CPRC flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Formative research

Research conducted before a campaign to define the situation, identify audiences, set baselines, and pretest messages; it informs planning rather than judging final results.

Primary research

Data collected firsthand for the specific question at hand, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or observations, giving control over design but usually costing more time and money.

Secondary research

Analysis of existing data such as government statistics, trade reports, academic studies, or media monitoring; faster and cheaper but limited by what others collected and how.

Qualitative methods

Exploratory techniques such as focus groups and in-depth interviews that reveal attitudes, motivations, and language; results are rich but not statistically projectable to a population.

Quantitative methods

Techniques such as surveys and polls that produce numerical data suitable for statistical analysis, allowing estimates of prevalence, magnitude, and differences across audience segments.

Probability sampling

A sampling approach in which every member of the population has a known, nonzero chance of selection, enabling statistical generalization and calculation of margin of error.

Margin of error

A range around a survey estimate indicating sampling uncertainty; at 95% confidence for a proportion near 50%, it is roughly one divided by the square root of sample size.

Validity vs reliability

Validity is whether an instrument measures the intended concept; reliability is whether it produces consistent results on repeated use. A measure can be reliable without being valid.

SMART objectives

Objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, naming the audience, metric, baseline, target, and deadline so success can be judged.

Goal versus objective

A goal is a broad, aspirational statement of desired direction; an objective is a specific, measurable, time-bound result that supports achieving the goal.

Output objectives

Objectives that count what the organization produces, such as media placements, posts, or events; they document activity but do not show audience effect.

Outtake objectives

Objectives that measure what audiences take away-awareness, recall, comprehension, or attitude change-sitting between activity outputs and behavioral outcomes.

Outcome objectives

Objectives that measure changes in behavior, relationships, or organizational results, such as sales, policy adoption, donations, or reduced complaints.

Strategy versus tactics

Strategy is the overall approach, positioning, and rationale for reaching objectives; tactics are the specific tools and activities used to execute that strategy.

Audience segmentation

Dividing a population into groups by demographics, psychographics, geography, or behavior so messages and channels can be tailored; segments are prioritized by influence and reachability.

Key messages

Three to five concise, evidence-backed statements that an organization wants a target audience to remember, repeated consistently across channels and spokespeople.

Media relations

Building relationships with journalists and editors to earn coverage, using tools such as pitches, news releases, media kits, fact sheets, exclusives, and embargoes.

News release

A standardized written announcement structured with a headline, dateline, lead, quotes, boilerplate, and contact information, written in inverted-pyramid order.

Media kit

A package for journalists containing a news release, fact sheet, backgrounder, executive biographies, images, and contact details to support accurate coverage.

Embargo

An agreement that journalists will not publish information before a stated date and time, giving them preparation time in exchange for coordinated coverage.

Exclusive

Offering a story to one outlet before others, trading broad simultaneous coverage for deeper, more prominent treatment by that outlet.

Spokesperson training

Preparing representatives to deliver key messages, handle difficult questions with bridging and flagging techniques, and rehearse question-and-answer sessions before public appearances.

Third-party endorsement

Credibility gained when independent experts, analysts, customers, or influencers speak favorably, which audiences typically trust more than organizational self-promotion.

Holding statement

A brief initial crisis response acknowledging the situation, expressing concern, and promising updates; issued quickly while facts are still being verified.

Outputs versus outcomes

Outputs are products of activity such as clips, posts, and impressions; outcomes are changes in audience awareness, attitudes, behavior, or organizational results.

Impressions

The number of times content could have been seen, counting repetitions; impressions measure opportunity to view, not actual viewing or engagement.

Advertising Value Equivalency

AVE assigns a dollar value to coverage based on equivalent ad space; PRSA and AMEC reject it because it ignores credibility, targeting, sentiment, and outcomes.

Barcelona Principles

Seven principles holding that goal setting and measurement are fundamental, outcomes matter, AVE is not a value, both qualitative and quantitative methods are needed, and methods must be transparent.

Share of voice

The proportion of total category mentions captured by a brand, calculated as brand mentions divided by all category mentions times 100.

Media content analysis

Systematically coding coverage for tone, prominence, key-message inclusion, and call to action; inter-coder reliability checks help ensure consistent judgments.

Return on investment

ROI equals return minus investment, divided by investment, times 100; cost per reach equals total campaign cost divided by reach.

Benchmarking

Comparing results against pre-established baselines, stated objectives, or competitor performance to judge whether the campaign made a meaningful difference.