Step one - information
Think about the purpose of the research and try to identify what information is needed, eg do you need Quantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data. This data is then analysed using mathematically based methods. information or Qualitative research seeks to answer questions about why and how people behave in the way they do. It provides in depth information about human behaviour. information?
Real-life example
If you are researching opinions about what makes a good film, this will mean more qualitative information is required, because qualitative research finds out about opinions.
Step two - who to target
Decide exactly who the researcher wants to question. Usually a researcher will not be able to ask every person in a given In a survey the population is every person who could be questioned., so they will select a The characteristics of the sample should be similar to the characteristics of the population. sample.
This will involve thinking about the types of people who should be asked. This is very important, because without knowing this it will be hard to progress to steps three and four.