Taking Root

Communicating the College- and Career-Ready Agenda

Communications Research
In a communications campaign there are typically two kinds of research you
can conduct:

1. Research for internal use, which can be quantitative and/or qualitative,

to test your messages and develop anecdotes and case studies; and

2. Research for external use, which is typically quantitative and on a par-

ticular issue, the results from which you could release to generate
earned media coverage.

While you might not initially think you have a need for research or the budget
to do it, many campaigns evolve to a place where it becomes necessary.
Knowing a few basics will help you determine if, and what type of, research
is right for you as well as help ensure that you get the results you want.

Research FOR Internal USE

Internal research – which is for the eyes of your team only and is not in-
tended to be released publicly – typically takes one of two forms: quantita-
tive, which produces objective, measurable, calculable results (e.g., the
responses to a survey); and qualitative research, which is more subjective
(e.g., answers to questions posed in a focus group).

Testing messages. The most common reason for commissioning internal

research is to test your messages, which can include your key-three mes-
sages, fact sheets you have created from those messages and even ad con-
cepts you have delivered. The purpose of this research is to determine how
your target audiences will react to what you are saying – and to ensure they
are reacting how you want them to react.

Often times the most effective way to gauge audience reaction is through
focus groups. With a good interviewer leading the discussion, you can bet-
ter understand many of the nuances of the reactions you will likely receive
to your messages. You can use this feedback to adjust your messages to
achieve the desired effect.

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Focus groups are chosen through screening, which is a process to get the
right people in the room who are representative of your target audiences. For
example, if you want to know how a person will vote on a particular issue, you
will want to screen out non-voters – including people who are younger than 18
years of age, non-citizens, felons, etc.

To achieve the best results, you will want to hire a public opinion research
firm. They are skilled in setting up the right kind of focus group and asking
the right questions to achieve your desired results. Experienced pollsters can
then provide the analysis you need and work with you to alter your messages
to respond to what you learned.

Informal techniques. While engaging a public opinion research firm can help
ensure you get the right information and results, there are informal research
methods from which you can learn a lot of valuable information without being
costly. While the information you receive through informal techniques might
not be as scientifically sound as more formal data-collecting methods, it can
still be useful, particularly if you collect anecdotes or stories that you can use
to move your target audiences. Real stories from real people make your argu-
ment richer and bring it to life. Legislators in particular like to have anecdotal
evidence of the success of a legislative initiative or, conversely, anecdotal evi-
dence to make the case that reform is necessary.

Informal research methods include:

• Man-on-the-street interviews: Post yourself outside of a high school or

at the local mall and ask young people if you can have a minute of their
time to ask them about their high school experience and whether they
feel prepared for college and careers.

• Online survey tools: Set up your own survey online using any one of the
many free or low-cost online survey tools, including Survey Monkey and
Google’s survey tool.

• Develop a questionnaire: Send around a questionnaire to people from

whom you would like to gather information and ask them to spend a few
minutes filling it out.

• Testimonials: Invest a little money in a digital camcorder and ask dif-

ferent people in your state to share a personal experience about the
college- and career-ready agenda. You could ask education leaders,
legislators, students and others to provide you with testimonials.

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Research FOR External USE

External research is almost always quantitative. That is because objective,

measurable data are more reliable and reportable than the subjective opinions
learned through qualitative focus groups.

Surveys are often the best tools for obtaining quantitative research. Surveys
can be conducted on the phone, although now are more commonly being con-
ducted online. Screening is used in a survey to get the right sample audience
and an experienced pollster will know how to structure the questionnaire to
get salient data points for public release. A good questionnaire is key to good
research, so you will really want to take a lot of time upfront to work with your
pollster to develop a solid survey instrument.

The most common reason for conducting a survey is to get results that sup-
port your education reform agenda and can be released publicly to the media
to ideally generate earned media. The more interesting the results, the better
the news hook. And the data you collect can be sent to your stakeholders and
key supporters to serve as evidence when they are making your case for you.

Examples of external research include:

• The Tennessee Diploma Project’s survey of business executives to iden-

tify the essential skills students need to be successful in a critical entry-
level job (www.tbroundtable.org/library/pdf/takinginventoryreport.pdf)

• Learn More Indiana’s annual Career and College Information Survey of

high school students awareness of and preparation for college and ca-
reers (www.learnmoreindiana.org/Documents/2008-2009%20survey%20
report.pdf)

• Achieve’s survey of recent high school graduates, employers and col-

lege professors on high schools’ ability to adequate prepare students for
college and careers (www.achieve.org/RisingtotheChallenge)

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Copyright © September 2009 Achieve, Inc.