Market segmentation which is not empirically based. It involves segmenting markets on the basis of assumptions, custom, or hunches.

Provides consumer oriented and media research market intelligence from various sources.

American Association of Public Opinion Research

A form of observation study where an interviewer accompanies a respondent (with his or her agreement) as they go shopping.

Generally the person in any company responsible for selling or promoting the services which the company has to offer. In marketing research, this is typically the person at the research company who oversees the entire research process to deliver a project which meets the client's expectations. This person would normally be the client's key contact.

A term used in factor analysis that represents the proportion of variance in an original variable accounted for by all the extracted factors. Each original variable will have an achieved communality value in the factor analysis output.

Acquiescence Bias (aka "yea saying" or "friendliness effect"): A systematic bias caused by some respondents tending to agree with whatever is presented to them. Such a bias may be caused by either respondents or interviewers being overly friendly during interviews.

A direct marketing technique creating involvement by the respondent through the physical use of an involvement device. Involvement devices typically are tokens or stamps that are used with the marketing material. Publisher's Clearing House is a good example employing this marketing theory.

Ad blockers prevent an Internet browser from displaying online advertisements. However, ad blockers can prevent useful Internet browsing functions.

Research that is specifically designed to address a particular problem or issue. Ad hoc research is usually conducted when there is insufficient existing information. Ad hoc projects are usually single pieces of research rather than part of a continuous program.

The evaluation of a positioning statement measuring audience response. Since the positioning statement is the vision or image of a particular brand, this testing process is critical.

A study tracking an advertisement over time. The performance of the advertisement is reported throughout the duration of the study.

Adaptive scripting is a tailored list of questions. The respondent's response dictates which question to ask next.

A comprehensive directory of addresses listing the beginning and ending of house numbers, ZIP codes, and other geographic data for all city delivery service and streets.

One of the three components of attitude that is concerned with individuals' emotions or feelings towards an object or idea.

Affiliate marketing is revenue sharing advertising between two websites. The affiliate website will display an online advertisement of another website. Internet traffic from the affiliate site will be driven to the other website. The affiliate is compensated for displaying the advertisement. GlobalTestMarket offers impressive affiliate marketing opportunities.

An experimental design involving groups of respondents. Neither group is measured before the experiment. During the experiment the control group is not subjected to the experimental variable. At the conclusion of the experiment, both groups are measured. The control group's measurement is deducted from the other group's measurement.

The percentage of respondents who claim to have seen something (e.g. a brand or an advert) after having been shown some form of stimulus material.

A means of informing a data collection company of a study authorization and it usually includes a start date, delivery of materials, quota, timings, and cost etc. Alerts can be made by email, telephone, or fax etc.

The base commonly used in reporting a product's retail distribution. If a product is distributed in only one out of every five stores, it is 20%. However, if the stores that carry the product are the very largest stores that account for 80% of sales, then the ACV is 80%.

A statement of what a statistical hypothesis test is set up to establish. The test result is communicated by rejecting the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative hypothesis or not rejecting the null hypothesis. The test does not reach an acceptance or rejection of the alternative hypothesis.

Code used for transmitting data from one database to another.

A statistical technique for examining the differences among means for two or more populations.

The person most responsible for reviewing, analyzing and summarizing the data from a research project.

A label used to define an extremity of a measurement scale.

Any material that is shown to participants in research projects.

A research technique in which participants describe a product, service or brand in terms of a human being with personality traits so that the participants' feelings about the object/brand can be determined. Also called Brand Personality Research. Based on the premise that brands can have personalities in much the same way as humans, Brand Personality describes brands in terms of human characteristics. Brand personality is seen as a valuable factor in increasing brand engagement and brand attachment, in much the same way as people relate and bind to other people. Much of the work in the area of brand personality is based on translated theories of human personality and using similar measures of personality attributes and factors. In today's market, the value of brand equity cannot be overestimated. The value that is added to a product by its brand name is of critical importance. While the building of a brand personality rests in the hands of those in marketing and advertising, the identification of the consumers' perception of brand personality requires the tools of marketing research. A large part of such research might utilize psychographic techniques to expose emotional associations that are relevant to the consumer. From this research should emerge a host of perceived and actual product personality traits that are unique to a particular brand.

Applets typically are Java programs that can display interactive animation, execute immediate calculations, and provide more uses for a market research questionnaire.

Research directed toward a current need. The purpose of the research is to discover results that can be applied to the need.

A sample design targeting specific geographic areas.

Advertising Research Foundation

The degree to which experimental conditions do not reflect real-life conditions. A high degree of artificiality reduces external validity (i.e. it becomes difficult to project the experimental results to the population of interest).

A cross-tabulation table that contains a cell for every combination of categories of the two variables.

A law preventing telemarketing or telephone interviewers calling the phone numbers of subscribers requesting not to be contacted.

The technique in which the respondent records their response on their own time. The response is not prompted by a direct question or event.

A test that aims to assess participants’ reactions to individual elements of a product or concept (in contrast to a holistic test that looks at a product or concept as a whole).

An individual’s learned predisposition to behave in a consistent manner towards an object or idea. There are three components of attitude:

1. A cognitive component - knowledge and beliefs.
2. An affective component - feelings and emotions.
3. A conative component - behaviour (usually measured in terms of likelihood to buy).

The development of measurement criteria used to measure individuals’ attitudes.

A market research tracking study recording changes in consumer attitudes, awareness, and usage levels for a product category or specific brand.

A word or phrase to describe a qualitative characteristic of an idea or object under consideration, e.g. gender is a attribute but age is a variable.

An electronic device attached to a TV set that monitors which programs are watched by whom.

The respondent conducts a self-administered survey by listening to the interview questions over headphones. The answers are recorded on a paper questionnaire. 

This is the process of increasing the amount of research interviews for a particular subgroup within the population. If the client requires 30 completed surveys from Hispanic males and only 20 were completed from the initial research, an augment of 10 surveys of Hispanic males would be conducted.

A technique of multivariate analysis. It provides characteristics of a market segment. Demographic attributes and buying behavior are often targeted results.

The average number of people who read a particular publication.

A measure of respondents’ knowledge of an object or an idea. There are two main measures of awareness: spontaneous (or unaided) and prompted (or aided) awareness.

Currently America's largest generation consisting of Americans born after World War II (1946-1964).

Children of baby boomers that lead to the peak of births from 1977 to the present.

The respondent is contacted after the research and questioned about the interview and the interviewer. This process authenticates the collected data by ensuring responses were provided by the actual respondent.

The subsequent re-contacting of respondents in a survey to check that the proper procedures have been followed, e.g. the respondent was qualified to be included in the survey, the responses recorded were accurate or even that the interview actually took place. Validation can be performed by the data collection company and/or the client, in person, by telephone, or by mail.

This research method ushers a focus group immediately into another session upon conclusion of the first session.

A testing procedure designed to rotate multiple products or items in an experiment.

This is the column data set in a cross tab computer table.

A column heading in banner format tabulations and corresponds to a particular sub-group of the sample. It is usual practice to have the independent variables as banner points.

The number used to compute percentages in a table; the total ( or sub-category) of interviews completed.

The first segmentation study conducted by an organization which will act as the initial state of the segment and will be compared to future studies.

Probability calculations that are derived from statistics which include both previous knowledge as well as accumulated experience.

Behavioral Targeting (also known as preference marketing, behavioral advertising, behavioral marketing, or online profiling) is defined by the FTC as “the tracking of a consumer’s online activities over time – including the searches the consumer has conducted, the Web pages visited, and the content viewed – in order to deliver advertising targeted to the individual consumer’s interests".

Behavioral Targeting (also known as preference marketing, behavioral advertising, behavioral marketing, or online profiling) is defined by the FTC as “the tracking of a consumer’s online activities over time – including the searches the consumer has conducted, the Web pages visited, and the content viewed – in order to deliver advertising targeted to the individual consumer’s interests".

An existing source used as a target to compare to a similar project or product.

The dividing of potential consumers into sub-groups according to the benefits sought.

When respondents bias their answers in a market research project so that they can then appear in the best possible way to those who are looking at the responses.

A misrepresentation of the population from the taken sample. Question wording, data entry, interviewing techniques, and a non-representative sample can all cause biases.

An untrue statement of an opinion or attitude given by the respondent. This biased or untrue reporting can be conscious or unconscious.

