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Syracuse University Libraries

Communications - Online Master of Science Program

A research starting points guide from Syracuse University Libraries intended for students enrolled in Newhouse School's online Master of Science in Communications program.

MRI Simmons (former names include - Simmons Insights & Simmons Oneview)

A specific set of Simmons data available here called "Simmons Connect" provides metrics of reach, time spent and activity involving consumer interaction with online and mobile technologies.

Some additional notes regarding the Simmons database:

  • The SU Libraries subscription has a fifty (50) simultaneous user limit.
  • SU  NETID login is required to access this content (especially for access from off-campus locations).
  • If when clicking into the database, you receive a compromised webpage security message, click your way thru that by clicking “yes.”..and/or “add exception” – depending on the message you see.

Downtimes:  Simmons software upgrades occur on Wednesdays - 9 PM ET - access restored as soon as possible, but Simmons reserves right to keep the system offline until 6 a.m. ET the following Thursday morning; System maintenance is also performed the first Saturday of each month between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET.

  • In addition to help appearing on this SU Libraries subject guide, Simmons questions can also be directed to Librarian for the Newhouse School, Michael Pasqualoni (315) 443-3715

Simmons Training

MRI-Simmons User Support Site [this is the question mark ? icon visible at upper right corner of the Simmons platform]

  • Includes user guide PDFs (links to some of the more notable guides also listed below), information on how to interpret cross-tabs and quick reports and, for advanced users, a section on study resources with in-depth coverage of the methodology Simmons employs. Guides will appear within the Simmons Support website for some features and content not available to university subscribers (e.g., Data Haul or reporting for local markets data not purchased under the current subscription at Syracuse University)

 

NEW SINCE 2023 - VERSION 2.0:  Simmons users after proceeding into the platform, will see an option on its user interface, upper right corner, to "launch 1.0," which will open up an older MRI-Simmons user interface for creating cross-tabulations, or generating quick reports or Brand Catalyst reports.  Searchers of Simmons data preferring the immediate pre - year 2023 search interface interface can click on "launch 1.0" to return to that previous search interface environment.

TUTORIAL VIDEOS FOR VERSION 2.0:  Instruction Videos for MRI-Simmons Composer 2.0 [24 mins] and Cross-Tab 2.0 [15 mins] 


The new (since 2021) user friendly search option called "Composer" supplements existing options for exploring Simmons data known as the Smart Search and the Dictionary Search.   Also new since 2021 at SU is access on the Simmons platform to the data visualizations tool called "Brand Catalyst."  Brand Catalyst supports creation of personas where those consumer behaviors and preferences can be compared and predicted.

please note: 

  • Ignore references in the guides to use of personal usernames and passwords, not applicable to the access available via SU Libraries
  • Ignore references to features and tools not part of SU's institution wide academic subscription at this time (such as, Sales Catalyst, Omnibus, Data Haul, or Geo-Mapping) || Some are unavailable because of subscription expense/others unavailable because institutional licensing for that tool or data set is not offered to colleges and universities

Video Tutorials- Searching Simmons Insights

Brief introduction to Simmons Insights (5 mins)

Detailed Introduction to Simmons Insights (29 mins)

Citing Simmons

This example assumes one has retrieved data or otherwise built a cross-tabulation using Simmons' adult survey (NHCS)

  • MRI-Simmons (2018).  Winter 2018 NHCS Adult Study 6 Month - Reissued 9/20/2018 [Data File].  Retrieved from Simmons Insights Database.

*Edit your citation accordingly to indicate the survey year one has actually used and/or to reflect instances when the data or cross tabulation comes from a survey (i.e., study) within Simmons of those other than adults (such as the “Simmons Connect” studies).  For example:

  • MRI-Simmons (2018).  Summer 2018 Simmons Connect Plus Study [Data File]. Retrieved from Simmons Insights Database.