The Red Flags of Research

June 17th, 2008 at 04:52pm Kylie Crull

One of the greatest responsibilities you have as a PR professional is to provide the media and public with accurate and credible information. Disseminating false or inaccurate information is a quick and easy way to tarnish your reputation and lose the trust of the public and news editors. Research is one of the best ways to confirm and validate your information, but there are some red flags you should watch out for.

When determining the credibility of the research information, you want to be aware of the authority of the author. Does the person have expertise in the subject, and what is their reputation or qualifications? Also pay attention to the researcher’s coverage of certain topics. How in-depth is it? If the research is only one-sided, you may run into objectivity issues. Another objectivity red flag is if there are advertisements in the research publication.

For increased accuracy, verify your facts with multiple resources. Aside from being a tool to improve the accuracy of your information, research also helps you scan your environment and be proactive about issues and opportunities for your organization.

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