Estimated costs associated with compliance to specifications.

A frequency distribution with two modes.

A statistical test of dichotomous data (where there are two possible outcomes) to check whether the research data is significantly different to what would be expected.

A measuring tool spanning two negative points at opposite ends of the spectrum with an ideal situation placed in the middle. Examples include soft/hard, too spicy/too bland.

The analysis of a relationship between two variables.

An experiment where units are subject to be tested on two different variables.

A linear regression line created to determine the strength of the relationship of two variables, an independent and dependent variable.

The brand or product is hidden from the respondent during the testing.

The testing of products with potential consumers where brand names, packaging and other identifying items have been removed.

Incoming telephone calls that do not go through to the receiver, but are stopped by a busy signal upon dialing the number.

Defined by the Census as a piece of land that is equal in size to a city block.

The perimeter that defines the market area that is being researched.

A visual tool used to graph the data and exposed outliers.

A question used to guide an interviewer through a survey to different questions (i.e. skipping some questions), depending on the answers given.

The physical attributes of a product or service, together with the beliefs and expectations surrounding it. A unique combination which the name or logo of the product or service should evoke in the mind of the audience.

A measure or indication of the readiness with which a brand springs to mind.

A company's level of awareness as well as consumer goodwill determined by consumer's views of company brand and/or products.

The development of new products to be marketed under an existing brand name.

A technique used to measure the effectiveness of advertising.

An expression of the fundamental core values and characteristics of a brand, described and experienced as human personality traits, e.g. friendly, intelligent, innovative etc. It is an expression of the relationship between the consumer and the brand.

A sentence or phrase that encapsulates the brand benefits, e.g. a brand with technical superiority or a brand that guarantees next-day delivery. Often a brand benefit is translated into an end-line that becomes part of the brand communication on advertising, packaging or promotions, e.g. "the world's favourite airline".

A consumer that purchases multiple brands of a product. For example, a consumer that purchases Pepsi one week and Coke the next week.

Has two meanings:

1. The process, which may take decades, by which a brand comes to have added values and involves long-term support by communications either above or below the line.

2. The associative strength between an advertisement (usually) and a brand expressed as a positive or negative relationship, i.e. "well branded" or "poorly branded".

A company which requires consumers to travel to a physical location in order to have access to the company's products or services. Companies that also operate online are often called clicks and mortar companies. Pure plays refer to companies that exist solely on the Internet.

A discussion between a client and the assigned researcher designed to find the most efficient research methodology for the client's needs.

A projective technique where participants are presented with one or more pictures or cartoons that depict a situation. They are asked to suggest what will happen or what one character may be saying or thinking in response to another character or a situation.

Information considered for company planning, strategy, and decision making. Business Intelligence relies upon data analytic tools and data mining solutions.

Describes the market of a business selling a product or service to a consumer. To service B2C markets, consumers are studied in market research.

The accepted abbreviation for indicating a busy signal when dialing on a phone survey.

A technique used to measure the level of which a participant intents to buy a particular product.

Consumer Advocacy Council

A working document that interviewers use to record which numbers they have tried as well as the results of the attempt.

The degree to which increased sales of one brand replace sales of another brand or brands from the same manufacturer.

Responses in a personal interview are keyed directly into a computer and the administration of the interview is managed by a specifically designed program. The program checks for invalid responses and will not accept responses outside prescribed limits, hence subsequent editing and keying in of data is avoided.

A technique that allows participants to compose dialogue for a drawn character within a cartoon.

When an entire questionnaire from a respondent is removed from the analysis because some of the questions have not been completed.

Where one can infer that two variables are related in some way. Three conditions have to be met before a causal relationship can be inferred; there has to be evidence of association (concomitant variation), the dependent variable has to change after the independent variable has changed (temporal ordering), and all other possible causes have to be eliminated.

Responses with no numeric value to one another. Such response could be hair color, or eye color.

A variable that is based on non-metric data (i.e. data that cannot be analysed statistically such as that from a nominal or ordinal scale).

Interviews that are conducted over the telephone between a consumer and a computer. Responses are keyed directly into a computer and administration of the interview is managed by a specifically designed program. The program checks for invalid responses and will not accept responses outside prescribed limits, hence subsequent editing and keying in of data is avoided. CATI software will increase call center productivity.

A variable that exerts some influence on another (dependent) variable. Research experiments usually involve some manipulation of independent variables and measurement of dependent variables to investigate the relationship between them.

A form of interviewing that is conducted over the Internet. Respondents complete a website (or HTML) survey and some computer software presents each question only after the previous question has been completed. Subsequent questions can be tailored to previous question answers, enabling sophisticated routing plans to be used in these surveys.

A sub-sample of respondents in a research study. In a paired comparison product test, one subsample (or cell of people) tests Product A first and then Product B, while the other subsample (cell) tests the two products in reverse order. These subsamples may be referred to as Cell A and Cell B. It can also refer to geographic areas, North vs. South; demographics, old vs. young, and so forth.

A survey that is administered to an entire population. Generally refers to a complete canvas of the population being studied.

The groups of states that are included in the nine census divisions are:

1. Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, & Washington. 
2. Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, & Wyoming. 
3. West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, & South Dakota. 
4. East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, & Wisconsin. 
5. West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, & Texas. 
6. East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, & Tennessee. 
7. South Atlantic: West Virginia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, & Washington, DC. 
8. Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, & Rhode Island. 
9. New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire & Vermont.

Segments that identify similar social and economic households within the ZIP code group. Tracts usually include 2,500 to 8,000 households.

Theory that states that if you have a collection of a large number of sample means, the means will have a normal distribution regardless of the population used for the sample.

When face-to-face interviews are conducted at one or more specified locations (e.g. mall intercept interviewing).

A study that takes place at a physical site that is convenient for all participants to access.

Points on a map that indicate the center of the 260,000 block groups and enumeration districts that exist in the United States.

Where participants in separate locations are invited to join a virtual group discussion using their PCs and the Internet. The discussion may or may not have a moderator and comments are communicated in writing on members’ screens. Participants in the discussion are usually not screened in the same way as for an online discussion group or a moderated e-mail group.

A skewed distribution whose shape depends on the number of degrees of freedom. As the number of degrees of freedom increases, the distribution becomes more symmetrical.

A non-parametric statistical test that compares research data with the expected results from a hypothesis.

The member of a household who is responsible for the majority of household purchasing decisions.

The rules that outline the regulation used for COPPA. An example is the rule that requires privacy statements to be linked on all websites that children of the United States might visit. See the FTC's COPPA site for more information.

Maps that use shading to specify certain characteristics in geographical areas with colors and shading.

This is the amount of respondents that leave a panel during a specific time frame.

The repeating or re-phrasing of an existing question to get a further explanation of an answer provided by a respondent.

Socio-economic and/or demographic information on participants in a market research study.

A scale where the numbers act only as data labels (e.g. 0=male, 1=female or a social security number). The only analysis that can be performed is to observe how frequently each of the scale members occurs in the survey.

These are companies that exist both in a physical location and on the Internet. E-tailers are clicks and mortar companies if they use both stores and websites to conduct business, but are considered pure-play if they only exist online. Clicks and mortar evolved from the terms bricks and mortar which describes physical location stores only.

Anyone who purchases the services of another. In marketing research, the client typically funds and uses the research data, and may be a full-service research company, an advertising agency, a manufacturer, a newspaper or another data collection company.

Focus groups that are looking to expose a consumer's behaviors and the moderator uses techniques to explore the participants subconscious motivation. Focus group software can simplify this process for online research.

Closed-ended questions provide respondents with a pre-determined list of possible answers.

A statistical technique that helps in determining which category individuals of a population belong to. Multiple characteristics are used to determine the groups, and differences within a category need to be less than differences between categories. Cluster analysis is a good demographic tool for consumer segmentation in marketing research.

A type of probability sampling where a population of interest is divided into mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive sub-groups (or clusters) and a sample of clusters is selected. From the selected clusters, a sample of units is drawn.

Consists of selecting clusters of units in a population and then performing a census on each cluster. The selection of clusters could be based on some desired feature of the population or could be a random sample of clusters in the population.

Council for Marketing and Opinion Research

Compensation paid to research participants as an incentive for participation in focus groups, interviews, or surveys. The difficulty level of recruiting participants correlates to the amount that respondents receive. Also referred to as an honorarium or incentive.

