An introduction to the Research Techniques unit and the key terms within it.

1. Research Techniques
An Introduction
Unit 3: Research Techniques for Creative Media
Industries
Tutor: Sarah Holmes

2. Creative Media Production
Why Research?
• To find out more facts about a
subject
• To develop your understanding
of a subject
• To check your facts
• To find out the thoughts of
others

3. Creative Media Production Research Techniques
Types of Research
There are different types of research conducted for different
purposes in the media.
• Audience research – the analysis of who
consumes what media products and why
• Market research – investigations into the way that
products could produce income by looking at the
demands of consumers
• Production research – the research conducted to
inform the production process of a media product eg.
background information, locations, legal and ethical
requirements etc.

4. Creative Media Production Research Techniques
Types of Research
For this unit, you will be using academic research
techniques to conduct all of those three types of
research activity.
The methods used to conduct academic research
generally fall in to two groups -
Primary Secondary

5. Creative Media Production Research Techniques
Primary Research
Primary research involves material and information which has
been found ‘for the first time’ by the researcher.
This would include material found using techniques such as:
 Observations made when viewing an exhibition, show,
performance or on visiting a location
 Interviews with people
 Reports of meetings / discussions with people
The collection of information from questionnaires or surveys
Focus group activities

6. Creative Media Production Research Techniques
Secondary Research
Secondary research is information or material which is
collected by looking at the findings of others.
Secondary research techniques would include:
 Referring to books, journals, magazines and
newspapers
 Gathering information from the Internet
 Making notes on information presented on audio
visual formats like DVDs, videos or CDs
 Collecting information from CD ROMs

7. Creative Media Production Below are a list of the many different research
techniques you may employ in your work.
In pairs see if you can decide whether they are primary
or secondary research techniques.
Reading a book
Interviewing a media professional
Talking to people at a film screening
Collecting articles from a newspaper
Taking photographs of a location for a recee
Collecting information from websites.

8. Creative Media Production There are many different ways we can research
information on a subject.
Below are some of the most common methods
used.
Primary Secondary
Interviews Books
Reports from visits Internet
Own photographs CD ROMs / Databases
Focus groups Newspapers / Magazines
Own thoughts / comments TV Programmes / DVDs
Questionnaires / surveys Audio CD / Radio

9. Creative Media Production Reliability and Validity
There are many techniques that can be employed when
researching. However it is vital that you choose the right
one to ensure that your information is
reliable and valid
Reliability = whether this can be trusted as a source of
information. Could it be biased by people’s opinions or
effected by flaws in their research methods? If this activity
was done again, would it get the same results?
Validity = the relevance of information to your investigation.
Can you determine that it proves what you think it does (ie.
If an interviewee reveals something can you give a direct
quote that backs this up?)

10. Creative Media Production Other Points to Remember
You need to keep careful record of the research you
conduct.
•Once collected research material needs to be stored
carefully.
•Paper-based material should be kept in an organised way
in your folders.
•Electronic material should be either printed out and stored
or kept on your hard-drive or student area.
•You will ALWAYS need to keep a Research Log for media
projects– either using the template available on Moodle or
by starting a dedicated Pinterest board (Sarah will be doing
a tutorial on this)