Instructor: Cynthia R. Morton, Ph.D., 2082 Weimer Hall
Office Hours: M/10-12; TR/10-12 and by appt.
Phone: 392-8841Email:
ADV 3500: Advertising Research (Section 9212)
T/7, 8:R/ 7 (FLG 260)
Course Description
Advertising Research involves the acquisition, evaluation, and analysis of information for advertising decisions. Emphasis is given to four primary areas: 1) understanding the scientific method for answering brand- and marketing communications-based questions 2) developing explicit and measurable research objectives, 3) selecting appropriate methodologies for measuring those objectives, and 4) analyzing data.
Course Prerequisites
The prerequisites for ADV 3500 are a minimum grade of C in ADV 3008 (formerly ADV3001), STA 3023 or 2122, and MAR 3023.
Course Objectives
The objectives of the course are as follows:
- To familiarize students with research as a discipline, particularly in terms of its importance to making marketing and advertising decisions.
- To acquaint students with a range of techniques commonly used in advertising, marketing, and mass communication.
- To give students a practical orientation of the activities involved in planning, organizing, executing, analyzing, and reporting research.
This course is a general introduction to advertising research, but it is not intended to provide you with the skills of a seasoned advertising research person. However, by the end of this course you will have an appreciation for the job of the research professional and the process involved in making sound marketing and advertising decisions.
Textbook/Supplemental Packets
-Advertising Research: Theory and Practice (1997)by Joel J. Davis. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. The textbook can be purchased at the University of Florida Bookstore. (required)
-Lecturer’s notes will be made available on the course Web link
Lecture Notes Caveat: Students relying entirely on the notes packet should understand that the notes are merely an overview, if not an introduction, to the depth that will be explored in class discussion. Therefore, students are cautioned to use the notes only as a supplement to regular attendance, class participation, and “old fashioned” note taking.
Grading Criteria
Letter grades for this course will be based on the total points accumulated over the term. Students who earn a C or better will fulfill the ADV 3500 requirement for graduating with a degree in advertising and will not be required to retake to course.
The student’s overall course grade will be based on the following criteria:
Point Allocation
Exams*(3 in-class exams worth
35 pts each) / 105
Project Part I:
Secondary Research / 30
Project Part II:
Qualitative Research / 45
- Project Part III: Quantitative Research
- Research Presentation
Written Research Proposals (2 worth 20 points each) / 40
- In-class quizzes/exercises
- Attendance
Total
/ 330* There will be no final exam.
In addition to the areas specified above, you will be asked to evaluate the contribution of each team member at every phase of the group project. These peer evaluations serve as an additional consideration in the instructor’s allocation of individual grades. For example, if the team’s secondary research project receives 35 points, but peer evaluations scores result in a below-average mean for an individual (i.e., mean=30), that team member’s individual grade will reflect a score in accordance with the team’s assessment.
The grading scale for the course is as follows:
297 – 330 = A (90th percentile)
284 – 296 = B+(86th percentile)
264 – 283 = B(80th percentile)
251 – 263 = C+(76th percentile)
231 – 250 = C(70th percentile)
218 – 230 = D+(66th percentile)
198 – 217 = D(60th percentile)
Below 197 = E(below 60%)
Exams
Exams will be held in class during the regularly scheduled class period. Exams are designed to test the student’s knowledge of the main ideas covered in the text chapters, class discussions, and exercises covered within the exam unit specified by the syllabus. The general exam format is a mixed bag of multiple choice and short essay questions. The exams will be graded on a 35-point scale.
Exam grades will be posted to the course web link by a self-assigned four-digit PIN number given to the instructor at the beginning of the semester. The PIN number can notbe a UF-ID number nor should it include any portion of the student’s SSN number. Students who do not wish to have their grades posted should notify the instructor during the specified exam period. A course web link will be operational for the Fall 2008 as a means for posting grades by PIN #. The course web address is:
There will be no formal in-class review following each exam. Students who would like to review their performance more closely after the exam are encouraged to meet with the instructor individually following the posting of exam grades.
Make Up Exams
Students are limited to one make up exam per semester. A make-up exam will be given in the event that extenuating circumstances cause a student to miss a regularly scheduled exam. No make-up exams will be allowed without proper documentation of illness, death in the family, or other suitably traumatic event.If you must miss an exam for one of these reasons, documentation is required at least 24-hours before the day of the exam and must be approved by the instructor before the student sits for the make-up exam. The instructor reserves to right to create a new exam that covers the same materials that were tested on the regular exam. Moreover, the replacement exam may be in the form of an essay test. If a student misses the scheduled time for the make-up exam, s/he forfeits his/her opportunity to replace the missed exam grade and will receive a failing grade for that exam.