A plan that details the column and row headings in the cross-tabulations that are produced from the data.

All professional marketing research societies have a code of conduct that details the rights and responsibilities of those involved with marketing and opinion research.

A set of instructions regarding the allocation of codes to research data. It helps researchers identify and locate the variables to be used in data analysis.

The exact percentage of variation shared by two variables, obtained by squaring the product moment correlation coefficient.

An individual’s perceived age, which may be different to their Chronological Age. For example pre-teens aspire to be older and 40 year olds may well aspire to be younger.

The emotion that runs through a consumer after they have made a major purchase and begin to rethink their purchase when new alternatives are exposed. Consumers will try to rationalize their purchase by focusing on the advantages to the product that they bought.

A type of multiple cross-sectional design where the population of interest is a cohort whose members have all experienced the same event in the same time period (e.g. birth). The samples are usually drawn at regular time intervals.

A set of alternatives is collectively exhaustive when they include all possibilities.

In factor analysis, this is the amount of variance a variable shares with all the other variables being considered. It is also the proportion of variance explained by the common factors.

A type of scale where one object is compared with another and a relative measure of preference is obtained, e.g. do respondents prefer one or another soft drink? The main types of comparative scales are: paired comparison, rank order, constant sum, and Q sort.

A multi-attribute model in which one attribute compensates for another in the overall preference for an object or idea.

Interviews that have been completed.

A form of projective technique where participants are asked to complete an incomplete situation.

Questions containing words that are unfamiliar to respondents.

An approach to attitude measurement where the overall preference for an object is obtained by summing the evaluative rating of each attribute multiplied by the importance of that attribute.

An interview that is administered through a computer-based survey. The program checks for invalid responses and will not accept responses outside prescribed limits, hence subsequent editing and keying in of data is avoided. CAPI software can streamline the interview process.

Interviews that are conducted over the telephone between a consumer and a computer. Responses are keyed directly into a computer and administration of the interview is managed by a specifically designed program. The program checks for invalid responses and will not accept responses outside prescribed limits, hence subsequent editing and keying in of data is avoided. CATI software will increase call center productivity.

A geometric study area with a common center. Also called a ring.

A board with a written description of a product idea or positioning, often accompanied by an illustration that is shown to respondents.

A brief written description of a new product or service idea.

The investigation of potential consumers’ reactions to a proposed product or service. Gauging market responses new ideas or their implementation.

The summary of the research findings that are presented in the final report of a research project. A conclusion usually includes an explanation of what was uncovered by the conducted research.

When two variables occur or vary together. It is one of the conditions that has to be met in order to infer a causal relationship.

The degree to which two different measuring systems produce correlating results. It is often used to determine the validity of new measuring techniques, by comparing them with established techniques.

Additional information offered that changes the initial probability of an event occurring.

A percentage (usually 95%) that reflects the degree of certainty that the true value lies within the confidence interval. It is the minimum probability of not rejecting a true null hypothesis (committing a Type I error) and is equal to one minus the significance level.

A statistical range that is placed to ensure that the true population parameter will be included in the survey results.

A probability that is used to determine, with confidence, that the true population value is represented in the statistical distribution.

Confidentiality refers to the act of not divulging two types of information in a research study. First, confidentiality is maintained when study information such as client name, brand name, purpose of the research, concepts and/or products (except as directed by the study instructions) is only provided to those who have a need to know. Confidentiality also refers to maintaining the privacy of any information collected from or about any individual respondent.

Factors that are not manipulated as part of an experiment, but they may exert some influence on the dependent variable under study.

A way to quantify consumer's values associated with different product attributes using multivariate techniques. Participants compare products to establish preferences and can then explain the importance of different attributes. Functional brands benefit more from conjoint analysis than do fashionable brands as the analysis relies on utility theory and consumer rationality. There are several conjoint analysis tools.

The set of alternatives that potential consumers would consider when buying a product or service.

A group made up of primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSA), examples include Minneapolis-St. Paul. CMSAs can be subdivided into metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).

A type of comparative scale where respondents are asked to allocate a fixed amount (or constant sum) of points, dollars, or anything among a set of objects according to a criterion.

A set of attitudes or values used by consumers.

The accuracy of the construct, determined by observations and measurements, that allows legitimate inferences to be made from the construct.

The buying trends and habits of consumers in the purchasing and usage of goods and services.

A qualitative method in which participants are asked to express their feelings or perceptions about a product by drawing it.

An ongoing survey administered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that monitors consumer expenditures.

A group of selected research participants who have agreed to provide pre-designated information at regular specified intervals over an extended period of time. The information may be on purchasing, media consumption, or life-style activities.

Studies that aim to determine consumers' opinion of the quality of goods and services offered by a business. They can include qualitative and quantitative research techniques.

A household represented by an individual, related families, or unrelated roommates that make consumer purchasing decisions together.

This is the amount of respondents reached for a survey that are responsible members of the household.

An analysis technique where written material is broken down into meaningful units using carefully designed rules.

The act of combining advertising information with actual web content rather than placing an ad on the site. An example would be to write a report featuring an advertiser to gain exposure for the advertising company by mentioning it and talking about its features.

A cross-tabulation table that contains a cell for every combination of categories of the two variables.

A consumer panel that involves participation from the same respondents repeatedly over time. This contrasts with an ad hoc panel, where a pre-recruited group of willing respondents are used as and when they are required.

Any research that involves the regular, on-going collection of data, e.g. consumer panels and EPOS data.

The observation of behaviour in an artificial setting.

A group of respondents that receives the normal (or no) treatment and provides a basis of comparison to the test or experimental group that receives the test or experimental treatment.

A type of research experiment where one group of stores receives a certain treatment (test stores) and another group receives no treatment (control stores). Sales are then measured for each group over an extended period of time to measure the effect of the treatment.

A type of non-probability sample where the units have been selected because they are convenient for the researcher (which may not be the optimum sample for the research project).

The ability of a measurement scale to correlate (or converge) with other measures of the same variable.

A computer file that is secretly added to the hard disk of someone who visits a website that sends them. Their purpose is to track website visitors, however the use of cookies in marketing research is not approved by ESOMAR.

An advertising research measure of a respondent's ability to remember a particular message, slogan, or theme etc from a commercial.

An internal department that conducts research in order to sustain and improve their company's marketing effectiveness.

A statistical technique that helps in determining the strength of the relationship between variables.

A perceptual mapping technique that is based on data where respondents are asked to identify only the attributes that relate to (or correspond with) the subject of the study.

A trade organisation for those who are actively involved or concerned with marketing and opinion research.

The extent of a relationship between two variables, whereby a change in one variable implies a change in the other.

The proportion (usually expressed as a percentage) of a population of interest that has been exposed to a particular advertisement.

A type of qualitative research that is used to formulate advertising. It can work at three stages in the advertising development process:

1. Defining the strategy - i.e. what should the advertising be saying?
2. Defining the execution - i.e. how should it be said?
3. Testing a chosen execution.

Variables in a study that the researchers are examining in an effort to understand the causes behind past performances as well as predicting future results. Can be called the dependent variable as well.

The collection and analysis of data from different countries (or cultural units) that compares the findings from different countries.

A research design that involves the collection of data from a sample only once.

Cross-Validation is a test of validity for a regression model that involves using comparable data to check the validity of an original estimation.

A monthly survey administered by the United States Census Bureau to 60,000 households in an effort to monitor changes that occur between the decennial censuses.

A method of identifying and creating a relationship with long-term customers through customer service techniques that track information about a given customer such as their activities and preferences. Customer feedback research is important intelligence for improved CRM.

A set of observations.

Editing involves examining each completed questionnaire to ensure that the proper sequence of questions has been asked, the answers are clear and consistent, and they have been correctly marked.

The enterprise or agency that supplies trained interviewers for clients and receives payment for services delivered. The service is responsible for hiring and training of interviewers, executing a client's job exactly as specified, editing, and validating each interviewer's completed assignment. Services can operate with interviewers who work exclusively for them or interviewers who work with them as well as other services in the area.

A complete set of responses in a given study.

The organizing procedure that allows for the collection of data to be analyzed. The process involves recording, classifying, sorting,summarizing, calculating, disseminating, and storing data.

Research that attempts to explain the relationship between two variables (if A causes B to occur).

