Pilot Study

This is a small-scale empirical ‘testing’ of the validity of research methods and/or a sample, usually used before engaging in more large-scale research. For instance, if a researcher was planning to conduct a questionnaire-based survey of followers of a particular football team, they might first distribute the questionnaire to a small sample of supporters to see if the questions asked were understandable and if these questions (and the sample selected) were able to provide the kinds of data/information they were hoping to gather.

Piloting can be used with most method types, such as interviews, questionnaires, focus group, content analysis, experiments, and so on. It is an important, but all too often overlooked, stage in the research process. Researchers are usually pressed for time, finances or only have a limited sample to choose from and so will try to avoid undertaking a pilot study, but piloting can prove crucial as it can uncover important flaws in the method, tools or sample, which could in [Page 160]the long run significantly undermine (or even render useless) the research.