Research Methods in Advertising and Public Relations

Catalog description

Primary and secondary research methods used in the development of solutions to advertising and public relations problems. COMM 420 Research Methods in Advertising and Public Relations (3) This course is designed to provide an introduction to the logic and methods of social science research and its applications in the professional practice of advertising and public relations. Students will be introduced to methods of primary research used in the advertising and public relations fields such as survey, focus group, content analysis, and experimental design. Students will also become more familiar with basic and advanced statistical techniques and statistical software used in the field. Understanding how research is conducted and the strengths and limitations of research findings is a critical first step in developing the ability to apply research findings to communication problems in advertising and public relations. In addition to helping students understand how to conduct research, this course is also designed to help them become critical consumers of the research conducted by others. Advertising and public relations problems often require the identification, understanding, synthesis, and application of data collected by others in developing problem solutions. Understanding secondary sources of data commonly used in the field, such as Simmons, Nielsen, Arbitron and SRDS, is an essential component of professional expertise. Problem-solving in advertising and public relations requires decision-making in a turbulent and dynamic marketing environment. To help students learn how to relate research tools and outcomes to the advertising and public relations problems at hand, this course will examine the role of research in decision-making at the critical steps in the problem-solution process. As part of developing understanding of this decision-making process, students will also become more aware of the ethical issues associated with research in advertising and public relations.