National and international laws that cover the appropriate and required methods to be used in protecting data privacy. Organizations also have guidelines to be followed for data privacy, in which companies must adhere to the guidelines in order to be associated with the organization (see ESOMAR and ARF).

The United States Census Bureau's monthly newsletter.

A centrally held collection of data that allows access and manipulation by one or more users.

A standard measure of the impact of a TV commercial where respondents’ recollection of a commercial is tested the day after they are exposed to it.

The population during the daytime hours in a particular area as opposed to those that live in a particular area (measured by the United States Census Bureau).

The removal of brand names, packaging, or other material that would enable research participants to identify a brand.

An in-depth conversation with interviewers at the conclusion of a study. The interviewer plays back his/her impressions of the respondent's feelings about specific questions. This technique is often used immediately after a pre-test of a questionnaire. The information provides the researcher with insights necessary to revise or refine the final questionnaire and/or future studies.

Where the marketing researchers are spread throughout an organisation and are not located together.

Removing potential respondents from the research sample.

Respondents are polled twice to measure changes in opinion. The first poll gauges their overall opinions. The respondents then are provided some more information relevant to the topic and are then polled for a second time. Changes in opinion are then examined.

A long-term forecasting technique that allows for expert judgment without empirical data. There are three stages to this technique. First, experts are anonymously polled. Next, the results are distributed to the group of experts who are then individually polled again after seeing their colleague's opinions. The process is repeated until the group arrives at a general consensus about the issue at hand.

Corruption of the research when the respondents assume to know or actually know the research agenda. This can occur when the research sponsor is revealed to the respondents.

Statistics that describe a population's objective or quantifiable characteristics. Examples of demographics include age, sex, birth and mortality rates, income, marital status, occupation, and household characteristics.

A diagram that shows a hierarchy and the relation of subsets in a structure. It branches like a tree and is usually read downwards from the main trunk.

A non-consequential approach to evaluating ethics, whereby the degree of ethicalness depends on the intentions behind the decisions rather than the outcomes or actions that result.

When one variable is influenced to an extent by another variable.

Usually denoted as y, a variable that is influenced to some extent by one or more other (independent) variables.

Interviews that exist between a respondent and an interviewer in which the interviewer asks probing questions to really understand the participants motivations by using non-directive techniques.

A form of conclusive research that aims to describe a product or market or identify associations among variables.

The framework for conducting a market research project that specifies how information will be collected and analysed to answer the questions at hand.

An area that represents the way that NPD/Nielsen measures its television market audiences.

The difference between the mean and an observed value.

A diagnosis or identification of a problem that is supported by data or actions.

A group of respondents that are asked to keep journals on their buying, watching, or listening habits over a period of time.

Questions that offer only two possible responses. Examples would be yes/no or agree/disagree questions.

A way to electronically prove the sender of an email or electronic document. The digital signatures authenticate the sender and can therefore legally endorse contracts and agreements.

Interviews that are conducted entirely on a computer (questions are asked and responses are accepted). Respondents are usually recruited and complete the interview at a central location.

A question that directs the respondent to make a comparison between two objects, e.g. "which of these two products do you prefer?".

Ways of asking people directly for information, such as personal or telephone interviews and mail surveys.

Study results that reveal the proportion of respondents that claim that they would not buy a product even after trying that product.

Discrete Data is that from a measurement scale consisting of a number of separate values where intermediate values are not permissible, e.g. the number of cars per household.

An individual's income after taxes and necessities are accounted for. This amount is available for consumer spending and is also referred to as disposable income.

A technique used to understand a set of independent variables and their ability to predict outcomes of dependent variables.

A value that is assigned to an object which then determines which group the object will belong to.

An outline of the subjects to be discussed during group discussions and/or in-depth interviews. This tool provides the moderator with a list of subject matter for the discussion group or focus group. This process allows for flexibility as the moderator is not constrained by a structured questionnaire.

The observation of behaviour without participants’ knowledge.

Any form of questioning where respondents are unaware of the true purpose of the questions.

Provided by the client to help the respondent picture or understand the product/ideas under discussion.

The result of an attempt to reach or contact a potential respondent.

A type of probability sample where the probability of a unit being selected from a stratum is not proportional to the number of units in the strata. This sampling approach is used when there are strata in the population of interest that are quite small but very important and they may not be adequately represented in a survey if other sampling approaches are used.

A frequency or percentage table showing how a set of respondents is divided into various categories, e.g. percent who bought 1-5 times, 6-10 times, 11+ times.

The abbreviation recorded when a respondent lacks the knowledge to provide an answer to a question.

A survey where the interviews are conducted in pre-selected areas involving knocking on the doors of homes to find qualified respondents.

A reality for small brands in which their products are purchased less frequently and by a smaller group of people.

Double-barrelled questions are those that ask two questions at the same time. They can confuse respondents and answers to such questions are uninterpretable, because it is not possible to determine to which question the answer refers.

The is the amount of respondents that start a research survey, but these respondents cannot be identified as completing the survey, being screened out, or are members of the over quota.

A way of re-specifying categorical variables in data analysis by giving them either of two values (e.g. 0 or 1).

Qualitative research where two participants are being interviewed by a single interviewer. This method of research is common when the respondents are relatively equal as far as their ability to make purchase decisions for a company.

An online retailer that exists only online and does not have a physical store location.

A set of instructions for editing and coding the questionnaire and specifies how the data should be evaluated for inconsistencies, skipped questions, etc, and then verified.

Editing involves examining each completed questionnaire to ensure that the proper sequence of questions has been asked, the answers are clear and consistent, and they have been correctly marked.

The ability of the sample to truly represent a population.

A device used to measure and record electrical activity in one’s brain.

EDI is a well-established form of electronic commerce that has traditionally taken place over proprietary networks. One way of reducing the cost of EDI, and making it more accessible to smaller companies, is to migrate EDI standards to the Internet. Various systems are currently competing to offer this service.

Random sampling which gives an equal chance to each unit of a population of being selected.

A person who meets certain criteria set for a particular study and thus qualifies to be included in the study. Respondents may be qualified on such characteristics as age, income, brand used, etc.

A form of disguised questioning that encourages participants to attribute their feelings, beliefs, or motivations to another person, object, or situation. Examples of projective techniques are word association, sentence completion, and thematic apperception tests.

Areas that are defined by the Census and generally contain 500 inhabitants.

A sample that allows each unit the same probability of being selected (with non-zero probabilities).

The difference between the true value of a parameter in the population and a value derived from a survey. Total error is the sum of the sampling and non-sampling errors in a survey.

Any variation that is not known to be caused by regression.

ESOMAR is the world association of research professionals. Founded in 1948 as the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research - ESOMAR unites more than 4,800 members from over 120 countries, both users and providers of opinion and marketing research. ESOMAR's mission is to promote the use of opinion and market research for improving decision-making in business and society world-wide.

Our address is:
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384 1083 HN Amsterdam
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Phone: +31 20 664 2141

A value that is projected to a population’s parameter after examining a statistical sample.

A research process used to identify the levels of effectiveness and efficiency in certain programs.

The set of alternatives that potential consumers would consider when buying a product or service.

Interviews with business people or experts within a particular field. Executive interviews are often used where the majority of knowledge of a subject is held by a minority of people.

Anything that is on display during a qualitative discussion with respondents. Examples could include posters, advertisements, category lists, or television clips. Exhibits are also referred to as external stimuli.

A probability distribution’s mean value. It represents that value that the sample is expected to take in the long run.

A survey involving participants who have knowledge of a particular situation.

A set of observations that are performed in an attempt to solve a question or problem. The process of manipulating one or more independent variables and measuring their effect on one or more dependent variables, while controlling for external variables.

The result that occurs to the dependent variable after the treatment variable has been altered.

The different conditions created by manipulating the independent variable.

The objects or people who are part of the experiment.

Qualitative research that brings concepts to a group of people so that they can address customer needs, concepts for new products, or evaluate existing products.

A statistical technique that calculates a moving average where the most recent data are given a different weight to earlier data. Simply data recorded by time intervals.

A group discussion that has been designed to last around 3-4 hours (compared with the usual time of around an hour and a half).

Existing data that have already been collected by other organisations.

The extent to which experimental results can be projected to a population of interest.

Factors that are not manipulated as part of an experiment, but they may exert some influence on the dependent variable under study.

