Non-directive interviews Essay Example

Non-directive interviews Essay There are a number of different research methods I can use for my primary research, but I have decided that the methods that will benefit my research are: questionnaires, non-directive interviews and structured interviews I am going to begin with a pilot study before going onto my interviews. By doing this I should be able to obtain some valuable information which I will be able to put into numerical form e.g. pie charts, statistics and percentages.This is a big advantage as I will be able to compare data easily and it will give me a better understanding of what teenage girls feel about the pressures of dieting. Questionnaires are also a cheap, efficient and fast method for obtaining large amounts of information, which is helpful to me, as I do not have much time to carry out my primary research. Potentially, information can be collected from a large portion of a group, but this potential is not often realized as returns from questionnaires are usually low.For example, postal questionnaires are a relatively inexpensive method of obtaining information but often only a very small percent of the sample return them and those who do often have a special reason for doing so which makes the results untypical as a whole. We will write a custom essay sample on Non-directive interviews specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Non-directive interviews specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Non-directive interviews specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This is why I have decided not to send postal questionnaires but to give them to girls at my school instead, this way I will be able to make sure that everyone returns their completed form to me. I am going to use random sampling in order for my results to be more representative of teenage girls as a whole. I will go through a register for each year group from years 7-13 and cross of every third name until I have ten names from each year. I will then give each person a questionnaire to fill out.However, there are some disadvantages of using questionnaires in my study. Respondents may answer superficially especially if the questionnaire takes a long time to complete, so I will make sure that the common mistake of asking too many questions is avoided. Great care must also be taken when wording the questions so there is no bias, or words that some people may misinterpret or not understand. If this happens my results may not be as representative or accurate as they could be. I will also avoid including open-ended questions as these can generate large amounts of data that can take a long time to process and analyse.Some girls may not be willing to answer some of the questions as my project is on quite a sensitive topic, especially for girls. So I will ask them to reply honestly and tell them that the questionnaire is anonymous. My second research method is unstructured interviews. With non-directive interviews there are few problems of misunderstanding or misinterpretation and the interviewee is not restricted to set questions like in questionnaires, they can really say how they feel. The respondent is in control of the content of the interview and is free to explore any aspect of the topic they want. This will give me a more in-depth and detailed insight into the real thoughts and feelings of the interviewee.However, there are a few disadvantages with using this method. By using an unstructured interview it is difficult to generalise as it is a small sample, and in my case only one persons opinion. This also makes it harder to analyse or make any generalisation that all girls feel the same way as the respondent does. There could also be interviewer bias which is quite a big disadvantage. I could in some way influence or direct the answers given by the interviewee, therefore the respondent may change their answer according to the type of question given. But if I am careful with how I phrase and say my questions, I should be able to avoid any interviewer bias.My third research method is structured interviews. The advantage of structured interviews is that they allow the exploration of specific topics, while allowing people to tell the interviewer what they think is important. I am going to video- tape the opinions of five teenage girls on dieting and the media. I aim to find out if they feel pressured at all by the media to be slim and how far they have taken dieting in order to achieve this media image of the perfect female body. I think it will be interesting to see how their answers compare and differ by asking the same questions to five different girls.Structured interviews give the respondent the chance to speak for themselves about the topic and the chance to clarify complex questions. However success depends on the skill of the interviewer, but I will spend time making sure that the questions I ask will be beneficial to my project. Another disadvantage is that I may give out unconscious signals to the respondent which may lead them to change their reply. Another problem is that I might only follow up my areas of interest there fore restricting the respondents answers. These interviews can also be very time consuming, so I have only decided to interview five people for my study.There are some types of primary research which I have decided not to use. Methods such as longitudinal studies and participant observation would require a great amount of time which I would like to have, but have not got enough time to carry out properly. A longitudinal study is an ideal way of understanding social life at one point in time, but in order to understand social life in the present it is essential to see it as a development from the past. This method requires a picture of social life over a long time which is not possible for me to do.With participant observation the number of people observed is small therefore generalisations are not possible. This method would not be very useful to my project either, as it would be hard to observe peoples eating habits without asking personal questions about weight etc and many people would find covert observation for my topic unethical. A case study could be a good source of primary data for me to use as they can give a more detailed picture than research based on large samples. However, as they are seen as one off examples they cannot be seen as representative. They are also quite time consuming. I am confident that my chosen research methods will provide me with some valuable information from which I can analyse and draw a conclusion from.