Team Project
The research project is meant to provide students with a practical orientation of the activities involved in planning, organizing, executing, analyzing, and reporting research. Students are responsible for forming research teams of 6 to 8 individuals with whom they are expected to work throughout the semester. Your team will act as an agency research group charged with developing a copy platform for an assigned brand that will result in the successful win of the account from the present agency of record. You will conduct research in three stages (secondary, qualitative, and quantitative/final) and present your findings in the form of a written report to the client at the conclusion of the research process. While each segment of the report will be graded independently from other segments, the parts, when taken together, should demonstrate a cumulative growth in your understanding of the brand in terms of its potential appeal to the consumer. Your target market for research is college students. More details will be provided about the team project in a separate handout.
Written Assignments
The goal of the written assignments is to help you better understand the concepts explored in class and to acquire skills applicable to the industry. Similar to all assignments submitted for a grade, written assignments should 1) represent the individual’s own original work (unless otherwise stated), 2) be typed or word-processed, 3) on 8 ½ x 11” paper with the student’s name, the course name, and date of submission, and 4) submitted at the beginning of the class on the day it is due. No late, missed or revised assignments will be accepted without advanced approval from the course instructor.
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is an important issue of concern at the University of Florida. Students who violate University rules on scholastic integrity are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and dismissal from the University. All individual or group work submitted for academic credit should be the original work of the individual or individuals seeking credit. Materials used to support an individual’s or group’s efforts should be appropriately cited in a bibliography or footnotes section of the work. Plagiarized work in which an individual takes credit for a work product that is not exclusively his/her own and cases where the individual shares work with other authors and submits the work for individual credit are viewed as a breach of the University’s Honor Code.
On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is implied:
“On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.”
Extra Credit
At various times throughout the semester, you will have an opportunity to earn extra credit. Extra credit opportunities that require participation that goes beyond regular class time will be announced as much in advance as possible in order to give students time to make any necessary arrangements.
Students With Special Challenges
I am committed to helping students with special challenges overcome difficulties with comprehending the subject matter, while abiding by the standard code of confidentiality. In order to address special academic needs, I must be informed of the student’s circumstance at the beginning of the semester before performance becomes a factor. This is not to imply that standards of fairness will not be generally applied when evaluating student work; only that reasonable and appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that officially recognized challenges do not become a hindrance to a student’s ability to succeed in this course. Students affected by such challenges should provide me with an official statement from the Office of Student Services explaining his/her situation.
Attendance
Random attendance checks will be taken on at least one day of every week during the semester. Students will be allowed three absences over the 15 weeks of the semester without loss of points from their attendance points total. Students should be cautioned that his/her record of attendance could have direct impact on his/her understanding of the course materials, as performance on quizzes, in-class exercises, and homework assignments could be influenced by the student’s exposure to concepts discussed in class. Furthermore, there is direct relationship between habitual unexcused absences and your final grade.
Personal Emergencies/ Excused Absences
It shall be the student’s responsibility to advise me of any personal emergency that might affect his/her performance in the course. In the case of an emergency or an extenuating circumstance that causes you to miss class over an extended period of time, please notify me as soon as possible via telephone, e-mail, or message in the department office. The student will be held responsible for missed class notes, handouts, and any announcements made in his or her absence.
Occasionally, a student’s participation in extracurricular organizations (e.g., Ad Society, UF Marching Band, UF Athletics, etc.) will require that s/he miss class to participate in organizationally sponsored events. Under such circumstances students are required 1) to provide the instructor with appropriate documentation from the sponsoring organization prior to his or her absence from class and 2) to make the necessary accommodations with his/her classmates for retrieving missed class notes, handouts, and any announcements made in his or her absence.
Cell-phones/ personal communication devices
All cell phones or other personal communication devices that may serve as distractions to the learning environment should be turned "off" or not brought during class. If there is an emergency situation or you are expecting one, make certain that those who might contact you have the number to Florida Gymnasium (352) 392-5084 where they can contact a secretary who can relay the message to you.
The Use of Electronic Devices in Class
Personal electronics such as notebook computerscan be useful tools for enhancing the education process, managing course information, note taking, and stimulating ideas that contribute to in-class discussion. However, they can also be a source of distraction to a student and his/her peers if used inappropriately (i.e., Web cruising social networking, doing assignments for other courses, etc.). The latter circumstance not only detracts from the quality of the learning experience, but may also compromise the student’s ability to digest the lecture content satisfactorily. Should you choose to employ your personal computer during the lecture sessions, you are entrusted with using personal technology responsibly and in a way that complements your role as a professional and as an apprentice of advertising research.
