Market Research Glossary - R
Random Digit Dialling
A method of reducing sampling frame error and involves the use of randomly generated numbers for a telephone survey, instead of relying on telephone directories or other lists of numbers that may exclude certain types of consumers.
Random Error
An error that affects measurements in an unpredictable way due to random chance changes or differences.
Randomisation
The use of random chance to assign experimental units to different treatments.
Randomised Block Design
A type of statistical experimental design where units are blocked (or grouped) on the basis of one external variable to ensure that the experimental and control group are matched on that variable.
Random Sample - see Probability Sample
Random Sample - see Simple Random Sample
Random Sampling Error
The error caused by a particular sample not being representative of the population of interest due to random variation.
Range
A measure of variability that is the difference between the largest and the smallest value in a set of values.
Ranked Scale - see Ordinal Scale
Rank Order Scaling (aka Ranking)
A type of comparative scale where respondents are presented with a set of objects and they are asked to rank them first, second, third etc according to a criterion. Each rank is only used once.
Ranking - see Rank Order Scaling
Rating
A procedure used to evaluate a concept, product, advertisement etc where respondents are asked to select one response from a scale to indicate the degree of their opinion.
Rating Scale - see Scales
Ratio Scale
A type of interval scale with a zero point, which represents an absence of the characteristic being measured. The data from ratio scales can be analysed statistically (which is not possible with data from nominal or ordinal scales).
Raw Data
Data before analysis or weighting.
Reach
The proportion of a specified television audience or universe who have been contacted by an advert at least once.
Reactive Bias
A type of experimental error where participants in an experiment change their normal behaviour as a direct result of the experimental conditions.
Readership
The number of people who read a particular publication and it is not necessarily related to its circulation.
Recall Interview - see Call-Back
Recall Measurement (aka Recall Test)
A type of post-test that investigates respondents’ ability to recall something they may have read, heard or seen. Recall measurements can be taken without or with the benefit of some form of stimulus material - see Spontaneous Awareness and Prompted Awareness.
Recall Test see Recall Measurement
Recommendations
Suggested courses of action or an assessment of the relative strengths and weaknesses of particular courses of action.
Reconvened Group Discussion
Two group discussions with the same participants that are separated by a period of time.
Recruiting
The inviting of selected participants (who meet specific eligibility criteria) to take part in a research project. The work is undertaken by a field recruiter (often just referred to as a recruiter).
Referral Sample - see Snowball Sampling
Refusal
Refusal refers to respondents who will not participate in a research project. Refusals are tracked at various stages within a research project - see Initial Refusal and Qualified Refusal.
Refusal Rate
The percentage of contacted people who decline to co-operate with the research study.
Regression Analysis
The analysis of the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. Its purpose is to determine whether a relationship exists and the strength of the relationship. It is also used to determine the mathematical relationship between the variables, predict the values of the dependent variable and control other independent variables when evaluating the effect of one or more independent variables.
Related Recall
A copy testing measure that is intended to quantify a commercial's attention-getting ability. Respondents are interviewed (usually by phone) within a specific period after exposure to the advertising medium and they are asked questions to determine the proportion of people who watched a programme and remembered seeing the particular commercial.
Relevance
A term used to describe whether or not some advertising or a brand proposition shares some fundamental values with a particular group of consumers.
Reliability
The extent to which a research process can be repeated and produce consistent results (ie it is free from random error).
Repertoire
The range of different brands used by consumers.
Representative Sample
A sample that contains units in the same proportion as the population of interest.
Research Brief - see Brief
Research Design
The framework for conducting a market research project that specifies how information will be collected and analysed to answer the questions at hand.
Research Effect
A general term that suggests the research itself may be contributing to a change in the data.
Researcher
Any individual or organisation carrying out, or acting as a consultant on, a market research project, including those working in client organisations.
(As defined in the ICC/ESOMAR INTERNATIONAL CODE ON MARKET AND SOCIAL RESEARCH)
Residual
The difference between an observed and a predicted value.
Respondent
Any individual or organisation from which information is collected for the purposes of a market research project, whether they are aware of it or not, or is approached for interview.
(As defined in the ICC/ESOMAR INTERNATIONAL CODE ON MARKET AND SOCIAL RESEARCH)
Respondent Error (aka Response Bias)
A type of non-sampling error caused by respondents intentionally or unintentionally providing incorrect answers to research questions. Possible sources of respondent error can be: inability error, best light phenomenon, social group norms or selection bias.
Respondent Fatigue
When respondents are disinclined to continue participating in a research project and it can lead to invalid responses (usually towards the end of the research project).
Respondent Fee - see Incentive
Respondent Level Data
Data from an individual respondent.
Response Bias - see Respondent Error (above)
Response Latency
The speed with which a respondent provides an answer.
Response Rate
The percentage of all attempted interviews that are completed.
Response Style
A systematic tendency of respondents to select particular categories of responses regardless of the content of the questions.
Resulting Sample
The sample that has been achieved in a particular research project (which may be different to the intended sample).
Role Playing
A projective technique where participants are asked to play the role or assume the behaviour of someone else.
Rotation Procedure
The process of asking questions or showing material to respondents in a different order for every interview according to a set of instructions. This process minimises the risk of order bias (ie respondents favouring objects because of their position in a list).
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