Public Relations Research

About this course: Perhaps you are familiar with research. You might have learned about research or maybe you conduct research in your life. How is that different from research in Public Relations practice? In this course, you will learn the foundations of research in PR. PR research is applied research. Practical application of research allows you to improve the organization’s performance. Research can be used in many ways in Public Relations practice. For example, you can use research to analyze and assess a need for the organization, ensure your objectives are realistic and connected to your outcome, identify and describe the relevant publics, brainstorm and test messages and channels, monitor the progress of your PR efforts, show impact and effectiveness of your program. This course will provide you the basic knowledge to plan, design, and conduct research to solve a PR problem. This course is designed for students wanting to pursue careers in public relations as well as a refresher for entry level PR practitioners wanting to brush up on their knowledge of the field. Come join me in this tour of research in PR where you will learn to use research as the backbone of your strategic decisions based on evidence.

Created by:  National University of Singapore

• Taught by:  Iccha Basnyat, Assistant Professor

  Communications and New Media

Basic Info Course 2 of 5 in the Public Relations For Digital Media Specialization Commitment 4 weeks of study, 6-8 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.1 stars Average User Rating 4.1See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

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National University of Singapore A leading global university located in Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore’s flagship university, and offers a global approach to education and research with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. Its transformative education includes a broad-based curriculum underscored by multi-disciplinary courses and cross-faculty enrichment.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Introduction to Public Relations Research



Welcome! In this section, we are covering the foundation of research. What makes a research academic and what makes it applied? We will learn how Public Relations research is similar to and different from academic research. This allows you to use research to move PR for strategic decision making as part of a management function. Finally, we will also discuss overview of research methods used in PR research.


10 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: Welcome Video
2. Reading: Pre-course Survey
3. Video: Course Introduction
4. Video: Introduction to PR Research
5. Video: Research in PR Part 1 - Research ON and FOR Public Relation
6. Video: Research in PR Part 2 - The Significance and Application of Research in PR
7. Video: Applied vs Academic Research Part 1 - Agenda and Goals of Research
8. Video: Applied vs Academic Research Part 2 - Interpretation and Information Use
9. Video: Applied vs Academic Research Part 3 - Research Contribution
10. Video: Research Methods in PR Part 1 - Information Collection
11. Video: Research Methods in PR Part 2 - Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods Introduction

Graded: Quiz Module 1

WEEK 2


Formative Research



Now that we have had an overview PR as applied research, let’s explore formative research in PR. First we will discuss issue management as issues are what you are trying to address through research. Second, we will focus on how to set objectives and write problem statement. These are fundamental to ensuring your program is effective and efficient. Third, we will discuss formative research in particularly how to plan and conduct situational analysis. The key components of situational analysis allow you to ensure you carry out programs backed by research.


9 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Issue Management Part 1 - Proactive PR
2. Reading: Reading: Issue Management
3. Video: Issue Management Part 2 - Setting SMART Objectives
4. Video: Situational Analysis Part 1 - Overview
5. Video: Situational Analysis Part 2 - Using SWOT Analysis
6. Video: Organizational Analysis Part 1 - Internal Environment and Public Perception
7. Reading: Reading: Strategic Planning for Public Relations
8. Video: Organizational Analysis Part 2 - External Environment
9. Video: Analyzing the Public Part 1 - Identifying Your Publics
10. Video: Analyzing the Public Part 2 - Audience Segmentation
11. Video: Analyzing the Public Part 3 - Geographics and Psychographics

Graded: Quiz Module 2

WEEK 3


Research Tools



Important parts of the Public Relations research are the research tools. In this section, we will learn about two quantitative methods such as survey and content analysis and two qualitative research methods such as interview and focus groups. The key elements of PR research are being able to take research methods and apply it specifically to PR contexts and issues. We will study the steps of research and its use in PR.


9 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: Research Tools Introduction
2. Video: Survey Part 1 - Overview
3. Video: Survey Part 2 - Levels of Measurement
4. Video: Survey Part 3 - Survey Design
5. Video: Content Analysis Part 1 - Role of Content Analysis
6. Reading: Reading: A New Model for Media Content Analysis
7. Video: Content Analysis Part 2 - Conducting a Content Analysis
8. Video: Interview Part 1 - Types of Interviews
9. Video: Interview Part 2 - Conducting Interviews
10. Video: Focus Group

Graded: Module 3

WEEK 4


Evaluation Research



Now we have come full circle! We began with a PR problem, engaged in formative research and carried out our research using various research tools. Now we want to know did it work? Evaluation allows you to connect your objective to your outcome. In this section, you will be able to develop your PR evaluation metrics that helps you connect your outcome to your objectives. This ensures and allows you to assess the impact and show the effectiveness of your efforts.


4 videos, 4 readings, 1 practice quiz expand

1. Video: Evaluation Research Introduction
2. Reading: Reading: PR Metrics
3. Video: PR Metrics Part 1 - Output, Outtake, Outcome
4. Reading: Reading: Guidelines for Measuring the Effectiveness of PR Programs and Activities
5. Video: PR Metrics Part 2 - Outtake and Outcome in Relation to the 3 Levels of Objectives
6. Video: Evaluation Myths and Tips
7. Reading: Reading: Five Principles of Good PR Campaign Evaluation
8. Reading: Post-course Survey
9. Practice Quiz: Practice Quiz (Module 4)

Graded: Situational Analysis