Marketing

Secondary or extant data (data that is already available) can be very helpful for any marketing research project. Because it is already available, there is no need for you to spend the time or the money to repeat studies or surveys that have already been done. A quick scan of extant data at the beginning of a research project can save a lot of time and help you decide how to best budget your time and resources. Using extant data can also be problematic. If a study was conducted for a different purpose than yours, results may not be exactly applicable to your situation. Also, sometimes it can be just as difficult or expensive to get secondary data as it is to perform the actual research. Therefore, it is important to examine sources of extant data carefully and make good decisions about when it is appropriate to rely on existing information and when you need to conduct primary research yourself.

The purpose of this assignment is to help you understand how these external databases can be valuable to marketing research. This is an “informational” assignment, not directly linked to your final project. In this assignment, you will be identifying and describing 3 data sources (i.e. databases that collect data that is available for external users) that could be beneficial to marketing researchers. DO NOT describe a “type” of secondary source (i.e., Journal, Newspaper, etc.), but rather, you should be describing 3 specific sources of secondary data (i.e., U.S. Census Bureau). As you go through the questions below, keep your sections together (following the template makes this easy), i.e., in your section, Description of Sources, describe each of the data sources. In your second section, Research Design, describe the research design of each of the data sources, etc. And remember, you are describing 3 sources of secondary data for Marketing Research, not necessarily your specific project. Again, you are describing secondary sources of data (typically a database) available for general use, not specific articles/websites or categories of sources relating to specific research. As mentioned above, an example is the U.S. Census Bureau (that is 1, should you choose to use it).

Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to successfully identify sources of data and understand how that information influences the creation of the marketing research design.

First, identify a minimum of three sources of data. Using the data and your own research, write a 1,500-2,000 Word Research Design following APA 7th Edition Style Rules. Include the following criteria:

1. A brief, 100-Word Descriptive Summary for each of three data sources that can be used to collect secondary data.

2. A description of the research the design used by each of these three sources of data.

3. A description of the type of data each of these three sources collects (qualitative/quantitative), with the rationale for why this type of data is best for the source.

4. A description of the data collection method used by each of these three sources, with procedures.

5. A description of the population each of these three sources uses as its source of data.

6. A description of sampling size, frame, and technique used by each of these three data sources.

Your Research Design must include at least 2 Scholarly References (and associated in-text citations) from sources such as trade journals, academic journals, and websites from professional marketing associations (including the course text).

Prepare this assignment according to the Formatting and Style Rules of the APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition (2020). You can find guidelines in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric and has a template. Please review the rubric and template prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You ARE REQUIRED to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Any reviews showing 20% or greater matching to existing works will be reviewed and may lose points. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

Additional Note: In-text citations MUST BE USED and have corresponding references in accordance with APA Style rules! Generally speaking, most every paragraph should have At Least one in-text citation. Remember, this assignment should reference and cite at least 2 Scholarly Sources (one should be the course text).

Wikipedia IS NOT a scholarly source and is an inappropriate reference for 400-Level College writing.

A Note on Direct Quotes: This is a Senior-level class. Direct quotes should be used sparingly (only when absolutely necessary to maintain the original meaning). Paraphrasing (with in-text citations) is preferred as this substantiates your thoughts and ideas while demonstrating your ability to analyze and evaluate the information you are researching and still credits your sources (vs. your ability to copy and paste).