Objectives
The information to be developed from a study to serve the project's purpose.


Observation
The value that the variable assumes for a single unit of the sample.


Observation research
Descriptive research that monitors respondents' actions without direct
interaction. Sometimes called a quasi-experiment.


Observation room
The room from which client personnel observe and listen to focus group
proceedings through a one-way mirror. Also called the back room or viewing
room.


Occupancy status
Housing unit classification as occupied or vacant.


OCR (optical character reader)
Automatic computer input process whereby the computer scanner is able to
read printed characters and convert them to electronic data.


ODBC
(open database connectivity) 
Common standard for relational databases, allowing programs a standard
interface for querying and extracting data from any compliant database.


Omnibus panel
Study over time in which the sponsoring research company defines the
audience to be surveyed and the intervals between studies. Numerous clients
participate by submitting proprietary questions.  Generally clients only receive
results from their proprietary questions and general demographic questions.


On-air testing
Testing used to measure the impact of television and radio after they have
begun to run on the air.


One-group pretest-post test design
Pre-experimental design with pre and post measurements but no control group.


One-on-one
A qualitative research technique in which a moderator interviews one
participant.


One-shot case study
Pre-experimental design with no control group and an after measurement only.


One-way frequency table
A table showing the number of responses to each answer of a survey question.


One-way mirror
A special mirror that permits observers to watch the proceedings in the focus
group without the participants being able to see the observers. Virtually all
focus groups are conducted in a room separated from an observation area by
a one-way mirror.


Open observation
The process of monitoring people who know they are being watched.


Open-ended question
A question that has no pre-listed answers which requires the respondent to
answer is his or her own words. Also known as a subjective question.


Operational definition
Defines which observable characteristics will be measured and the process for
assigning a value to the concept.


Optical scanner
A data processing device that can electronically read responses on
questionnaires.


Ordinal scale
Identifies categories of the variable which can be ranked from smallest to the
largest, but the distance between observations is not meaningful. An example
would be a question which attempts to record the degrees of opinions using
terms such as poor, fair, good and excellent.


Out-migration
Movement from a given area of a country to another area of the same country.


Over-recruit
The extra people who are recruited for a focus group to compensate for the
inevitable no-shows.