PSAT Test Dates 2015

PSAT Test Dates 2015 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The PSAT test dates of 2015 have come and gone, but they are not forgotten - especially for students aiming to become National Merit Finalists. This guide will go over the exact PSAT test dates in 2015, as well as discuss how test-takers can make the most of their PSAT score reports today. If you’re looking for future PSAT test dates, then check out this guide instead. If you’re in the right spot, then read on to learn about how the PSAT testing schedule works for participating students. What to Know About PSAT Test Dates Unlike many other standardized tests, like the SAT or ACT, you don’t choose when you take the PSAT. Instead, your high school registers juniors and chooses the test date from two options in October. If you’re a ninth or tenth grader who wants to take the PSAT, then you have to ask your school counselor to sign you up. College Board gave schools two choices for test dates in 2015, a primary and an alternate. Both test dates fell on a weekday, on a Wednesday to be exact. Most schools administered the PSAT on the primary test date. Below are the exact dates for the primary and alternate testing dates for the PSAT in 2015. PSAT Test Dates in 2015 Schools administered the PSAT on one of these two test dates in 2015. Primary test date: October 14, 2015 Alternate test date: October 28, 2015 Most schools held the PSAT on October 14, 2015. The only exception would be if the school had a scheduling conflict that day and had to go with the alternate test date. Once students took the PSAT, they waited a few months to get back their scores. For juniors, October is the month of pumpkins, pie, and the PSAT. When Did 2015 PSAT Scores Come Out? Scores from the 2015 PSAT came out on January 7th, 2016. On that date, students could sign into their College Board accounts and view their score reports. Counselors actually had access to the scores one day earlier, on January 6. In addition to online score reports, students got paper score reports around January 29. Forstudents who took the PSAT in 2015 or who will be taking it in the future, why are PSAT scores important? Why Are PSAT Scores Important? PSAT scores are important for two main reasons. First, they give you essential feedback about your skills as a test-taker, and you can use that feedback to prepare for the SAT. Secondly, PSAT score reports tell any juniors who took the test whether or not they will qualify for National Merit distinction and scholarships. Let’s take a closer look at both of these functions of your PSAT scores. 1. Practice and Feedback for the SAT The PSAT and SAT are very similar tests, so your score report on the PSAT can help you figure out how to improve for the SAT. Both tests have Reading, Writing and Language, and math sections. The main difference is that the PSAT doesn’t have an essay section. Your PSAT score report will give you detailed feedback on your performance. You should take time to look at your results and pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. If you struggled on the math section, for instance, then you can focus especially on math as you get ready for the SAT. By figuring out where you lost points, you can make efforts to get those kinds of questions right for next time. Your score report can also prompt you to reflect on the test-taking experience. Did you find yourself running out of time? Would you benefit from trying new test-taking strategies, like process of elimination on vocabulary questions? If you took the PSAT in 2015 and are still planning to take the SAT, you should carefully consider your PSAT score report and use it to design your SAT prep plan. Your PSAT score report gives you useful feedback on your skills as a test-taker. You can use that insightas you get ready for the SAT. 2. National Merit Distinctions and Scholarships If you took the PSAT as a junior, then you’re in the running for National Merit distinction and scholarships. The top 3% to 4% of scorers werenamed Commended Scholars, while students who score in the top 1% werenamed Semifinalists and couldmove on to become Finalists and win scholarship money. National Merit Scholarship Corporation hasn’t released its exact state-by-state cutoffs yet, but we can estimate the cutoffs based on data from past years. About a year after they took the PSAT in 2015, about 16,000 students across the country foundout if they achieved Semifinalist status. If you were one of those students who took the PSAT in October 2015, how can you make the most of your PSAT score report now? Make the Most of Your PSAT Score Report If you’re still planning to take the SAT, then your PSAT score report can help you design a study plan. Look closely at the sections where you excelled and the sections where you could use some improvement. Think about what skills you can work on to get better as a test-taker, whether you need to review specific concepts or practice time management. As you study for the SAT, try to identify and target your weak areas. Gather lots of practice questions, time yourself, and score your practice tests. Continue to measure your progress with your practice test score reports, just as you did with your PSAT score report. By taking time to analyze your PSAT and SAT practice test score reports, you can root out your weak areas and gaugeyour progress as you work toward your target SAT scores. In closing, let’s go over the key points you should remember about the PSAT in 2015, how it was administered, and how you can make the most of your PSAT score report now. Use your PSAT score report to target your weak areas and improve for the next test you take. PSAT in 2015: Key Takeaways Most schools administered the PSAT on Wednesday, October 14, 2015. Juniors automatically tookthe test and competed for National Merit distinction. Younger students couldalso request to take the test, and they coulduse the experience as practice for the junior year PSAT and the SAT. If you took the test in 2015, then you got your scores online on January 7th. Whether you’re competing for National Merit or prepping for the SAT, you can gain valuable insight from your PSAT score report. Take time to analyze your performance, figure out your strengths and weaknesses, and reflect on the experience to get ready for the SAT. What’s Next? Are you preparing to take the SAT? Check out our ultimate SAT prep guides for the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math sections of the SAT. Did you take the PSAT as a younger student in 2015? If you're aiming for top scores when you take the test as a junior, check out this full guide to getting a perfect score on the PSAT. Have you started taking steps to apply to college? For a full overview of the entire college application process, check out this comprehensive guide. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Relationship marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Relationship marketing - Essay Example It also entails additional risk when compared to domestic marketing. Many factors like culture, statutory obligations, working styles and environment, availability of technology and skilled manpower, and a host of other factors have to be taken into account. This paper is a study of relationship marketing in the context of retail trade in international markets. In the process it will provide a broad outlook on the various factors that a company has to take into account to be successful in international markets. Baker quoting Moller and Wilson defines this concept as â€Å"understanding, creating, and managing exchange relationships between economic partners, manufacturers, service providers, various channel partners, and final consumers† (Baker 2003, 33). In effect relationship marketing is just not about having profitable and mutually beneficial relationships between the retailer and the end consumer. Christopher et al, states that there are six different markets to be analyzed, referred to as the ‘six market domains’. They are customer, recruitment, referral, internal, influence, supplier & alliance markets (Christopher, Payne & Ballantyne 2002, 202). Most of these terms are self-explanatory and hence some examples of a couple of markets is given here. According to the authors, Mercedes, Rolex, and Dell are examples of products that benefit from referral sales. Influence markets are those where a company needs to exert influence on a person, organization, trade unions , or even government. The authors illustrate this with the example of how Johnson & Johnson managed the Tylenol disaster. The company managed to save its international reputation through practical and effective steps. International marketing can have different dimensions or approaches. According to Doole & Lowe, companies can just market their products internationally which is the simplest form of such marketing. In a more complex approach, companies set up their own manufacturing, and