Methods for research

   

RESEARCH METHODS	PRO’S	CON’S
Questionnaire	-          Cheap -          Quick and easy -          Its primary research -          Designed by you -          Target a wide variety -          Mainly quantative	-          Distribution -          Basic information -          Not a full answer -          Forces people to answer -          Mainly closes q’s
Open questions	-          Qualitative response -          They get a chance to develop the points	-          Hard to categorize -          Hard to collate -          Pragmatic implications may be hard to interpret
Focus group	-          Qualitative response -          Variety of answers -          Cheap -          Spontaneous response -          Realistic -          Selection of people	-          Hard on categorize -          Less realistic -          Give you answers you don’t expect -          People that dominate -          People that are shy
Random/Accidental sampling	-          Should produce representative results	-          Lots of people who may not have much knowledge
Volunteer sampling	-          Should have knowledge and will be interested	-          Volunteers may just tell you what you want to hear -          Biased response
Quota sampling	-          You get to choose the people you need	-          Although sample suits you, it is not representative of anyone outside group