Ask a market research report where its numbers come from
A market research report sells a headline number, a market size or growth rate, but its value depends on how the market was defined, who was surveyed and what the forecast assumes. Upload the report to a Search+ workspace, ask how a figure was produced, and open the cited passage to read the definition, sample and assumptions before you put the number in a plan or a deck.
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Last updated October 2026
How to read a market research report with Search+
- Upload the report and its methodology annex
Add the report and any separate methodology note or data appendix; data tables delivered as Excel files can go in the same workspace. Definitions and sample details are often in the annex rather than the main text.
- State what you need in Workspace Context
For example: "I need a defensible market size for small accounting firms in North America; flag where the report's definition differs". That applies to every question you ask.
- Ask about the number, then the method
Ask for the figure, then ask how the market was defined, what period it covers and how the forecast was built. Open each citation to read the passage it rests on.
Questions people ask about a market research report
What market size does the report give, for which year, and in which currency?
How does the report define the market, and what is included or excluded?
Is the estimate based on a survey, desk research, company data or a model, and what is the sample?
What growth rate does the report forecast, and what assumptions drive it?
Which segment does the report say is growing fastest, and on what evidence?
Which companies does the report name as leaders, and what measure does it use to rank them?
What reading market research well needs
Two reports can give very different sizes for what sounds like the same market because they include different products, regions or customer types. Always ask for the definition.
A current market size is an estimate; a figure for future years is a forecast resting on assumptions. Ask which you are looking at.
For survey-based findings, the sample size, who was asked and when determine how far a percentage can be trusted. These usually sit in the methodology section.
Figures may be in a base year's currency or converted at a stated rate. Ask the report which before comparing it with another source.
Every answer cites the excerpt it used, with a page or section reference when the report provides one. Search+ does not invent locations the report does not contain.
Ask for a summary of the whole report or one chapter, written in chat with citations.
Parts of a market research report and what to ask
| Part | What it usually covers | A question to ask Search+ |
|---|---|---|
| Executive summary | Headline size, growth, key trends | What headline figures does the summary give, and for which year? |
| Market definition and scope | What counts as the market | What does the report include in and exclude from this market? |
| Methodology | Sources, survey, model, sample | How was the market size estimated? |
| Segmentation | By product, customer, region, channel | How is the market split by region? |
| Forecast | Growth projections and drivers | What assumptions drive the forecast? |
| Competitive landscape | Key players and positioning | Which companies are named as leaders, and on what measure? |
What is a market research report?
A market research report is a document that describes a market, typically its size, growth, segments, customers, trends and competitors, based on surveys, interviews, company data, desk research or models, produced by a research firm, consultancy or in-house team.
Market research report questions
Can Search+ tell me how a market size was calculated?
Can it compare two reports' market sizes?
Can it find the survey sample size?
Does it read the data tables?
Can I ask across a whole library of reports?
Can I put the answer straight into a deck?
Know what the headline number means
Start a workspace, upload the report and its methodology, and ask how the figures were produced.
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