Eye Tracking Research involves the use of various mechanical devices to record participants’ eye movements when they are looking at some form of stimulus (such as a press advert in a newspaper).

A statistical probability test measuring a calculated value’s ability to occur due to chance.

A statement that is objectively true and can be verified.

The independent variable which is subject to being manipulated by the researcher so that different results may be observed.

A form of multivariate analysis that takes a large number of variables or objects and aims to identify a small number of factors that explain the interrelations among the variables or objects.

The identified correlation taking place between the original variables and each factor score.

Those who are mainly involved with conducting marketing research and have limited contact with research clients.

Officially defined by the Census Bureau as two or more persons that live together in one household that are related by birth, marriage, or adoption. A one-person household or multiple unrelated persons do not constitute a family.

Generally given based on the number of births per year by 1,000 women who are between 15 and 44 years old. A total fertility rate refers to how many live births occurred per 1,000 women at some point in their lifetimes.

The person who is responsible for selecting, hiring, and training interviewers. He or she is also responsible for the data collection phase of the survey and following the agreed instructions.

Research conducted in the actual setting environment (i.e. outside of the laboratory).

Companies that act as subcontractors to collect data, format questionnaires, and screen write for market research firms.

The enterprise or agency that supplies trained interviewers for clients and receives payment for services delivered. The service is responsible for hiring and training of interviewers, executing a client's job exactly as specified, editing, and validating each interviewer's completed assignment. Services can operate with interviewers who work exclusively for them or interviewers who work with them as well as other services in the area.

A general term that refers to any data gathering process.

A complete description of the research for the client after the research has been conducted. A typical report would include a summary of the methodologies used, key findings, and interpretations drawn from the collected data that would aid the company in future success. Recommendations for future action may also be included in this report.

Reported in the final report as the facts that were uncovered during the research. There should not be an interpretation of the facts in the findings section of the final report.

A code in which the number of records for each respondent is the same and the same data appear in all the same columns for all respondents.

The repeated observation of the same sample of respondents over a period of time.

A central location in which focus groups are held. Conference rooms are connected to observation rooms by a two-way mirror so that researchers can observe the respondent’s words and actions. Facilities also offer services that might include focus group recruiting, food for participants, competitive product samples, and/or session videotaping.

The trained professional that leads the focus group and is appointed by the client.

Forced Exposure is when research participants are exposed to some advertising in a contrived way (such as in a hall test or a focus group) as opposed to an on-air test where participants see the advertising in a natural setting (such as in their own homes).

An estimate on future occurrences based on past performance data. Projections are often made about trends such as births, deaths, or migration or demographic characteristics as in population growth rates.

An inaccurate or incomplete sample frame that results in an error.

The numerical value assigned to how often an event occurs, sometimes within a given time period.

Recruits that are participating in a focus group for the first time or have not participated for several years.

A type of depth interview where there are two respondents (instead of the usual one). Friendship pair interviewing is often used for research with children and young people (where they know each other) in order to avoid respondents being intimidated and biasing their responses accordingly.

Fund raising under the guise of research. It is one of the reasons why potential participants in market research projects are reluctant to take part.

A company hired by a manufacturer or service company to design and manage the implementation of a research project, as well as analyze and interpret the data. The full service company may collect the data themselves or hire a data collection company for this phase of a project.

An index with access to full text versions of source documents like articles.

The difference between pre-treatment and post-treatment measurements.

The extent to which inferences can be drawn about the population of interest based on the results of some research.

Physical addresses are segmented by county, MSA, and postal route in order to compare them with information about the demographics and psychographics of those geographies. Geocoding is integral to demographically-enhanced mailing lists and cluster analysis.

A multivariate statistical classification technique for discovering whether the individuals of a population fall into different groups by making quantitative comparisons of multiple characteristics.

The study of population characteristics set within a spatial context.

Subdividing a list based on geographic or political subdivisions.

GMI offers an integrated platform of powerful online market research tools that includes online survey software, online panel management, data analysis software, survey programming services and more. Net-MR, GMI's online market research software suite, integrates panel management, project management, mixed-mode data collection, data processing, analysis and reporting into a single solution that enables our clients to more efficiently conduct market research. Research Analyzer and Enterprise Research Management are enterprise-installed. GMI's software tools are enhanced by direct access to GMI's online global panel, which is active in over 200 countries and territories, as well as by the GMI Service Bureau, your global market research outsourcing solution.

A type of non-comparative scale that offers respondents a form of continuum (such as a line) on which to provide a rating of an object according to a criterion.

A reward given to participants or businesses for taking the time and trouble to cooperate in a marketing research study.

A means of testing more than one variable at a time.

Television Rating (TVR) = (reach * frequency)

One TVR represents 1% of a specified television audience or universe seeing an advert at least once. (At extremes, television ratings can be made from either many people seeing an advert only once, or just a few people seeing an advert many times.)

Group interaction. An effective moderator can enable group dynamics to promote a beneficial discussion.

A qualitative research technique involving a discussion with a group of respondents, led by a moderator. Otherwise known as focus groups, group discussions, panels, and group depth interviews.

The total increase or decrease in a population during a given period divided by the average population in that period.

A Hall Test is where research participants are invited to a central location to participate in some (usually quantitative) market research.

The simplest type of tabulation possible; consists of a manual count of the answers to certain questions on the questionnaires.

A way of tallying or counting by accumulating identical lines into groups of five. Each mark or line represents one respondent or item.

An outdated term of the U.S. Census Bureau. Householder, the new term, is the person who completes the Census Questionnaire.

A scale for measuring general, overall opinion of a product. It indicates the extent of respondents' overall liking or disliking for something, e.g. a product they tasted or a concept they viewed.

A technique used during depth interviews that aims to identify significant personal views that would otherwise not be revealed by respondents using a direct approach.

A vertical bar chart where the height of the bars represents the data.

History Error occurs in experiments when an unexpected (but significant) effect occurs that has an impact on the dependent variable being measured.

A survey where an interviewer enters a participant’s home to take an inventory of specific products present at that time.

Groups in which the units or individuals have extremely similar characteristics.

The incentive for focus group participants. The amount can vary depending upon on the difficulty of recruiting the participants.

The individual responsible for welcoming the focus group participants and for preparing the focus group room. The hostess also provides food for the participants and the client observers, and re-screening respondents.

All persons who occupy a housing unit.

A house, apartment, group of rooms, or a single room occupied as separate living quarters.

A research method in which the researcher is immersed in the system or group being studied.

Test to determine whether the difference between proportions is greater than would be expected because of sampling error.

The code of conduct of ESOMAR and sets out the rights and responsibilities of those involved in marketing and social research.

Identification information lists details such as the name and address of participants in a market research project whereby they can be identified.

Alternatives in a question that are not expressed openly. Such alternatives may have lower chance of being selected and therefore the data may be biased.

The population as suggested by the sample, i.e. it is that part of the population of interest that was available for the research. When a convenience sample is used or where there is sampling frame error, the implied population could be significantly different to the population of interest (or the ideal population).

A type of qualitative research involving an unstructured personal interview with a single respondent, conducted by a highly skilled interviewer. The purpose of in-depth interviews is to understand the underlying motivations, beliefs, attitudes, and feelings of respondents on a particular subject.

The focus group recruiting of people who are physically located within the facility.

Where participants are asked survey questions face-to-face in the street.

A reward given to participants or businesses for taking the time and trouble to cooperate in a marketing research study. The amount varies depending upon various circumstances.

The proportion of respondents contacted in a survey who qualify for the survey.

Measurement of a variable in one population has no effect on the measurement of the variable in the other.

A variable that exerts some influence on another (dependent) variable. Research experiments usually involve some manipulation of independent variables and measurement of dependent variables to investigate the relationship between them.

A variable that is determined by dividing one measurement by another, and it is usually expressed as a percentage. Indices can be used to show variations over time, by comparing subsequent measurements of a variable with an initial measurement (an index of 100 indicates no change). Indices can also show the relative incidence of a particular characteristic in two samples, by dividing the percentage of one sample by the other, indices of 120 and over or 80 and below generally indicate above-average and below-average skews respectively.

An observation technique where some record of past behaviour is used to deduce what happened during an event, e.g. looking at packaging usage in a fast food restaurant to understand what flavoured drinks sell the most.

The initial investigation of a problem that uses unstructured techniques (such as group discussions or in-depth interviews) in order to develop hypotheses and/or understand a problem further.

