Research Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Research Report - Essay Example There are several ways of collating data; surveys are the primary means through which data is measured and captured. They have varied purposes, and encompass â€Å"marketing surveys, opinion surveys, and political polls†, among others. The questionnaire has been self-constructed, dealing with the following items: competitive cost, convenience of fast food, cleanliness of the facility, ambience of the store, personalized service, promotional offers, varied menu, being a strong global brand, and other reasons. These close-ended questions had fixed options given for each, and the respondent simply checked which option/s are applicable for him/her. Close-ended questions are questions that the researcher provides, and which may be accomplished by putting a check mark on a box or by encircling a response that corresponds to your choice. Oppenheim (1992) suggests these questions are straightforward and thus easier and quicker to answer; they are very useful in testing specific hypothesis. Most probably, they shall be utilized in the beginning of the investigation, since the unrestricted responses they attract create a better picture of the survey for the researcher. The main advantage of this kind of question is its ability to obtain a summated value. As Chisnall (1997) suggests that mail questionnaire is a predetermined set of questions that is sent to a predetermined sample. Its advantages over other methods include its low price, reassured anonymity, confidentiality, its large target scope and its ability to keep certain standards. Mail questionnaires are advantageous when responses have to be obtained from a sample that is geographically dispersed, or it is difficult or not possible to conduct telephone interviews to obtain the same data without much expense. Respondents can take more time to respond at convenience. However, the return rates of mail questionnaires are