Participatory Methods of research

Geog 316JA Yaro

Introduction • The term participatory research refers to both

a set of methods and a methodological approach, which in turn is influenced by the attitudes, training and political orientation of researchers

• Participatory Research strategies emphasise participation and empowerment of actors

• Models of development theory and practice that evolved in the 70's and 80's required new research techniques capable of gaining understanding of social complexity in rapidly changing and uncertain environments.

• Uses visual analysis techniques: informal mapping and diagramming, ranking and scoring methods to explore patterns of time, space, flows, relationships and decisions affecting livelihood systems.

Methodological approaches• RRA: Rapid rural appraisal: flexible

progressive learning, multi-disciplinary research teams, community participation, outsiders gain information from rural people in a timely and cost effective manner

• PRA: Participatory rural appraisal: shift from extractive mode to empowering and facilitating active local participation in planning activities

• PLA: Participatory learning and action: more emphasis on mutual learning, attitudes and behaviour of researchers, and taking action on the outcomes

Participatory Research? Some attributes

• Concern with relations of power: emphasis on the perspectives of the poor

• Analysis by local people: researchers facilitate• Learning takes place face to face and on the spot. • Continuous analysis and progressive, systematic

learning - inquiry is cumulative• Seeking multiple perspectives: recognises complexity

and looks for diversity.• Relies on triangulation - many voices included • Visual medium: visual diagramming - participation of

marginalised people: mapping, time lines, seasonal analysis, matrix ranking and scoring.

• Context specific: flexible, innovate and improvise in different circumstances.

• Leading to change strong capacity building element for local participants

Participatory Data Collection Techniques

• Review of secondary sources – Documents, statistics, reports, books, files, aerial photos,

maps • Direct observation • Semi-structured interviews

– Individual interviews– Key informant interviews– Group/community interviews– Focus group interviews

• Key indicators: short surveys and other sources– Local, national and global indicators – Objectives and performance indicators

• Case studies and stories – Life histories, oral or written stories by key people, e.g. school

children

Participatory Data Collection: Techniques

• Ranking and scoring – Well-being or wealth ranking – Scoring and ranking of options • Matrix scoring and ranking

• Construction and analysis of maps, models and diagrams – Social and resource maps – Topic and theme maps – Census maps and models – Transects

• Diagramming – Causal, linkage and flow diagramming – Time lines, trend analysis – Seasonal diagrams – Activity profiles and daily routines: Venn diagrams

• Triangulation – Data triangulation – Investigator triangulation

Problem Constrains on Agricultural production

Respondents

A B C D E F Score RankingDrought

Weeds

Cost of inputs

Labour shortage

5 5 3 5 4 5 27 a

4 3 5 4 5 4 25 b

3 4 4 1 3 3 18 c

2 1 2 2 2 2 11 d

5 is the most important , 1 is the least important

After This and Grady, 1991:64

Problem ranking of agricultural production

Student’s perceptions about the difficulty of subjects in their school ranked in order of importance

Subject

Student respondent

A B C D E Total Ranking

English

Mathematics

Economics

Geography

Science

4 5 2 3 3 17 c

5 3 5 5 2 20 a

1 2 1 2 1 7 e

3 5 2 4 5 19 b

2 1 3 1 4 11 d

5 is the most difficult, and 1 is the least difficult

For ranking, a is the highest, then b, c, d, and e in order of difficulty

Diagram of Matrix Showing Ranking of Food Crops with Criteria

Easy cultivation

Resistantto drought

Easy tomarket

Yam Maize Millet Groundnut Beans

Easy tostore

Good source of energy

Strengths of participatory research

• Eliciting people’s own analysis of their poverty and wellbeing provides a deeper understanding of dimensions of poverty than income and consumption indicators.

• Understanding complexity and diversity of livelihood strategies

• Establishing causality; Identifying barriers to participation, factors of social exclusion and; assessing social capital of different groups according to gender, age, caste, and ethnicity.

• Highlighting areas for further detailed research using other methods and comparative analysis

• Adaptability and flexibility of methods provide potential for working in emergency situations and politically difficult environments

• Capacity building of local people (as well as external researchers) advocacy and for increased participation in policy development

• Influencing policy and practice : 'Scaling up' - linking of information from communities to broader policy dialogue: CBO’s to UN

Weaknesses of participatory research

• Rapid data gathering for analysis out of the field: Experience has shown that for effective outcomes, preparation time, (including training and stakeholder identification) and follow up time (including dissemination and policy linking) is equal if not greater than time spent on research activities in communities.

• Generating statistical data: Although some of the methods can produce quantitative data, the focus of the approach is to provide in-depth analysis within locally identified contexts.

• Comparability and generating commensurable information:  Information gathered and shared in different contexts may be hard to synthesise for central planning. 

• Quality of data and information is dependent on researcher skills

• Fatigue by local people as different research groups come and go

• Without good triangulation, data may be biased by people seeking development aid

Practicalities and difficulties in applying participatory methods

• Raising expectations - one of the dilemmas of researchers working intensely with poor and powerless people: express clearly the purpose of the inquiry and what role, if any, they will play in future activities

• Skills and attitudes - the accessibility and simplicity of some of the techniques makes it possible to apply them mechanistically without understanding of their use. Requires good communication, facilitation and conflict negotiation skills. Be sensitive to local gender and power differences

• There's no blue-print - choice and sequence of methods needs to be adapted to each situation. This requires good team working skills and has implications for training of researchers.

• Getting the right team - requires networking and preparation. Team building is crucial

• Depth and spread - there are payoffs in terms of time, cost and outcomes in deciding between detailed research in fewer research sites and spending less time in a greater range of communities.

Sources

• Mikkelsen, B. 1995. Methods for Development Work and Research. Sage, London

• What will you consider to be the major difficulties with using participatory methods of research? Justify with examples.