PALESTINIAN SOCIETY - Fafo

survey. Finding a comprornise that did not sacritice quality was
essential.
The various components ofthe tield work will bedealt with in turn,
highlighting the problems faced and the ways in which they were
overcome or avoided. The tield work proceeded in two stages. Firstly
a pilot project was carried out in Gaza in August 1991 to test the
questionnaire, the sampling methods, the training course and the
control procedures. The valuable experiences gained from this exercise
helped FAFO to plan and carry out the second stage, the main
survey. The collection of data of the main survey took place from mid­
Mayto rnid-July 1992 in both tields. Itwas importanttocollectthe data
in both Gaza and the West Bank at the same time in order to en sure that
accurate comparisons could be made. One incident could have altered
opinions and answers drastically, thus impairing the desired uniform
quality of the data.
Recruitment
The number of tield workers that were hired was determined by the
time-frame for the tield work and its budget. To ensure accuracy and
quality FAFO insisted that each questionnaire be tilled in by two data
collectors. At least one in each team had to be female. This was
necessary because half the respondents were to be women and only
female data collectors could ask them questions on such sensitive
subjects as contraception. FAFO estimated it would need sixty data
co llectors in the West Bank and Jerusalem and forty in Gaza. and it was
decided that tield work would be carried out in the course of two
months.
As in the pilot project, one of FAFO , s concems was to avoid being
linked to and identified with any one organisation or institution. This
would have lessened FAFO's effectiveness in the field since it was
essential for the success of the enterprise to have as wide a base of
support and involvement as possible. An open and pragmatic approach
could also be a practical and desirable way to avoid any
problems arising out of factionalism.
A further requirement was to hire competent, keen, sensible and,
if possible, experienced data collectors. Unfortunately, there are very
few trained and experienced data collectors in the occupied territories,
and FAFO therefore had to concentrate on hiring people who showed
the basic qualities needed.
In November and December 1991 applications were distributed
throughout Iocal universities and research institutions. Local leaders
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