Chapter 9 – Collecting Descriptive Primary Data
I. Learning Objectives:
Upon completing this chapter, the student should be able to:
1. Cite three major purposes of descriptive research.
2. List the six specifications of a descriptive study.
3. Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal designs.
4. Explain what is meant by a panel in marketing research, and explain the difference
between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel.
5. Describe the emphasis in sample surveys.
6. List the kinds of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics that interest
marketers.
• Age
7. Cite the three main approaches used to measure awareness.
• Unaided recall
• Recognition
II. Chapter Outline:
A. Descriptive Research Designs
1. Two Types of Descriptive Studies
a. Longitudinal Analysis: Consumer Panels
B. Types of Primary Data
1. Behavior
Exhibit 9.2: Seven Types of Primary Data
3. Personality/Lifestyle Characteristics
Manager’s Focus
5. Awareness/Knowledge
6. Intentions
7. Motivation
C. Summary
D. Key Terms
E. Review Questions
III. Answers to Review Questions:
1. The basic uses of descriptive research are to describe the characteristics of certain
3. The main types of descriptive studies are cross-sectional studies and longitudinal
studies. A cross-sectional study is an investigation involving a sample of elements
4. A panel is a fixed set of elements. In a continuous panel, a fixed sample of subjects
5. A sample survey involves the study of a number of cases at the same time. It
attempts to be representative of some known population. With a sample survey,
6. Primary data can measure behavior, demographic/socioeconomic characteristics,
7. Attitude is an individual’s overall evaluation of something. It is important in
marketing because attitudes are generally thought to lead to behaviors.
8. The three ways to assess awareness are through unaided recall, aided recall, and
recognition. With unaided recall, the consumer is asked to remember things
9. The basic problem in measuring consumers’ intentions about future behaviors is
IV. Instruction Suggestions:
1. Begin by using some examples of your own choosing, have the class bring out what
is involved in specifying the who, what, why, when, where, and how, the
helpful if the class is asked to develop specific hypotheses and then is forced to
develop the dummy tables that would be used to investigate them and to further
specify the evidence that would lead to their support.
3. Begin with a discussion of the main types of primary data of interest to marketers.
Ask the students to define what is meant by demographic/socioeconomic