Immunization and child health materials development guide pdf

2. Decide Which Method Best Meets Your Needs. Before you decide whether to use
qualitative or quantitative audience research, ask whether you really need to know how many
people believe something, or whether it is enough to know what kinds of things people believe,
and why they believe them. In the second case, qualitative research techniques may be more
appropriate. Focus group discussions are often the audience research method of choice for
materials development. Figure 8 offers guidelines for choosing to use, or not to use, qualitative
research.
Figure 8. When Qualitative Research Will and Will Not Meet Your Needs
Qualitative research will meet your needs if you. . . 10
• Do not plan to quantify the information you gather.
• Would rather know how and why than whether and how many.
• Want to learn what your audience believes about a specific subject.
• Want to test the reactions, ideas, and feelings of your audience.
• Want to hear how the audience would describe a subject in their own words.
• Want the freedom to probe beyond initial responses to a question.
• Are searching for reasons behind an attitude or practice.
• Are working with a group that may be resistant to paper-and-pencil methods.
• Believe the range and intensity of opinions are important.
• Are researching sensitive or difficult topics, or intense situations.
Qualitative research will not meet your needs if you. . . 11
• Need statistical data, yes or no answers, or rated, scaled answers.
• Have little control over the research situation.
• Cannot establish trust with the intended audience.
• Cannot ensure free expression of the participants.
• Know that confidentiality is critical and cannot otherwise be protected.
• Know that participants have problems with the social aspects of group
participation.
• Cannot surmount language barriers.
• Have as your true goals organizational analysis and conflict resolution.
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