Decentralization in Sierra Leone - Research for Development

Decentralization in Sierra LeoneAnnex 3 Survey Methodology and Tabulated ResultsSurvey MethodologyA total of 608 questionnaires were completed, divided equally among the four districts.District council wards were used as initial sampling points. Every third ward running fromthe district headquarters along north, south, east and west axes towards the boundaries of thedistrict was sampled. The number of sampling points within each was weighted in to reflectthe population of each ward, estimated from the 2004 census (ward boundaries were revisedin 2008). Within each ward, fieldworkers were instructed to alternate interviews betweenurban-type locations (or chiefdom headquarters towns), peri-urban (or roadside) locations andoff-road villages until their interview quota was used up. Interviewees in these locations wereselected randomly by selecting a readily identifiable landmark (e.g. a crossroads, marketenclosure, or school) and choosing the third compound to the left of it.The fieldworkers worked in pairs, a least one (usually both) fluent the local languages spokenin the district in which they were working. Before going to the field, the fieldworkersattended training sessions in which the overall objectives of the research and the purpose ofspecific questions were discussed. A pilot survey was carried out in WARD and neighbouringdistricts to enable the fieldworkers to get a feel for the research and to test responses to thequestionnaire. There was much discussion among the fieldworkers after the pilot survey onthe best way of translating the survey questions into local idioms and this process greatlyassisted the effectiveness of the survey in remote wards.Fanthorpe Consultancy Ltd Page 70