2.3: Conduct Research

Plan at least two months to conduct research and analyze behavior. Remember to include time for pretesting and finalizing research tools and selection and training of data collectors. It is also necessary to develop a research budget to ensure that funds are available to conduct research.

Read Decision Making Tool 2.10: Issues to Keep in Mind While Conducting Research, for a list of basic guidelines to follow when conducting quantitative and qualitative research.
Agree on a timeframe for research, including:
- Pretest and completion of research decision making tools;
- Preparation of collection sites;
- Selection and training of data collectors and interviewers;
- Data collection;
- Synthesis of findings and report writing.
Write your plan on Product 2: Overview of Research.

Task 2.3.1: Develop Research Budget

Use Decision Making Tool 2.11: Developing a Research Budget, to calculate the research budget.
Write total budget on Product 2: Overview of Research.

Task 2.3.2: Train Data Collectors

It is important to have enough male and female data collectors so that men can interview/survey men and women can interview/survey women. Using same-gender data collectors increases the openness of the respondents and thus improves the accuracy of the research results.

Read Key Information 2.5: Research Training and 2.6: Skills Needed to Collect Information.
Determine the total number of collectors and interviewers required.
Select data collectors and interviewers.
Record the names and sex of each collector and interviewer on Product 2: Overview of Research.
Using Key Information 2.5: Research Training and 2.6: Skills Needed to Collect Information, conduct training sessions for the data collectors and interviewers on the necessary skills needed for information gathering.

Key Information 2.5: Research Training

Quantitative	Qualitative
Administration – each survey requires one person.	Administration – each interview requires two-persons – one interviewer/facilitator and one note taker.
Necessary collector skills – good questioning skills and ability to follow the questionnaire/survey. Requires good listening skills.	Necessary collector skills – requires good facilitation and/or note taking skills and good listening skills.
Time required per survey – 45 to 60 minutes.	Time required per interview – 1½ to 2 hours.
Estimated workload – up to six per day per person.	Estimated workload – up to three per day per team.
Training topics for collectors – training and familiarization with and use of form through practice; instruction on no interpretation of responses; and diligence in regards to identifying appropriate target audience members and completion of all survey questions.	Training topics for interview teams – training in facilitation and note taking skills; synthesis of data during interviews; flexible questioning style during interview, using follow up questions.

Key Information 2.6: Skills Needed to Collect Information

Use appropriate body language:

Sit where your audience will feel comfortable;
Smile;
Maintain appropriate eye contact;
Dress appropriately;
Acknowledge your audience.

Begin and end well:
Begin:

Discuss something of known interest to your audience, family/work;
Acknowledge audience's experience;
Emphasize their importance.

End:

Thank them;
emphasize importance of their contributions;
acknowledge their assistance.

Ask questions:

Depending on the method used, ask open-ended, close-ended questions, or probing questions;
Listen carefully to responses but do not comment on them.

Explore answers:

Probe, if appropriate to method used;
Allow them time to answer - silence gives you both time to organize your thoughts;
Ask them to further explain their responses as necessary;
Ask about "other's" experiences so that you do not intimidate/embarrass them.

Reflect on their comments regularly to be sure that you have listened and understood their responses.

Step 2 Activities

Step 2 Decision Making Tools

Step 2 Products

Step 2 References