The Reading Assignment for this Unit can be found inside this PDF document. Please be sure to click on the links inside the document for provided resources and activities.
Part 1
Go on to YouTube or a similar site for uploaded videos. Find a video discussing qualitative research (in general or in a specific form, such as focus groups). Give the URL and describe that video. Critique it in terms of whether or not you think that it gave a balanced presentation of the benefits (e.g., richness) and limitations (e.g., lack of precision) of qualitative research.
Go to a library (or on the internet) and find an article relevant to the ethics of research on consumer behavior. Give complete bibliographical information about the article and describe your reaction to it.
Part 2
Conduct a focus group about a specific topic of interest to you (e.g., mass transit in your geographical area). This means that you simultaneously interview at least three (but less than a dozen) persons about the topic, and spend at least 15 minutes. Describe who you got to participate (e.g., describe each person by gender, age, economic activity). In what ways would this small sample not be representative of the local population?
List the questions you asked and summarize the sample’s responses. What did you learn about the topic?
What additional information do you now know that you would need to get on this topic?
Your assignment should be two pages in length, double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman.
Part 3
Each day, reflect on the advertising you see around you. To what extent do you think that this advertising is making use of (or failing to make use of) consumer research? Do you think that the advertising itself is violating some of the principles of ethical research?
Minimum words is 250 and cite references in APA format.