Strategies for Gathering Information for Legislative
Research
Community Learning Workshop for WAAPAC ClerksAlisa Hotel, Accra,
GhanaNovember 17-19, 2014 Presented by Issifu LampoStrategies for
Gathering Information for Legislative Research Learning
ObjectivesDefine Legislative researchExamine strategies for
information gathering in legislative researchImportance of
Legislative research in providing independent sources of
information to MPsThe need for MPs to have access to Government
sources of information for complete picture on issues Learning
ObjectivesDiscuss different methods of research as well as skills
required by Parliamentary staff to undertake research What is
Research?Research: Diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation
into a subject in order to discover facts or principles. America
College Dictionary, 1964.In the broadest sense of the word, the
definition of research includes any gathering of data, information
and facts for the advancement of knowledge; and this includes
legislative research What is Research?Research is systematic in the
sense that it has its own norms and techniques, and its own methods
and procedures.Research is conceived as both an activity and as a
process grounded in theory.The core of objective of research is to
clarify the unclear and to find answers to questions, ultimately
adding knowledge and to improving our way of life.What is Research?
Research may be seen as a tool for use in the production of
knowledge, goods and services
Types of Research The broad types of research include:Pure
research, which deals with questions that are intellectually
challenging but may or may not be practical now or in the
futureApplied research, which ultimately is expected to be helpful
in solving problems or have practical applications now or in the
future, and Action research, which often has immediate applications
and is conducted specifically and find immediate applicable
solutions to the problems or issues that are under
investigations
Application of Research FindingsNotwithstanding the form it may
take, research, as a concept ought to be regarded not only as a
systematic process of learning about physical, technological ,
political, social, psychological, economic, cultural, or medical
aspects of reality, but also as the application of those findings
in improving living standards. The Research Process and General
Tools of Research The basic steps of research are:(i) Clear
identification of the research problem or question. Define your
goal or the problem you want to investigate and spell out your
objectives(ii) Formulation of the research design/scope, the scope
which involves planning data collection, sample selection , and
analysis. The scope of the research will indicate whether the
research follows a single law through all its forms and
The Research Process and General Tools of Research related
actions, bills, codified statute, administration, regulation,
amendments and (possibly) adjudication? Or will your research
follow an issue through policy changes and across multiple laws
over time?(iii) Data gathering as much information about what
already exists and identifying data to be collected, to address the
question or problem under investigation;
The Research Process and General Tools of Research (iv) Coding
and analysis of the data, which allows the researcher to bring some
order into the data collected and bring related data together to
make meaning;(v) The final stage involves interpreting the results
to reflect the research hypothesis
Research ToolsThe general tools of research include:The Library
and its resources-one fundamental task that must serve, as the
foundation for research is the literature review process.Techniques
of Measurement-research requires precision in order to generate
findings that are meaningful. There are well-established techniques
for measuring quantitative and qualitative research. While the
former requiresResearch Tools sampling techniques to ensure that
research findings form numerical analysis are generalized, the
latter does not rely on samples, rather on observations, attributes
and meaning.3. Statistics this relates basically to collecting and
classifying numerical data. It is therefore used in quantitative
research and very limited extent in qualitative research.
Researchers need to be knowledgeable enough in the basics of
descriptive statistics, which provide description Research Tools of
the sample data such as the mean and inferential statistics (used
to infer the truth of falsity of a hypothesis e.g. correlation) in
order to carry out basic statistics themselves, and to communicate
meaningfully with statisticians when they are needed for the more
complicated analysis. Research Tools4. The Computer and its
software-basic skills in using computers and related application is
necessary for all professionals. Researchers need computer skills
to conduct the literature review process, the data gathering
process, and analyzing data and presenting the findings.5. Clarity
of Language- communicating research findings in the right language
to the target audience helps to determine the usefulness Research
Tools of the information to the consumers. Members of Parliament
are such a heterogeneous group that research information must be
repackaged with minimum scientific and technical language for it to
benefit all people Why Research?MPs seek ways to select goals,
design and choose alternatives to achieving the goals, and see that
the alternatives are considered.To do this, effectively, they need
appropriate, timely and accurate information Having access to
up-to-date information is essential in order to highlight policy
alternatives and draw attention to policy consequences Why
Research?This becomes especially important at the committee level
where members carry out in-depth analysis and debate
issuesParliamentary staff therefore must have a clear understanding
of the information needs of members of parliament, and should
possess the requisite research skills to provide independent
sources of information on national issues Why Research?Independent
research services are essential to supporting the work of
parliamentary committee for two reasons:Firstly, while the
Executive branch often gets help from large professional staff from
MMDAs, the Legislature does not usually benefit from this kind of
supportSecondly, not to rely solely on the information provided by
the Executive but to complement it with independent sources in
order to understandWhy Research?what the alternatives are, and to
have a total picture of every issue before passing laws and making
policy choicesSources of Information Government SourcesIt is
important for parliamentary committees to demand that the Executive
provide information necessary to enable parliament to monitor key
issues and make informed decisionsParliament and its committees
must demand annual reports of each Ministry, Independent Auditor
General reports and any relevant documents to ensure proper
oversight Sources of Information on the Executives performance in
its roles and responsibilitiesParliaments are encouraged to demand
from the Executive comprehensive budget performance data and
regular reports on the status of implementation of the budget after
approval by parliamentBroadening Access to Information Budget
Documentation OECD BestPractices A Comprehensive Budget-Performance
Data a medium term projection A Pre-budget Report a report on long
term economic and fiscal policy objectives Monthly Report a report
on the progress in implementation including differencesbetween
actual and forecast amounts Mid-year Report a comprehensive update
on implementation of the budget,including updated forecasts and
budget outcome for the medium term Year end Report audited by the
audit institution released within six months offiscal year
Pre-election Report general state of government finances
immediately before anelection Long Term Report an assessment of
long term sustainability of currentgovernment policiesSource: OECD:
Organization for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentSources of
Information2. Independent SourcesParliament need well resourced
libraries and information centres to perform their role Access to
independent sources of information is critical for effective
parliamentary workUS Independent Budget Congressional Office is
dedicated to budget issues Research in ParliamentResearch in
parliament involves two distinct groups identified as the producers
of information (research staff) and the consumers of the
information (MPs)Research staff need effective training in
legislative research in order to maximize the accuracy and
usefulness of information they produceThey must also have skills to
present the information in a meaningful form for their target
beneficiaries, the consumers Research in ParliamentResearch
information should be repackaged and presented in a meaningful form
for use by MPs, as they have little time to review and internalize
information due to competing demands on their time Strategies for
Gathering Reliable InformationAfter the planning phase, begin to
research:Locating Useful Resources-when you have a topic and
determine your research questions, you conduct preliminary research
to stimulate your thinkingFor how to go about your research:
-Interviewing an expert in the field,-analysing the context of
popular magazines, few more potential sources Strategies for
Gathering Reliable Information2. Using Primary and Secondary
Sources:Writers classify research resources in two categories:
primary sources and secondary sources.A. Primary sources-are
direct, firsthand sources of information or dataOther primary
sources include: research articles, literary texts and historical
documents such as diariesStrategies for Gathering Reliable
InformationB. Secondary sources-discuss, interpret, analyse,
consolidate, or otherwise rework information from primary sources.
