Research Methods and Sources

Session 1;
In our 'How to...' groups we had to write 10 methods an sources we used to research our Printed Text and Reading things. Then as a large group we we focusing it down, also realising a lot of us do the research but don't relise the methods which we use.

Methods;

1. Visiting exhibitions to inform.
2. Trends, competition and influences.
3. Setting up focus groups to gain feedback on products and concepts.
4. Setting up questionnaires to gather facts, figures and opinions.
5. Interviewing specialists/professionals.
6. Experimenting with media, production and methods.
7. Reading design publications.
8. Photographing peoples behaviour or architecture.
9. Market Research.
10. Documentation.
11. Watching a film.
12. Observation of life, the universe and everything.
13. Collecting current or historical examples.

 Key words;

• Visiting 
• Setting up
• Interviewing
• Experimenting
• Reading
• Photographing
• Documentation
• Watching
• Observation
• Collecting

Source material;

Key words;

• Quotes
• Opinions
• Statements
• Facts
• Statistics
• Feedback
• Analysis
• Photographs/Visual material
• Data
• Knowledge
• Examples
• Samples
• Documents

Why we research;

Evaluate the current body of research, look at the research which has already been done, evaluate the weighting of the product and source, then decide how much of it has come from; quotes, opinions, statements etc.

10 ways to improve our research;

1. Availability and acessibility to books and documents.
2. Regulations and restrictions.
3. People not taking questionnaires seriously.
4. Travel and cost to exhibitions.
5. No access to target audience.
6. Fake website, unable to know if facts are real.
7. Availability of subject matter (information).
8. Time constraints.
9. Co-operation of target audience.
10. Access to photography equipment.

10 ways to improve research process;

1. Make a broader questionnaire.
2. Collect more statistics from a range of sources.
3. Ask our target audience questions.
4. Experimenting with different medias.
5. Go to Waterstones, reading corner, library.
6. Decoration of the children's reading area.
7. Safety in spacial awareness.
8. Find most popular children's books.
9. Existing products that are aimed at children. 
10. Look at illustrations for children.

Session 2;

In this session looking at research, we are sat on random tables, and had been given a word to research 2 hours previous. We did some initial research on our topic, in which ever way we wanted to take in, then discussed with our table about what it is, then with the group about how we got this research. My word was roses, therefore looked into all sorts of different ways in which the word roses was used, then focused it more into the cadbury's roses(chocolate).

10 most interesting facts;

1. Launched in 1938.
2. Produced by the 'Rose Brothers'.
3. Cadbury's dairy milk option is the only on in the box which does not have the roses logo on it.
4. There are different flavours in the UK and Ireland than there re in Australia and Newzealand.
5. Commonly used to say 'Thank you'.
6. The packaging is not in tins anymore, they were trying to be more eco-friendly.
7. Most commonly bought for mothers day and Christmas as it is a varience of chocolates so suits all.
8. Changed the logo for packaging from detailed to a simpler one.
9. Available in tins, boxes, jars and plastic containers.
10. Roses at 25g contains; cal:119, fat:5.4g, carbs:17g, protein:1g.

We then identified out of the 8 people on our table, which of our ten facts were fact and what was opinion.

Fact; 71
Opinion; 9

The methods we used;
Watching videos
Talking to people(asking what they knew)
Looking at images
Searching the internet
Listening to audiobooks
Reading
Disection
Emailing the subject

The sources we used;
Facts
Statements
Quotes
Images
Statistics
Graphs/Charts

Images;
Print outs, scanned, blogged, drawings, photographs(primary or secondary).
Quotes and Data;
Interview, recordings(audio), interview transcripts, articles from magazines, practical experiments, practical observation.
Screen shots(from watching clips);
Observational notes, physical record of a certain moment in the film, written quotes, clips.
Talking to people;
Emailed response, interview(written and audio).

Problems when researching;
Not having enough money
Time limitations
Too much time
People not replying to questionnaires
Biased focus groups
Questioning the reliability of things(wikipedia)
Reliability of sources
Geographical restraints
Legal restrictions
Dead people or past events
Lack of interest and motivation
Co-operation
Outside limitations
Lack of prior knowledge

These are all excuses not problems. They can be solved. The things I need to think about whilst I am researching. What am I looking for? What will help me gain a body of knowledge? Images, Stats, Facts, Quotes, etc. Thinking about the appropriate places to go to find appropriate information and research.