Data Collection Methods and Tools:
During the planning process of the M&E study that you are going to conduct you will need to decide what data and information to collect to support you in measuring and assessing the progress. Also devise way of how you will collect the data using these methods. Data collection methods will depend on the kind of indicators and the key questions that you have identified and other required information.
There are many tools and methods for the collection of data and they might differ from one type of data (Quantitative or qualitative) to another. Following are a few methods categorized on the basis of Quantitative data and Qualitative Data
Quantitative Data
- Before/after surveys, questionnaires, measurements, and analyses
- Central data sources
- Government officials, departmental and agency reports and statistical records
- Local government official statistics
- Academics and university departments
- Think-tanks, policy institutes, research and advocacy organisations
- Trade association civic unions and business groups
- Trade unions
- Private firms (health suppliers)
- Specialised international and national NGOs
- International donors and research organisations
- Published legal cases, parliamentary records
- Published articles (in newspapers, journals, magazines)
- Land records, deed and land title registries
Qualitative Data:
- Field observation visits
- Stakeholder meetings
- Interviews
- Group discussions, focus group discussions
- Case studies
- Stories of change
- Action research
- Citizen report cards
- Most significant change
- Diaries
- Participatory video
- Timelines
- Spider diagrams
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