The analysis of data to test a specific hypothesis.

The principle that researchers should try to avoid both uninformed and misinformed participation by subjects in research.

A type of non-sampling error caused by the survey instrument (or questionnaire) itself, such as unclear wording, asking respondents for information they are unable to supply, or the instrument being changed in some way during the course of the research.

The effect of all the factors working together, which is greater than the sum of the separate effects.

Asking questions and recording answers via computer.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) research allows respondents to take surveys by interacting with a computer using a telephone touch pad instead of a computer keyboard, incoming telephone call, direct mail questionnaire, or face-to-face interview. Respondents call a toll-free phone number, enter a code, and then take a survey. Respondents enter their responses by using the touch-buttons on the phone's keypad. If a "voice capture" feature is used, open-ended responses are digitally recorded when the respondent speaks into the phone's mouthpiece. The data captured are available almost instantaneously to the researcher. A common application of IVR is to combine the technology with a respondent incentive. For example, phone cards, preloaded with a given amount of phone time, are printed with the survey company's name and phone number for respondents to call. The cards are disseminated to the desired respondent universe with instructions that by calling the phone number printed on the card and completing the survey, the respondent will be given the activation number for the free phone minutes. Dissemination of the cards can be by mail or in person, the latter being of particular benefit when trying to research a universe that is gathered in one place for a brief point in time (car races, bars, mall openings, state fairs, etc.). The IVR application works particularly well among respondents who are less likely to be willing to accept telephone/intercept interviews and among respondents who do not have computer or Internet access. Additionally, respondents with literacy limitations and those with language barriers to English are easily accommodated by this technology. It should be noted that IVR research technology can be combined with more traditional research techniques to form a hybrid interview methodology. For example, if certain stimuli need to be presented, such as pictures of new package designs, the stimuli can be provided to the respondent on paper and then the survey administered via IVR.

A type of central location interviewing where respondents are approached (or intercepted) in high traffic locations such as grocery stores or shopping malls. The main part of the interview can take place either on the mall floor or in another location (usually nearby).

Interdependency is when variables each influence each other to some degree.

Ability to produce similar results using different samples to measure a phenomenon during the same time period.

The process of eliciting support for a company and its activities among its own employees, in order to encourage them to promote its goals. This process can happen at a number of levels, from increasing awareness of individual products or marketing campaigns, to explaining overall business strategy.

A measure of the accuracy of an experiment in terms of the degree to which changes in the dependent variable can be attributed to manipulations of the independent variable.

A measure of variability and it is the range between the upper and lower quartiles (i.e. the middle 50% of a distribution) and it is equal to the difference between the 75th and the 25th percentile.

Taking a given number of units equally selected over the full population of study. The nth number interval is derived by dividing the total number of units by the sample number desired.

A scale where equal intervals in the scale correspond to equal changes in the characteristic being measured, e.g. temperature scales (Celsius/Fahrenheit). Differences between objects can be analysed statistically (which is not possible with nominal or ordinal scales).

Any form of contact with a respondent in order to collect information for market research purposes (as defined in the ICC/ESOMAR INTERNATIONAL CODE ON MARKET AND SOCIAL RESEARCH).

The person responsible for recruiting participants for a focus group or the person administering a questionnaire.

Interviewer Cheating is when interviewers knowingly do not follow their instructions.

Written directions instructing how to conduct the interview.

The breakdown of data into individual countries (or cultural units) and analysis within each individual country.

The process of collecting information about respondents without their knowledge.

A type of non-comparative scale where each choice category has some form of description (as opposed to a semantic differential scale, where only the extreme categories are labelled).

A type of non-probability sample where the selection of units is based on the judgement of the researcher.

A jump page may be a pop-up window or animation page directing the Internet user to a product or service. This usually occurs when the browser is loading up another page unrelated to the jump page advertisement.

A form of exploratory research that involves discussing a research problem with someone (or a group of people) with experience on a particular subject.

A method used by interviewers to record answers to open-ended questions where only the important words and phrases are recorded.

Keywords are words that have significant relevancy to a specific web page. Keywords are purchased for ad placement on search engines through Pay-Per-Click marketing.

A non-parametric goodness-of-fit test that compares the cumulative distribution function for a variable with a specified distribution, based on one sample.

A non-parametric statistical test to determine whether two distributions are the same. The test takes into account differences in means, dispersion, and skewness.

Any civilians of working age that are currently employed or seeking employment, and members of the military currently living in the United States.

An experiment that is conducted in an artificial setting (where the internal validity is usually higher than the external validity).

Used in focus groups to build on responses until met with a psychological need for the ego or status. A consumer's attitude toward a product will yield "why" questions until the motive for the behavior is identified.

An instance when a consumer comes across an online banner ad, then visits the advertised website later because they had seen it earlier. It is only a latent click through if the consumer does not click directly on the banner ad. Also referred to as a "view through".

A question that suggests an answer by the way in which the question is worded.

This is a demand that new software and operating systems can read or convert old data and will work with the new technology. Legacy issues strain productivity and damage efficiency by preventing a company for upgrading to improved solutions.

The time it takes to ask the questions and record the answers in a survey. This time should include any time required to taste products or review concepts etc. Screening time should be shown separately so that accurate completion rates can be calculated.

A term that originally referred to the attitudes, interests, and opinions of research participants, but it can be used to refer to differences in behaviour that relate to social values.

Consumer behaviors that can be attributed to a certain population segment's lifestyle. This includes interests, ownership, and hobbies.

An attitude scale that measures the level to which the respondent "agrees" or "disagrees" with a given statement in regard to a particular product or service. The scale will give an odd number of choices with an equal amount of agreement/disagreement choices on either side of a neutral option.

A type of regression analysis between variables that are believed to have a linear relationship.

The beginning of the survey is selected randomly in order to prevent List Order Bias.

Telephone numbers, which are available in public lists, like a directory.

A question that suggests an answer by the way in which the question is worded.

Binary model of regression analysis that utilizes an S-shaped curve. For each question, responses can only be one of two options, like yes or no; or zero or one.

One of two censuses issued in the United States every ten years that contains 26 additional population questions and 20 additional housing questions than what the short form contains. Data for large geographic areas is accessible, but not smaller areas due to protecting respondent anonymity.

A research study conducted over time by observing a certain sample set to understand developmental trends. Can use the same sample set over decades, or could utilize a new sample at set intervals.

Data that has been encoded into a form that is recognizable for a computer. Optical character recognition (OCR) is able to read magnetic encoding.

The study of marketing processes, activities, institutions, and results from a broad perspective such as a nation, in which cultural, political, and social, as well as economic interaction are investigated. It is marketing in a larger context than any one firm.

A set of the sample which has been screened and previously accepted to participate in studies with a particular company. The company then proceeds to periodically send surveys to such participants.

A survey where respondents are asked to complete a questionnaire (unaided) and return it to the sender either by post or e-mail. The respondents may or may not be recruited in advance of the survey.

When the pre-testing in an experiment has a systematic effect on the main experimental results, regardless of what happens between the measurements.

A type of central location interviewing where respondents are approached (or intercepted) in high traffic locations such as grocery stores or shopping malls. The main part of the interview can take place either on the mall floor or in another location (usually nearby).

A summary report of the survey data covering the highlights or key findings.

Computer generated maps that include all types of demographic information relating to a particular geographic area. The software that generates these maps is also developed to identify the geographic sites that best target a particular market.

For each question on a survey, the marginal is how many people responded to a particular question. It becomes the parameter for responses on each question. The marginal is generally computer-generated and is used to monitor panel response integrity.

The geographical area or areas in which a research project takes place, e.g. part or all of a country, or part or all of a city.

Any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy. (According to McQuarrie, Edward (2005), The market research toolbox: a concise guide for beginners (2nd ed.), SAGE, ISBN 978-1-4129-1319-5.)

Australia's market research organization.

A percentage of the market that is purchasing a particular brand, product, or supplier.

The research technique that creates an actual market situation. The effects of a new product's advertising, price changes, and more can be measured with controlled variables.

A set of activities that businesses and other organizations create transfers of value between themselves and their customers. Generally revolves around products and services for the customer.

The idea that marketing should cater to the customer needs and wants as opposed to what the company wants.

A set of formal procedures for collecting and analysing data from all sources and disseminating information regularly to marketing decision makers.