Example, magazine articles, biographical books, literary and
scientific reviews etc.Strategies for Gathering Reliable
InformationThe topic and purpose determine whether you must cite
both primary and secondary sources in your paper.Ask yourself which
sources are most likely to provide the information that will answer
your research questions Strategies for Gathering Reliable
InformationFinding Print ResourcesPrint resources include a vast
array of documents and publications.-Regardless of the topic , you
will consult some print resources as part of your research Using
Periodicals, Indexes, and Databases-Library catalogs can help you
locate book length sources, as well as some types of non-print
holdings such as-CDs, DVDs, and audio books
Strategies for Gathering Reliable InformationReading Popular and
Scholarship Periodicals-When you search for periodicals, be sure to
distinguish among different types. -Mass-market publications such
as newspapers and popular magazines, differ from scholarly
publications in their accessibility, audience, and purpose
Strategies for Gathering Reliable InformationConsulting a
Reference LibrarianSifting through library stacks and database
search results to find the information you need can be like trying
to find a needle in a haystack.One way to learn better search
strategies is to consult a reference librarian. They can help
locate particular book in the library stacks. Strategies for
Gathering Reliable InformationFinding and Using Electronic
ResourcesWith the expansion of technology and media over the past
few decades, a wealth of information is available to you in
electronic formatThe following are some of the electronic sources
you might consult:(a) online databases(b) CD-RomsStrategies for
Gathering Reliable Information-Popular web search engines-Websites
maintained by business, university, non- profit organizations, or
government agencies -Newspapers, magazine, and
journals-E-books-Audio books-Industry blogs-Radio and Television
programs-Online discussion groupStrategies for Gathering Reliable
InformationUsing Internet Search Engines Efficiently - when faced
with the challenges of writing a research paper, some researchers
rely on popular search engines as their first source of
information.- unfortunately, despite its apparent convenience, this
research strategy has the following drawbacks to consider:
Strategies for Gathering Reliable Information-Results do not always
appear in order of reliability-Results may be too numerous for you
to use-Search engines are not connected to the results of the
search Using other Information Sources- consider whether you could
use a person or group as a primary source. For instance, you might
interview a professor who has experience in a particular subject.
Interviews can be great way to get firsthand information Strategies
for Gathering Reliable InformationEvaluating Research Sources- As
you gather sources, you will need to examine them with a critical
eye. Smart researchers continually ask themselves two questions:Is
the source relevant to my purpose?.and Is this source reliable?-
The first question will help avoid wasting time reading sources
that stray too far from your specific topic and research questions.
Strategies for Gathering Reliable InformationEvaluating Credibility
& Reputation Even when you are using a source that is generally
credible, you will need to evaluate the authors credibility and the
publication itself on an individual basis-what career experiences
or academic study shows that the author has the expertise to write
about the topic Strategies for Gathering Reliable InformationThe
second question will help to find accurate and trustworthy sources
Evaluating Credibility and ReputationEven when you are using a type
of source that is generally reliable, you will need to evaluate the
authors credibility and the publicationStrategies for Gathering
Reliable InformationUsing Current SourcesBe sure to seek out
sources that are current, or up to date. Depending on the topic,
sources may become outdated relatively soon after publications, or
remain useful for yearsManaging Source InformationAs you determine
which sources you will rely on most, it is important to establish a
system for keeping track of your sources and taking notes.
Conclusion Certain category of skills is required by committee
clerks and parliamentary staff in general in order that they can
successfully undertake legislative research.These
include:Scientific skills-these include the clarification of ideas
and the development of standardized procedures for collecting and
analyzing dataInformation structuring skills sharpens the
researcher's ability to clarify ideas and examine their
correspondence to the real world eventsConclusion Creative
skills-this involves applying the basics of policy analyses to
generate relevant information for legislative law making and
informing policy choices.Legislative research also involves
efficient and effective use of available resources to accomplish
research activities. Planning and management skills are as
important to legislative research projects as they are to other
organizational endeavoursThe practice of legislative research
requires the simultaneous consideration of all the skills mentioned
above THANK YOU
