Sample Project Plan Degree Project

8/10/2019 Sample Project Plan Degree Project

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Sara Hkansson Malm Hgskola8212212941 ComDev Spring 2014ifk03060 Degree Project- Project Plan

Focus Groups & Communication for Development

Brief Presentation of the Theme

With the increasing popularity of C ommunication for Development (C4D) projects, there is alsoan increasing need to be able to properly be able to monitor and evaluate the impact of theseinitiatives. Unfortunately, evaluation timing and methods are often dictated by the donorcommunity.June Lennie and Jo Tacchi, who have carried out extensive research on the topic, states that themain challenges organizations face in carrying out evaluations are connected to the skills andresources available to the organizations. The organization might not have the necessary skill setor resources to hire those with the needed skills, to successfully evaluate its program.In addition, donors often request data of success in too quick of a time frame, underestimatingthat the majority of C4D projects that strive to create a behavioral change, need a longer timespan to show result. Moreover, the donor community at times request data that might notnecessarily speak to the success or challenges faced by the project.On the contrary, evaluations often become a tool to justify spending of money and futureallocation of funds, while instead being used as a tool to improve projects. This stress onshowing results, often force organizations away from using the best method to evaluate their

projects. i A frequently used method for monitoring and evaluation, is the focus group. It is in general seenas a time and cost efficient way to carry out monitoring and evaluation.

With this backdrop, this degree project will more closely examine the focus group as a methodfor evaluating the impact of C4D initiatives.

Aim of studyThis degree project will closely examine the strengths and weaknesses of the focus group as amonitoring and evaluation tool.

Research questionThe main research question of this study will be:What strengths and challenges does the focus group as a monitoring and evaluation tool

present?

MethodologyI will use a combination of methods to gather the data for the degree project.

Literature reviewI will do a thorough literature review including; books, online journals and online forums forevaluators.


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Sara Hkansson Malm Hgskola8212212941 ComDev Fall 2013ifk03060 Research Methodology

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Qualitative interviewsI will interview a number of practitioners who have themselves either coordinated orimplemented focus groups to see what challenges they have faced. The interviews will be of aqualitative nature.

Quantitative content analysisI will also consider carrying out a quantitative content analysis of evaluation reports that are

based on focus groups for their methodology. This will be to see whether the focus groupssystematically miss out on certain type of information or tends to bring certain types of findingsforward.

Case studyI will carry out an evaluation of Search for Common Ground s TV project in the Great Lakes.The evaluation methodology will include focus groups, to test findings derived from theliterature review and the interviews. I have already made contact with the Search for Common

Ground office in Rwanda to be able to do so.I currently have the project documents and their requirements in terms of evaluation work.

Limitations of studyI will only carry out focus groups for one project, while I will arrange for several focus groupsthey will all look at the same setting. The findings would of course be stronger if multiple casestudies were used.

Key literatureCottle, Simon and Anders Hansen et al (eds) (1998) Mass Communication Research Methods.Basingstoke: Macmillan

Creswell, John W. (2003) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods, thirdeditio n. Sage Publications

Deacon, David, Michael Pickering, Peter Golding & Graham Murdock (2007) ResearchingCommunications. A Practical Guide to Methods in Media and Cultural Analysis.

Hesse-Biber, Sharlene J. Nagy and Leavy, Patricia Lina. (2005). The Practice of Qualitative Research. Sage Publications, Inc.

Kettl, Donald. (2005) The global public management revolution.

Kumar Ranjit (2010) Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners, second edition. Sage Publications, London

Kvale, Steinar, 1996. Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Intervieweing .Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.


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Lennie, June and Jo Tacchi (2013) Evaluating Communication for Development A frameworkfor social change.

Nigel King and Christine Horrocks, (2010), Interview in qualitative research, Sage London

Pickering, Michael (ed. 2008) Research Methods for Cultural Studies. Edinburgh: EdinburghUniversity Press

Power, Micheal (1998) The Audit Society - Ritual of verification. Oxford Press.

Somekh, Bridget and Cathy Lewin (eds) (2005) Research Methods in the Social Sciences.London: Sage

Strathern, Meril (2000) Audit cultures. Routhledge

Time plan

Month TaskFebruary - Literature review

- Schedule interviews with keyinformants and create interview guidefor qualitative interviews

- Familiarize yourself with Search forCommon Ground s project

- Write up the focus group guide- Hire and train research assistant

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Start writing the theory sectionMarch - Key informant interviews- Continuation of literature review- Focus groups for Search for Common

Ground- Quantitative content analysis- Write the basis for methodology section

April - Write up evaluation report for Searchfor Common Ground

- Compile and analyze findings fromcase study, literature review and key

informant interviewsMay - Writing up, editing and proof readingJune - Prepare for presentation and defense of

degree project


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References

i Lennie, June and Jo Tacchi (2013) Evaluating Communication for Development A framework for social change. New York: Routledge

Documents

Sample Project Plan Degree Project