Session 6: Interviewing, Document Analysis, and Observation

1
Session 6 Interviewing, Document Analysis, and
Observation
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Objectives of Session Six

• Converting Focus Group Data to a Survey
• Discuss Basic Techniques for Document Analysis
• Observation Techniques
• Monday, Feb. 11th
• Formative Design Proposal Due
• Data Assignment handout

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Focus Group to Survey

• Was it difficult to translate your focus group
  findings into survey questions?
• Did you use some of the questions from your focus
  group guide? Did you rephrase questions based on
  the focus group?
• Did you add questions to discern an individuals
  background, characteristics, or experiences?

4
Document Analysis

• Advantages
• Unobtrusive
• Information on program steps/stages
• Service receipt, timing, expenditures
• Time trends and large sample sizes
• Potential sources
• Attendance logs, sign-in and sign-out sheets,
  letters, case notes, legal documents
• Concerns about validity and reliability

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Practical Considerations When Using Program
Records

• Which records correspond to each of the different
  stages?
• What do the records indicate about different
  stages or clients?
• How are these records kept?
• Sampling and coding concerns

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Document Analysis Exercise

• Which sections of the records or which questions
  are likely to produce the most accurate and
  reliable data?
• Which sections or questions might produce the
  most valid measures of client status, need,
  experiences, or characteristics?
• Can you identify dependent variables?
• Can you identify independent variables?

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Observation Techniques

• Utility of method
• Way to gather information on program
  characteristics or implementation
• Think about your research questions in advance
  develop a protocol that guides your observation
  activities
• Train observers, coders ensure reliability
• Participant observation
• Subject reactivity

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Readings for Next Time

• Trochim, Chapter 4 -- pp. 107-32
• Kaplan et al., The Effect of Data Collection
  Mode on Smoking Attitudes and Behavior in Young
  African-American and Latina Women in
  coursepack
• Focus on design issues and findings, not logistic
  regressions