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“While designed primarily for the classroom, where it will be welcomed by students and faculty alike. Dr. Stacks' book promises to be the reference of choice for legions of practitioners who studied history, political science or anthropology in college. Why? Because the author has stripped away the gobbledygook of academic research—to the extent that's possible—and created a user-friendly overview of the subject….The Primer of Public Relations Research…should be a part of every practitioner's library.”

—Public Relations Quarterly (on the first edition)


“The book's excellent organization makes it easy to use as a reference. If you have a specific question, there is more than likely a section that addresses it in a concise manner. The research terminology is explained in depth.”

—The Measurement Standard (on the first edition)


“Stacks provides a comprehensive manual that details how to bridge the rigors of scientific research with the issues confronting contemporary practice. Valuable updates in the third edition include a foundational grounding in global research standards and an overview of Big Data that is clear, complete, and concise.”

—Patricia Curtin, PhD, Professor and Endowed Chair in Public Relations, University of Oregon


“An ideal textbook for PR students worldwide, and one that also belongs on the reference shelf of every 21st-century practitioner. The third edition describes and evaluates the most recent research methods and findings and provides current examples that students will relate to. The organization is logical and linear and the book is amazingly comprehensive, discussing everything from Big Data to research ethics.”

—Dean Kruckeberg, PhD, Department of Communication Studies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte


“Stacks has produced a classic in PR education. As the definitive text on PR research applications and methods, this third edition should be on the desk of every student who wants to learn the practice of PR and on the bookshelf of every professional. The text covers every aspect of PR research, from the theoretical to the practical.”

—David Michaelson, PhD, Head of Research and Analytics, Teneo Strategy


“I have used Primer of Public Relations Research as the textbook for my PR research course for over a decade. It is the go-to book for teaching undergraduate PR majors and graduate students about the value of research in PR practice; social scientific approaches to research design, data analysis, and sense-making; and rigorous ways to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns and programs. The integration of theory and practice—as well as the applications in different PR areas—make this book extremely valuable to educators, practitioners, and students.”

—Yan Jin, PhD, Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia

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Table of Contents

I. An Introduction to Research in Public Relations

1. Understanding Research: An Introduction with Public Relations Implications

2. Management of Research in Public Relations

3. Standards for Conducting Public Relations Research

II. Necessary Considerations for Quantification

4. Measuring Outcomes

5. Data and Data Sets

6. Descriptive Statistical Reasoning and Computer Analysis

7. Ethical Concerns in Public Relations Research, with Shannon A. Bowen

III. Research Methodology

8. Qualitative Research Methodology: Content Analysis

9. Qualitative Research Methodology: Historical and Secondary Research Methods

10. Qualitative Research Methodology: Case Studies

11. Qualitative Research Methodology: Methods of Observing People, Shannon A. Bowen

12. Quantitative Research Methodology: Sampling Messages and People

13. Quantitative Research Methodology: Survey and Poll Methods

14. Quantitative Research Methodology: The Experimental Method

15. Quantitative Statistics: Advanced Inferential Statistical Reasoning and Computer Analysis

IV. Obtaining and Reporting Public Relations Research

16. Putting It All Together

Appendix: Dictionary of Public Relations Measurement and Research

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About the Author

Don W. Stacks, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Public Relations/Corporate Communication in the School of Communication at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. He served as Director of the Public Relations Program from 1995 to 2009 and Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Creative Support from 2009 to 2013. Dr. Stacks has written more than 300 scholarly articles and papers and has authored or coauthored 10 books on communication topics. He is the recipient of honors including the Outstanding Educator Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA); the Jackson, Jackson, and Wagner Behavioral Science Prize from the PRSA Foundation; and the Distinguished Research Fellow and Distinguished Teaching Fellow awards from the Eastern Communication Association. Dr. Stacks has been an active communication consultant since the 1970s. His areas of expertise include organizational systems assessment, sociological/psychological organizational analysis, media relations, internal organizational communications, and leadership; he is also a trained listening specialist. Dr. Stacks serves on the editorial boards of numerous communication and public relations journals, is editor of Communications Research Reports (vols. 31–33), and directs the annual International Public Relations Research Conference. He is a trustee of the Institute for Public Relations and the Arthur W. Page Society and serves on the boards of the International Public Relations Association and the Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation.

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Contributors

Shannon A. Bowen, PhD, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina

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Audience

Communications and advertising students taking public relations courses; public relations practitioners.

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Course Use

Serves as a text in such courses as Public Relations, Public Relations Research, Methods in Public Relations, and Mass Communication Research Methods.

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Previous editions published by Guilford:

Second Edition, © 2011
ISBN: 9781593855956

First Edition, © 2002
ISBN: 9781572307261

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New to this edition:

• Chapter on standardization, moving beyond the prior editions's focus on best practices.
• Chapter on different types of data sets, with attention to the advantages and disadvantages of using Big Data.
• Addresses the strategic use of key performance indicators.
• Covers the latest content analysis software.