Quantitative Research produces data and information that you can count and measure. All this data is usually put into tables, graphs, charts and diagrams depending on what data you're wanting, this makes it easier for the researcher to find what they're looking for. This kind of research is quick and easy to analyse because the surveys are made up of mostly closed questions.
There are two techniques used in quantitative (primary and secondary research). Primary research is collecting your own data, for example making surveys for people to complete and collect the data.
Secondary research is data that has already been collected a good way of finding secondary data is to read books, magazines and looking online, taking notes. Also researchers can find this information from companies such as 'Rajar' and 'Barb'.
Rajar, Barb and National Readership Survey (NRS) collect data and sell it to media companies that will then use the data as secondary research.
This kind of research is mainly made up of statistics but can be manipulated to make the
data look better than it is, also this kind of data doesn't show why they listen to it, that is 'qualitative research'. Although an upside to this form of research is that it's quick and easy to collect the data from surveys that use mostly closed questions.
Here is an example of quantitative research which was gathered from the Rajar website, this shows listener figures over a three month period in the UK
.