A mix of product, price, promotion, and place (distribution) that best meet the needs of targeted customers.

A professional society based in the US, for those who are involved or concerned with marketing and opinion research. Its mission is to promote excellence in marketing and opinion research by providing members with a variety of opportunities for advancing and expanding their marketing research and related business skills and to act as an industry advocate with appropriate government entities, other associations, and the public.

Process using matrices to find the probability of users in one brand category switching to a different brand the next time they buy in that category. Represents significant results and can now be measured by retail scanners.

A technique used to chart a consumer's perceptions and preferences regarding a particular product with a visual aid, like a graph or map.

Maturation Error occurs in experiments when there is a gradual change in the dependent variable over time that is not caused by the independent variable, e.g. participants’ knowledge levels increasing over the period of an experiment.

An average found by summing all observations then dividing the sum by the number of observations.

The specific location of a single quantity in a frequency distribution. For example, the mean is found in the middle of the frequency distribution.

A difference between an expected measurement and the actual information that was measured.

Measurement timing error occurs in experiments when there are changes in the dependent variable that are caused by taking measurements at different times.

Statistics that describe the location within a data set. Examples of measures of location are the 25th percentile or the largest value. The mean, median, and mode are also examples of measures of location (in addition to being measures of central tendency).

Measures of variability (or dispersion) are those that indicate the spread of a distribution. Examples of measures of variability are: range, interquartile range, variance, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation.

This term refers to methods of message communication. Media is the plural of medium. Magazines, newspapers, radio, television, and billboards are referred to as advertising media.

Research that is centered on issues of media selection and efficiency.

A measure of central tendency that identifies the middle-point value (or 50th percentile) in a set of values when they are arranged in order of magnitude.

A recorded account of the exact process and times used to conduct a humanistic inquiry. Biases or distortions need to be especially noted.

The procedure used as a proven method that, when repeated, should yield the same result. Steps need to be recorded properly so that the procedure can be redone exactly.

Metrics are determined by measurable variables that define progress. There are several categories of metrics, from weight measurements to sales measurements in a company. The intervals between metrics on a particular scale are significant ratios to be used when quantifying metrics.

Files that show the full range of responses individuals complete in a certain category (i.e. occupation, place of work, etc.) on the United States Census. This information is connected to an anonymous respondent and is available for the public at the Public-Use Microdata Samples.

The respondent decides not to complete the interview and will cooperate no further.

A focus group with fewer participants (usually 4-6) than the normal 8-12.

Employing various research techniques for one research project. This can be a time consuming and costly technique. Advances in Net-centric solutions are making this proven research method more feasible now.

The opportunity that one has to change residence by means of geographic movement.

A measure of central tendency that identifies the most frequently occurring value in a set of values.

Where a group of pre-recruited research participants are all in email contact with a facilitator and the facilitator emails questions to them on a particular subject. At periodic intervals, the facilitator produces a summary of views and sends it to all the participants. It is similar to an online focus group in that the participants are unable to see each other therefore no visual signals can be communicated, although anonymity can be assured.

Someone who is the leader of (but does not influence the outcome of) a focus group discussion, in-depth interview, or other meeting. Often works from pre-determined outline of subjects to be covered.

Consumer test where only a single product is evaluated.

A quality control measure which may involve observing, auditing, and checking the interviewing for the purposes of ensuring required procedures are followed and to give feedback and instruction to the interviewers. Monitoring is one means of validating or giving assurance that data is collected from qualified respondents who are interviewed under prescribed conditions. Monitoring can be done in person for face-to-face interviews or by telephone for telephone interviews.

A visual tool that represents the atmosphere or feel of an intended advertisement or to research a consumer's experience of a brand or product.

Mortality error occurs in experiments when changes in the dependent variable are caused by experimental units no longer being part of the experiment.

The mean of a series of measurements that have been taken over a period of time. Moving averages can be used to eliminate a seasonal bias in some data.

Where the findings and costs of a research project are shared (partially or fully) among a number of clients.

A perceptual mapping technique that represents perceptions and preferences of respondents as a spatial map. The axes of each map are the underlying dimensions that respondents use to form their preferences and perceptions.

A sample that is selected in stages, where the sampling units at each stage are sub-samples from the previous stage.

A state of high intercorrelations among independent variables. Addressed when finding a linear relationship with multiple independent variables. This problem often occurs because of the difficulty in identifying and separating the independent variable that is influencing the dependent variable.

When more than one answer is acceptable for the same question.

A type of research design where two or more samples are drawn from a population of interest, each sample being only drawn once.

Statistical procedure identifying the relationship between two or more independent variables in an effort to identify patterns within the relationship.

A question where respondents can provide more than one answer, e.g. by checking more than one item on a list.

A study that is conducted using a control group for a particular set of time (e.g. month), but is not continuously conducted, rather revisited within the span of the study's time set.

A set of events is considered mutually exclusive if only one event from given set can occur at any given time. This implies that if events (E1, E2, E3, E4) are mutually exclusive and event E2 occurs then no events of (E1, E3, E4) did occur at that time.

People conducting market research that are disguised as consumers while they shop at competitor's stores and their own stores to compare prices, displays, and customer service. Mystery shopping requires skilled participants.

The accepted abbreviation to indicate the respondent is not at home, there is no answer to the doorbell, or the telephone.

The characteristics of the country where a research project is being conducted.

The research method of observing the respondent in the least obtrusive manner. This would include watching the respondent without questioning the respondent.

Annual conferences held by ESOMAR that explore interfaces within market research and the Internet.

A technique that measures how consumers will react to brands and advertising. The brain is mapped, using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to record conscious and subconscious responses to advertising, products, or brands.

Marketing a product to a small and well-defined segment.

A designated member of a focus group who agrees to participate, even the same day, and then never arrives for the group. Facilities often over-recruit to adjust for no-shows.

A type of face-to-face group discussion that is designed to minimise the group effect (where participants moderate their opinions and go along with a majority view). Participants are asked to consider a subject and then discuss it with one other member (or a small number of members) of the group before presenting it to the whole group.

A measurement scale identifying variable categories. A scale where the numbers act only as data labels (e.g. 0=male, 1=female or a social security number). The only analysis that can be performed is to observe how frequently each of the scale members occurs in the survey.

An evaluation of an object, concept, or person without referring or comparing it to another item.

Defined by the census bureau as a person living in a household with non-relatives or by themselves.

Data that cannot be analyzed statistically, such as that from a nominal or ordinal scale.

A test that involves non-metric data (i.e. data that comes from nominal or ordinal scales).

A sample of the population chosen by the investigator rather than by using probability to choose the participants. By doing this, a true representative cross section of the population is foregone.

A sample in which the selection of units is based on factors other than random chance, e.g. convenience, prior experience, or the judgement of the researcher. Examples of non-probability samples are: convenience, judgmental, quota, and snowball.

Resulting error identifying a systematic difference in those who do and do not respond to the measurement instrument.

Any error or inaccuracies caused by factors other than sampling error. Examples of non-sampling errors are: selection bias, population mis-specification error, sampling frame error, processing error, respondent error, non-response error, instrument error, interviewer error, and surrogate error.

A symmetrical bell-shaped statistical distribution where the mean, the median, and the mode all have the same value. A bell-shaped distribution that is bisymmetric to the mean.

The attempt to conduct an interview, but the respondent was not available at the location.

Initial assumption made with a statement that is being tested with a significance test.

A database comprised of raw survey data over a wide range of topics that has not yet been analyzed.

Objectives are the goals or purpose of the research study. The reason why the study is being conducted.

Changes in the behavior or events under study that are caused by the observation process itself. Personal observation is usually more likely to have observation bias than mechanical observation.

An experiment conducted without any direct interaction between the investigators and the respondents. Also known as a quasi-experiment.

A research study where data is collected by watching consumer behavior or events taking place.

A cross-tabulation is the number of objects identified by research (which may be different to the expected value).

Determined as whether or not a housing unit is occupied or vacant (available).

A periodic study that asks questions on a number of unrelated subjects. The results may be completely or partially syndicated among clients.

A test is where research participants are exposed to some advertising in a natural setting, such as their own homes.

A type of pre-experimental design where a single group of test units is measured, exposed to an experimental treatment, and then measured again.

A qualitative interview involving only a moderator and a single respondent.

