The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication: A Guide to Internal Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, and Leadership

Best Practices in Public Relations Research and Planning

Best practices of public relations research lie in two broad areas: the use of specific research methods and procedures, and the application of measures that examine both the quality and the substance of public relations activities (Stacks, 2010; Stacks & Michaelson, 2010). To begin with, it is important to set clear and well-defined research objectives so that they can contribute to the measurement and evaluation of the program. This is followed by the application of rigorous research design that meets the highest standards of research methods so that it can provide usable and actionable information. And then, detailed supporting documentation needs to be provided with full transparency ...