Can I communicate effectively to people with average or good reading skills by using a low-literacy format?
Formal methods used to find out more about the target audience include: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Surveys Surveys that measure the respondent’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices on a specific topic are conducted by telephone, by mail, or face-to-face with members of the target audience. Advantages: Provide highly targeted, directly relevant information; can provide estimates representative of the total population. Disadvantages: Require time, statistical expertise, and resources to conduct; need a mechanism for locating and reaching large numbers of your target audience. Mail surveys are inappropriate for most low- literate readers. Focus Groups A facilitator, preferably one who has characteristics in common with the target audience (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, shared experiences), conducts 1- to 2-hour group discussions with 6 to 10 representatives of the target audience. Advantages: Require fewer audience representatives than other research methods; help explain why an
