Week 11 Readings

I think the key points to remember from this weeks readings were....
that of research and evaluation. Research is undertaken at all stages of the public relations process. Many issues can arise when a practitioner is asked to prepare or evaluate a campaign or program.The solution however, to these particular issues are arrived through relevant research processes of asking questions and obtaining answers. The information gathered during the imitial phase of research provides 'input' into the planning of a communication program.Researh during the development and implementation stages of a strategy contribute to more effective 'outputs'. In order to proceed with nay research the practitioner must be aware of the range of methodologies available and the most appropriate use of these public relations plannig and development. A researcher also has the ultimate choice between qualitative and quantitative methodologies, depending on the type of information required.One must note that there are alos other wide ranges of research available to a public relations practitioner giving them the ability to select options, taking into consideration the time, money and skills available.

Research is an essential task for a public relations practitioner, used to identify the requirement for a communication program, to assist in establishing that program, to check progress and to evaluate the effectiveness. It is important for a public relations practitioner to have a clear understanding of the publics that must be addressed and the type of message or messages that must be given to the publics. The use of research positions public relations ' as a purposive, goal - directed, and problem- solving management function.'

Deciding to undertake research can present challenges for the public relations practitioner. Time, money and availability of human resources are three of the most difficult obstacles standing in the way of a thorough research program.Research can be a very costly part of a budget.Deciding what to research is also another challenge for public relations practitoners. It is vital that care must be taken to ensure a balance between conducting enough research to be useful and conducting too much research - wasting money and time.Goal and objective setting for both the research tasks and the communication program is a significant part of the plannig process an should always be taken into consideration the research capability of an organisation. Public relations practitioners need to have a good and clear understanding of the principles of research and the ability of being able to identify how to acquire additional skills when required.

Inputs determine what goes into the project or program, outputa are the actual elements of the program or campaign, and outcomes are the result of those outputs on the target audience or public. Public relations practitioners conduct research in order to determine which inputs and outputs to use.

A public relations practitioner must follow the following guidelines in research and evaluation:-
.Input research
.Output research
. Methodologies
.Formal and informal research
.Qualitative and quantitative research

Once a general methodology has been selected , the public relations researcher needs to consider which techniques will achieve the agreed research objectives. A selection of techniques should therefore be taken into consideration not only the objectives, but also the time, budget and skills available. Some of the rsearch techniques include:-
. Surveys
. Mail
. Telephone
. Face - to face
. Internet
. In - depth interviews
. Focus groups
. Ethonographic studies
. Case studies
. Analysis of existing data
. Organisational culture study
. Feedback analysis
. Media monitoring
. Content analysis
. Benchmark research
. Statistical research
. Environmental monitoring
. Communication audits
. Corporate communication archives
.Testimonials
Expert review
Internet monitoring
.Measurement of online presence
.Advertising value equivalents (AVEs)
. Secondary information sources.

The PRIA's code of Ethics provides the public relations practitioner with the benchmark for sound ethical practice. It is important for the practitioner to be conscious of coercion,dishonesty,hurtful manner and manipulation of data to meet any other ends than the stated objective or hypothesis. The following points show the standards provided for good guideline for practitioners:-
. Give full disclosure of the research procedure.
. Make sure results are accurately reported and distributed freely and widely.
. Keep respondent information confidential ( or anonymous) as promised.
. Do not promise clients and sponsors what cannot be delivered.
. Do not harm. (McElreath 1997).

The readings made me think more about public relations theory/ practice in that.....
It is significant in researching for a public relations practitioner to apply the input, output and outcome stages of a public relations campaign or program.It is also important to note that formal and informal research methods can be used to gather information, with the choice of methodology dependingon the levels of reliability needed, the information required and the project's budget. Input and output research are both significant and neccessary to research for a plan. Measuring achievements through various outcomes will eventually enable and broaden more effectiveness of a program at all of these three stages and not only provide input into the future of public relations programs but enable various goals and successes through these processes to be made.