F-test
Test of the probability that a particular calculated value could have been due
to chance.


Face validity
The intuitive test of whether a measurement seems to measure what it is
suppose to measure.


Factor
A variable that is controlled or manipulated by the researcher.  May also be
known as the independent variable or factor.


Factor analysis
Procedure for data simplification through reducing the many rating scales (or
set of variables) used by the researcher to a smaller set of factors or composite
variables by identifying dimensions underlying the data.


Factor loadings
The correlation between each factor score and each of the original variables.


False accuracy
An unwarranted illusion of accuracy provided by details, such as statistics
quoted to two decimal places.


Family
As defined by The Bureau of the Census, two or more persons who are related
by birth, marriage, or adoption and who live together as one household.
Families do not include one-person households or those having two or more
unrelated individuals.


Fertility rate
General fertility rate is the number of births a year per 1,000 women aged 15
to 44. Total fertility rate is the number of live births per 1,000 women in their
lifetime


Field experiments
Tests conducted outside the laboratory in an actual market environment.


Field management companies
Firms that provide support services such as questionnaire formatting screener
writing, and data collection to full-service research companies.


Field service
Collection of survey data.


Final report
The document that the researcher develops at the conclusion of the research
project. Its length varies, but a typical final report includes several sections: a
summary of the methodology used, a review of the key findings, and the
conclusions or interpretations of what the findings mean in light of the research
objectives. Some final reports also contain a recommendations section
containing suggestions for the client's next steps based on the conclusions of
the research.


Findings
The portion of the final report wherein the facts from the research are
summarized. The findings section does not interpret the information but reports
the findings on which the interpretation will be based.


Finite population correction factor (FPC)
An adjustment to the required sample size that is made in those cases in which
the sample is expected to be equal to 5 percent or more of the total population.


Fixed field
A way of laying out or formatting list information in a computer file that puts
every piece of data in a specific position relative to every other piece of data. 
If a piece of data is missing from an individual record, that space is not filled. 
Any piece of data exceeding its assigned space limitation must be abbreviated
or contracted.


Fixed personality association
A projective moderation technique in which participants are shown pictures of
people, places or things and asked to interpret them in regard to the topic.
Fixed personality associations use the same pictures over an extended period
of time rather than varying them so that norms are created that may apply to
a large number of sessions.


Focus group
A qualitative market research technique in which a group of participants
(approx. 10) of common demographics, attitudes, or purchase patterns are led
through a discussion of a particular topic by a trained moderator.


Focus group facility
Facility consisting of conference or living room settings and an observation
room connected to each other by a one-way mirror. In addition, a facility
normally provides a variety of services such as recruiting the participants,
providing food, procuring competitive product samples and videotaping the
sessions.


Focus group moderator
The person hired by the client to lead the focus group.


Forecast
An estimate, based on assumptions about future trends in births, deaths and
migration, or of a demographic characteristic such as population or number of
households. Forecasts and projections are terms that are often used
interchangeably.


Frame error
Error resulting from an inaccurate or incomplete sample frame.


Frequency
A measure of how often an event occurs; a count of the number of subjects
falling in the different categories.


Fresh participants
Focus group participants who have never participated in a session previously,
or not for several years.


Full group
A focus group with eight to 10 participants. A small group (2-5) is normally
referred to as a mini-group.


Full text database
Index containing the full text of source documents, such as articles.