MARK 4378 - Marketing Research

Spring 2006

Syllabus

INSTRUCTOR: Wm. W. Thompson, PhD
OFFICE: BA 120C
OFFICE HOURS: 9:45 – 10:35 Monday thru Thursday
PHONE: 381-2827 or 797-1166 (Home)
E-MAIL: wwthompson@panam.edu or drtee3@mac.com
TEXT: Marketing Research: The Impact of the Internet, Carl McDaniel and Roger Gates, 6th
edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005.
PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS: Marketing research exists to give marketing management the
necessary information to make decisions that will affect the future of their organizations. The
performance of marketing research can be conducting using both internal and external data
sources, either using sales data or consulting existing external databases. The focus of this
course is directed toward learning how to solve marketing problems and developing research
projects to obtain information needed to make inappropriate decisions.
This is a basic research course wherein students will learn the basics of questionnaire design,
sampling procedures, focus groups, and developing sources of data. Analysis procedures will
be discussed and methods for reporting findings will be illustrated. The Internet will be used as
a primary source of information and methods for conducting research via the net will be
discussed. Hopefully, the student successfully completing this course will become a better
consumer/user of marketing research and will know how to interact with research firms who
might be used to conduct research.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
Students in this class will be expected to demonstrate:
1. An understanding of major marketing research firms and practitioners.
2. Ability to develop various types of data collection instruments.
3. An understanding of sampling methodology
4. Awareness of hypothesis testing and statistical tests of significance.
5. Knowledge of major means for obtaining data; observation, survey, experiments and
library research.
6. Ability to present research findings in both written and oral presentations using
presentation software, such as PowerPoint.
7. Ability to access the Internet to obtain data from published databases.
8. Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving abilities.
MARK 4378 - Syllabus Spring 2006
PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND REWARDS:
There shall be three tests during this term. Each shall cover approximately one-third of the text.
The tests will be designed to determine if the student has achieved the learning objectives of
each chapter and the will be a combination of multiple-choice and fill-in- the blank. Each test
will be worth 100 points, or approximately 20% of the total course grade.
300 pts. TESTS … all tests are equal in value and will cover approximately the same
amount of information from the text.
200 pts. RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT: This assignment will be undertaken as a
group project and all members of each group will receive the grade assigned to
the group’s presentation. Individual grades will be adjusted up or down based
upon a peer evaluation at the end and the amount of contribution made be each.
Up to 100 pts. POP QUIZZES: and in-class assignments. Values to be announced when
assignments or quizzes are announced.
ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to be in class for each meeting. The lecture is intended
to elaborate upon the concepts in the text and most of the test content will come from the
lecture. The roll will be taken each day and bonus points will be assigned on the following
basis: 0-1 cut = 3 pts. 2 - 3 cuts = 1 pt. Over 5 cuts will result in a penalty of 1 point off for each
cut beyond the third. The bonus points (or penalty) will be used to adjust your average on all
work in the course.
MAKE-UP POLICY: Make-up tests will be given only in the case of last minute emergencies.
Should you find you will be unable to take a test at the scheduled time, you must notify me
prior to the hour of the tests or you will not be able to take a make-up. If you cannot notify me
in advance, come as soon as possible to my office and be prepared to take the test immediately,
should I determine you have a valid reason for having missed the test. Lacking this, you will be
obliged to take the test on the date immediately preceding the next scheduled test.
GRADING: A = 90+, B = 80+, C = 70+, D = 60+, F = Below 60.
TARDINESS: You are expected to be on time for every class. If, for any reason, the teacher is
late, you are expected to wait until he arrives or until word is sent to the class. There is no time
limit on how long you should wait for any teacher, so wait the entire period unless dismissed.
Use the time to study or do group projects.
CELL PHONE POLICY: Students are not permitted to receive cell phone calls while in the
class. If you receive a call you are to power off you phone. Please put the phone on silent ring
when you enter the room. Anyone who leaves the room after receiving a cell call to speak with
someone will be expected to take their books with them and they will be marked absent for that
day.
IMPORTANT ADA NOTICE: Individuals with disabilities needing special accommodations
should contact the Dean’s office at 381-1311 so that appropriate
arrangements can be made.