*Tentative* Course Schedule
The following represents a tentative outline of topics that will be covered over the course of the semester. Although we will make every effort to adhere to the schedule, it may become necessary to adjust topic order, presentation timetables, or assignment due datesorder accommodate time constraints and unforeseen circumstances. In the event of scheduling modifications, the instructor will update the course web link and advise the class as necessary. Please consult the course web link weekly to stay current on due dates for readings, assignments, and deadlines.
Day/Date / Topic / Readings/Assignments(T) 1/8 / - Course Introduction & Syllabus Review
- Individual Introductions / Lecture (no assigned readings)
(R) 1/10 / - The Nature of Advertising Research / Ch.1
- Team Project Part I Memo handout
(T) 1/15 / -The Process of Advertising Research
-Team Formation/Part I Assignment / Ch.2
(R) 1/17 / -Secondary Research / Ch 5
- Student bio sheet/PIN# due (2)[1]
(T) 1/22 / -Secondary Research Defined: Uses, Advantages & Limitations
- Using Secondary Research to Understand the Situation / Chs.5, 24 (Davis)
(R) 1/24 / - Secondary Research: Audience Measurement
Tools & Competitive Strategies / Chs. 24, 25
(T) 1/29 / - Reading Secondary Data: SMRB & MRI /
- Take home assignment due R (1/31)
(R) 1/31 / - Secondary Data Analysis: Identifying Problems and Opportunities
(T) 2/5 / Evaluating Problems and Opportunities toward a Research reco.
Day/Date / Topic / Readings/Assignments
(R) 2/7 / EXAM #1 / Davis Chs. 1-2, 5, 24 25
(T) 2/12 / -Primary Research- The Ethics of Advertising Research / Chs. 3, 6
- Project Part I: Secondary Research (due)
- Peer Evaluation #1 due
(R) 2/14 / - Planning for research: The Research Proposal (Qualitative Research) /
- Pt II Memo Handout
(T) 2/19 / Qualitative Research
-Question Techniques / Chs. 9,10
(R) 2/21 / -Focus Groups: Recruiting & Planning
(T) 2/26 / - Focus Groups: Constructing the Discussion Guide
- Moderator’s Skills
(R) 2/28 / - Analyzing Qualitative Data /
- Ch 11
(T) 3/4 / -Evaluating Qualitative Results
-Reporting Qualitative Findings /
- In class exercise
- Qualitative Research Proposal due
(R) 3/6 / EXAM #2 / Chs. 3, 6, 9-11
w/o 3/10 / SPRING BREAK WEEK
(No Class Meetings)
(T) 3/18 / -[Quantitative] Measurement in Advertising Research
- Planning for research: The Research Proposal (Quantitative Research) / Ch. 12
- Project Part II: Qualitative Research (due)
- Peer Evaluation #2 due
- Project Pt III Memo Handout
(R) 3/20 / - Question Development / Ch. 13
(T) 3/25 / - Questionnaire Design / Ch 14
- Class Handout on Sampling
(R) 3/27 / - Sampling* /
- Quantitative Research Proposal due
Day/Date / Topic / Readings/Assignments
(T) 4/1 / -Data Coding for SPSS
-SPSS Tutorial: Coding & Data Input / Appendix A
(Class Location TBA)
(R) 4/3 / - SPSS Tutorial: Coding & Data Input / (Class Location TBA)
(T) 4/8 / - Analysis of Quantitative Data: Descriptive Statistics / Ch.15
(R) 4/10 /
- Reporting Research
/- In Class Exercise (4)
(T) 4/15 / - Re-focusing on the Big Picture (The Marketing Recommendation)
- The Comprehensive Research Presentation
- Project Q & A /
- Ch.4
(R) 4/17 / EXAM #3 / Chs. 8, 13-15
(T) 4/22 / - Team Presentations /
- Comprehensive Research Project (include parts I and II included) due at beginning of class
- Peer Evaluation #3 due
Final course grades will be posted by the student’s specified PIN number during the final exam week (specific date to be announced). A final grade sheet will be posted to the course web link, as well as on the bulletin board outside of the instructor’s office. Because University policy prohibits the instructor from communicating grades by telephone or email, students leaving campus before the designated posting time are advised to retrieve final course grades via ISIS.
ADV 3500/p.1/Morton
Fall 2004
[1] Numbers in parenthesis indicates number of class credits the completed exercise is worth. Completed exercises must adhere thoroughly to the assignment instructions. Full credit will be awarded at the discretion of the instructor on review of the submitted work.