Primer of Public Relations Research [Hardcover]

Don W. Stacks PhD (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2002 | ISBN-10: 1572307269 | ISBN-13: 978-1572307261 | Edition: 1

This authoritative guide provides comprehensive coverage of the various research methods available to public relations practitioners. Written in a practical and direct style, the book takes readers step by step through the various elements of designing, conducting, and reporting PR-related research in both corporate and nonprofit settings. Informal and formal research methodologies are discussed in depth, including clear guidelines for using secondary sources, case studies, observational approaches, content analysis, sampling, survey research, and more. Demystifying statistical concepts and methods, the book provides detailed instructions for using SPSS, the widely available statistical software package. Numerous concrete examples, sample research tools and reports, and computer screen shots enhance the utility of the book, as do helpful review questions and practice problems at the end of each chapter.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Given the increased importance of research in virtually every aspect of public relations practice, a book like this is long overdue. The entire field clearly benefits from this practical introduction and overview. Including many valuable suggestions for everyday practice, the book deals both with how to conduct research and how to include research strategically in the setting of public relations objectives. The full range of research methodologies is addressed; statistics are treated in a readable manner; and software for analyzing research data is explained in depth. I'm delighted to see the publication of this book. Stacks does a wonderful job of explaining the complexities of research in terminology that practitioners and students will understand."--Donald K. Wright, Department of Communication, University of South Alabama; Director, Public Relations Executive Forum

"This book will undoubtedly make a major contribution to public relations research education. Its clarity and breadth of scope make it equally appropriate for undergraduates preparing to enter the job market, graduate students in master's or doctoral programs, and working professionals seeking greater research application ability. Unusually well written and easy to understand, the book serves the multiple knowledge needs that we confront in public relations education."--Melvin L. Sharpe, College of Communication, Information, and Media, Ball State University

"Many public relations practitioners avoid using research in their day-to-day work. There are several excuses: good research takes time and money; some practitioners want to avoid accountability for what they do and how they do it; and the way many of us learned research methods in college made the subject seem boring, difficult, and tedious. In this book, Don Stacks shoots down nearly every excuse for not using research, showing how it can be accessible, affordable, and even fun. In his usual engaging style, Stacks gives practitioners a better understanding of what research is and how it can help them."--John W. Felton, President and CEO, Institute for Public Relations

"Don W. Stacks is universally recognized in the public relations scholar/educator community as a superb research methodologist. In this easy-to-read volume, he explains clearly and simply the rationale and need for research; identifies meaningful criteria for selecting appropriate methodologies; and provides explicit instructions for conducting and interpreting research--all within a professional context using public relations examples. This book is an important contribution to the public relations literature."--Dean Kruckeberg, APR, Fellow PRSA, Department of Communication Studies, University of Northern Iowa

About the Author

Don W. Stacks, PhD, is Professor and Director of the Program in Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Miami School of Communication. The author or coauthor of six books and more than 60 articles in referred journals, Dr. Stacks is an award-winning educator and researcher, a frequent conference presenter, and an active member of several professional organizations.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 318 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press; 1 edition (February 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572307269
• ISBN-13: 978-1572307261
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #461,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers both formal and informal research methodology, May 6, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primer of Public Relations Research (Hardcover)

Primer Of Public Relations Research by Don W. Stacks (Professor and Director of the Program in Advertising and Public Relations, University of Miami School of Communication) is a comprehensive survey of research methods used by Public Relations professionals in all walks of business. Individual chapters cover both formal and informal research methodology, from simple case studies to experiments, statistical reasoning, and computer analysis. Erudite, heavily researched, first rate reading, Professor Stacks' Primer Of Public Relations Research is strongly recommended reading for students of seeking degrees or enhancing their expertise in the fields of Business Management, Corporate Public Relations, and Human Resource Management.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well Researched, But Difficult to Read, August 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Primer of Public Relations Research (Hardcover)

As someone with an interest in the applications of research towards public relations, I have been a fan of Dr. Stacks's many publications. I eagerly anticipated this work by the famed University of Miami professor. I have long seen how his studies have a practical bent. Combined with Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired, Dr. Stacks's work has had a strong impact in how I conduct my business.

That said, I must admit to one disappointment with this work. While I appreciated the fine preparation put into this volume and the many bases it must cover, the writing frequently suffers from its inability to be comprehended. While I did not expect Dr. Seuss, and I am well aware that Dr. Stacks is very erudite, I often found myself rereading passages several times and still not quite being sure of what was being said.

While this is a very informative work, I would advise people to always have a dictionary handy if they should choose to tackle what is an otherwise very satisfying text.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars PR text primed for success, October 19, 2003

By 

Keith Orlando Hilton (Stockton, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primer of Public Relations Research (Hardcover)

First let me confess that I am a print journalism professor in a communication department that is top-heavy with public relations and broadcast students. However in addition to being responsible for building a state-of-the-art print journalism program at my mid-sized university, I also have the enjoyment of teaching a communication theory course to upperclasspersons and a survey course in mass communications to freshmen, exploratory and non-communication students. (I even once actually went over to the "dark side" and taught PR writing one semester.) With that confession out on the table, I offer a second one; once I started reading Primer of Public Relations, I could not put it down, because it is timely, interdisciplinary, and filled with bottom-line strategies for producing "return on investment" research that will continue to strengthen communications as a discipline in higher education. Professors who teach theory or research methods may find Primer helpful as a supplementary text. Graduate PR students conducting research may also find it invaluable. For me, one of the most select ways to evaluate Don Stacks' timely book was to examine the traditional image of public relations in relation to journalism and media studies and also to re-visit the emerging place of research in public relations. Although the book deserves high marks for its writing style, at times it still falls into the conservative writing style that is too common in research literature. Inserting a few colorfully anecdotes or narratives may broaden its appeal and make it more student-friendly. In addition, as an African American professor, I found the book lacking frontline examples of diversity that would possibly lengthen its shelf life with scholars and practitioners interested in this as a research area. However, Stacks has demonstrated that much like advertising and journalism, public relations has become more research oriented in recent years.