Once again, both primary and secondary research techniques can be used to produce qualitative data. The collection and use of qualitative data is an important aspect within the media industry as it is used to obtain individuals and groups thinkings and feelings about particular media products.