A type of qualitative research involving an unstructured personal interview with a single respondent, conducted by a highly skilled interviewer. The purpose of in-depth interviews is to understand the underlying motivations, beliefs, attitudes, and feelings of respondents on a particular subject.

A form of leading question that presents only one aspect of an issue being considered by respondents.

A test where the null hypothesis is expressed directionally, e.g. the proportion having a characteristic is more than x%. One-tailed tests are more popular than two-tailed tests because the directional result makes the findings more actionable.

A sheet of glass which, when viewed from one side, appears to be a normal mirror and when viewed from the other side, is transparent. It is used in marketing research to observe respondents without their being constantly reminded that they are being watched, although they have to be advised by the researcher that they are being observed. A one-way mirror is often used in focus group discussions.

Behavioral Targeting (also known as preference marketing, behavioral advertising, behavioral marketing, or online profiling) is defined by the FTC as “the tracking of a consumer’s online activities over time – including the searches the consumer has conducted, the Web pages visited, and the content viewed – in order to deliver advertising targeted to the individual consumer’s interests".

An instance where people know they are being studied by observers.

Questions that do not have a set of anticipated responses listed on the questionnaires. The interviewer records the respondent's verbatim response. When the survey is interviewer-administered, the respondent is encouraged to respond completely and freely with the use of probing and clarifying techniques. These questions may also be self-administered.

Identifies which characteristics will be used to observe or measure a particular concept and the value that will be attributed to the observation.

A study that collects views of the public on matters of broad interest. Check our FAQ on opinion polling.

A way of obtaining permission from participants so that they may be contacted in the future. Double-opt in refers to participants that sign up for a service online and are then sent an email in which they confirm to the service by responding to the email’s prompts. They are essentially agreeing twice to be involved with a particular company.

A computer program that is able to scan printed characters and translate those codes into electronic data.

Sampling that attempts to represent the true population by means of proportions of individuals with given characteristics. Disproportional refers to a non-representative sample and optimal refers to a well represented sample.

When respondents tend to favor objects because of their position in a list or sequence. The objects at the beginning and at the end of a list can be remembered more than those occurring in the middle. Usual practice is to rotate a list to eliminate this type of bias.

A scale that allows categories to be ranked in order from smallest to largest - even though the space between two categories is insignificant. Example responses might be excellent, good, fair, and poor.

A type of categorical, non-comparative scale with two opposing adjectives separated by a sequence of unlabelled categories, e.g. Good 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Poor.

This data is uncharacteristic of the normal distribution. It is common for this data to be removed from the results in order to prevent skewing of the means or averages. For example, 98% of the respondents purchase a particular product 4 times a week, but 2% of the respondents purchase that product 40 times a week. Researchers will remove the data of the 2% that purchased the product 40 times.

Process of relocating from a particular location in a given country to a different area within that same country.

The act of inviting more people to participate in a focus group than the study actually allows compensating for people who are planning on attending but do not.

A form of research that measures reactions to differing packing approaches.

A study or part of a study in which the respondent compares two or more test stimuli (i.e., products, concepts, labels, etc.) according to some criterion, such as preference.

A type of depth interview where there are two respondents (instead of the usual one). Friendship pair interviewing is often used for research with children and young people (where they know each other) in order to avoid respondents being intimidated and biasing their responses accordingly.

A treatment of survey data where only the completed questions are analyzed, i.e. partially complete responses are not excluded from the analysis.

A group of selected research participants who have agreed to provide pre-designated information at regular specified intervals over an extended period of time. The information may be on purchasing, media consumption, or life-style activities.

A form of systematic error that occurs when panel participants change their behaviour (that is being observed) as a result of being part of the panel.

A survey where an interviewer enters a participant’s home to take an inventory of specific products present at that time.

A traditional method used for surveying that involves respondents filling out a physical paper questionnaire that had been administered by an interviewer.

Determines the numerical summary associated with a population distribution.

A test that involves metric data (i.e. data from interval or ratio scales that can be analyzed statistically).

An amount determined by respondents regarding value or utility that is associated with product/service attributes at different levels.

A general term for a person who has agreed to be involved in a survey, focus group, or study and not just someone who is interviewed, e.g. in an observation study or a group discussion.

Some researchers may exclude respondents that have participated in research studies of the same topic or that have participated in research studies during a particular time frame. This process can remove potential bias.

Most commonly used method to determine the strength associated with a set of variables.

An analysis performed to determine the market share held by a particular company or product in a market segment determined by demographics or various classification universes.

An electronic device attached to a TV set that monitors which programs are watched by whom.

Value of the average income for an entire population. This is computed by dividing a country’s total income by its total population.

A technique used to chart a consumer’s perceptions and preferences regarding a particular product with a visual aid, like a graph or map.

A cyclical variation in a characteristic being measured. Periodicity can lead to a bias in systematic sampling when the period of the cycle coincides with the sampling interval being used.

An individual’s income that includes both dollar amounts and some non-cash related benefits.

When human beings record the behaviour of interest or events taking place.

Any information about an individual maintained by an agency, including (1) any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual‘s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, or biometric records; and (2) any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.

Primary grocery shopper.

A study used where respondents are given pictures of several types of people and are then asked to associate people with the products or services that they might use.

A type of graph that uses pictures or symbols to display the data.

Clients share costs conducting joint research studies.

Can be used to refer to two different activities. A pre-test is where a questionnaire is tested on a (statistically) small sample of respondents before a full-scale study, in order to identify any problems such as unclear wording or the questionnaire taking too long to administer. A pre-test can also be used to refer to an initial measurement (such as brand or advertising awareness) before an experimental treatment is administered and subsequent measurements are taken.

A study where a participant is given a product to use and test in a PMSA (primary metropolitan statistical area).

A type of non-probability sample where the sample is chosen because it appears plausible that sample units are representative of the population of interest, although there is no evidence to support this assumption.

Computed numerical value that serves as an estimate of the true parameter before data is collected.

The physical location where product is actually purchased. This term may be used to refer to materials used at the point of purchase to promote or call attention to a product or sale (P.O.P. Materials). It may also refer to conducting research at the point of purchase to obtain the purchasers top of mind reaction to the product just purchased.

A poll is a survey gathering opinions from the respondents. Polls are often used during political elections to gauge voter sentiment about one candidate over the other.

A questionnaire that appears on the screen of a website visitor. The term can also be used to refer to an invitation to participate in a survey. Pop-up surveys are usually triggered by a mechanism of some form, e.g. after a pre-defined period of time, or after so many visitors to a web page.

The peak of a population distribution that contains equal amounts distributed both above and below it.

A type of non-sampling error caused by incorrectly defining the population of interest for a survey and either excluding or including certain types of respondents, e.g. limiting a survey to previous consumers of a product (and not asking the views of those who have not tried it).

A pyramid-shaped chart showing the ages and sex that make up a population. This chart is generally represented with two bar graphs (males on the left and females on the right) divided into age groups on the y-axis and frequency on the x-axis.

Standard deviation for a variable in relevance to its population distribution.

This is the idea of primacy and recency. A respondent is most likely to recall the beginning of the message or list, primacy, and the last portion of the message or list, recency. The respondent's recall is weaker in regards to the items located in the middle of the list.

Using empirical data to be able to identify segments within markets.

A type of true experimental design where test units are randomly allocated to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group is exposed to a treatment and both groups are measured afterwards.

An income level defined by the Census Bureau that determines a family’s poverty status. This level is adjusted yearly as changes occur in the national economy’s Consumer Price Index and costs of living.

A question that offers the respondent answers from which they must choose from.

The assignment of codes (coding) before the fieldwork of a survey is carried out. This occurs before the interviewing process. Computer codes are created and added to the questionnaire in order to accelerate the data processing of the respondent’s answers.

A research design that is set and does not have control over extraneous factors.

Consumers or business professionals are contacted either by telephone, mail, or in person and invited to participate in a study scheduled for a future date and time, if qualified. People who agree and are eligible are often compensated for their participation in the interview.

Consumers or business professionals who are contacted (by telephone, mail, or in person) and invited to participate in a research study scheduled for a future date and time, provided they qualify. People who agree and are eligible are often compensated for their participation in the research.

A young person aged around 8/9 to 12, who does not consider themselves to be a child, but is not yet a teenager.

A type of true experimental design where test units are randomly allocated to an experimental group and a control group. Both groups are measured before and after the experimental group is exposed to a treatment.