Microsoft Word research method fm doc

Select your research assistants, if required, with care.
Choose assistants that are:
— from the same educational level; 

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Research methodology 
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— knowledgeable concerning the topic and local conditions; 
— not the object of study themselves; and 
— not biased concerning the topic (for example, health staff are usually not the best 
possible interviewers for a study on alternative health practices). 
• 
Train research assistants carefully in all topics covered in the field work manual 
as well as in interview techniques
and make sure that all members of the research 
team master interview techniques such as:
— asking questions in a neutral manner; 
— not showing by words or expression what answers one expects; 
— not showing agreement, disagreement or surprise; and 
— recording the answers precisely as they are provided, without sifting or interpreting 
them. 
• 
Pre-test research instruments and research procedures
with the whole research 
team, including research assistants.
• 
Take care that research assistants are not placed under too much stress
(requiring too many interviews a day; paying per interview instead of per day).
• 
Arrange for on-going supervision
of research assistants. If, in case of a larger 
survey, special supervisors have to be appointed, guidelines should be developed for 
supervisory tasks.
• 
Devise methods to assure the quality
of data collected by all members of the 
research team. For example, quality can be assured by:
— requiring interviewers to check whether the questionnaire is filled in completely 
before finishing each interview; 

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— asking the supervisor to check at the end of each day during the data collection 
period whether the questionnaires are filled in completely and whether the recorded 
information makes sense; and 
— having the researchers review the data during the data analysis stage to check 
whether data are complete and consistent.