Appendix F: Data Collection Methods at a Glance Method Pros Cons Costs Time to Response Expertise Needed Complete Rate Interviews Gather in-depth, Takes much Inexpensive About 45 People Requires good – face to face detailed info.; info. time and if done in min. per usually interview/conversation and open can be used to expertise to house; can interview; if it fits into skills; formal analysis ended generate survey conduct and be analysis their methods are difficult questions analyze; expensive to can be schedule to potential hire lengthy interview interviewers depending bias possible and/or on method transcribers Open-ended Can add more People often Inexpensive Only adds Moderate to Easy to content questions on detailed do not a few more low analyze a written info. to a answer them; minutes to survey structured survey may be a written difficult to survey; interpret quick meaning of analysis written time statements groups Can quickly get Can be Inexpensive Groups People Requires good info. needs, difficult to run if done in themselves usually interview/conversation community (need a good house; can last about agree if it fits skills; technical attitudes and facilitator) be 1.5 hours into their aspects can be norms; info. can and analyze; expensive to schedule learned easily be used to may be hard hire generate survey to gather 6 to facilitator questions 8 people together
Appendix F: Data Collection Methods at a Glance Method Pros Cons Costs Time to Complete Response Rate Expertise Needed Interviews – face to face and open ended Gather in-depth, detailed info.; info. can be used to generate survey questions Takes much time and expertise to conduct and analyze; potential interview bias possible Inexpensive if done in house; can be expensive to hire interviewers and/or transcribers About 45 min. per interview; analysis can be lengthy depending on method People usually if it fits into their schedule Requires good interview/conversation skills; formal analysis methods are difficult to Open-ended questions on a written survey Can add more detailed info. to a structured survey People often do not answer them; may be difficult to interpret meaning of written statements Inexpensive Only adds a few more minutes to a written survey; quick analysis time Moderate to low Easy to content analyze groups Can quickly get info. needs, community attitudes and norms; info. can be used to generate survey questions Can be difficult to run (need a good facilitator) and analyze; may be hard to gather 6 to 8 people together Inexpensive if done in house; can be expensive to hire facilitator Groups themselves last about 1.5 hours People usually agree if it fits into their schedule Requires good interview/conversation skills; technical aspects can be learned easily
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