Goal: Finalize Chapter 4 (research design, methods, instruments), secure ethics/institutional approval, and prepare pilot testing.
Key deliverables (end of T-DTH3)
- Complete Chapter 4: Research Design & Methods.
- Data collection instruments (questionnaires, interview guides) ready and piloted.
- Sampling frame and sample size calculation justified.
- Ethics application submitted and (ideally) approved (or conditional approval).
- Data management plan & consent forms.
- Pilot test report with adjustments.
Step-by-step checklist
- Decide design & rationale
- State design (qualitative, quantitative, mixed) and why it best answers questions.
- Operationalize variables and measurements (table: variable — definition — measurement — scale).
- Sampling
- Population, sampling technique, sample size calculation (show formula and assumptions).
- Recruitment plan and inclusion/exclusion criteria.
- Data collection instruments
- Draft instruments, include translation/back-translation if needed.
- Build codebook (for quantitative) and initial thematic guide (for qualitative).
- Validity, reliability and credibility
- Quant: piloting, Cronbach’s alpha, instrument validity steps.
- Qual: triangulation, member checks, audit trail.
- Ethics & approvals
- Prepare ethics application: study summary, risks, benefits, consent forms, data protection measures.
- Attach instruments, CV, supervisor letter and any local clearance forms.
- Pilot study
- Conduct pilot with small sample (5–10% or 10–30 participants depending on design).
- Produce short pilot report: what worked, what changed.
- Finalize data management plan
- Storage, anonymization, access control, retention period, backup, intended repositories (if any).
- Supervisor meeting
- Present final Chapter 4 + pilot report + ethics application package.
Templates to include (copy/paste ready)
- Participant information sheet (1 page): study purpose, voluntary, anonymity, contact.
- Short consent form: checkboxes, signature, date.
- Instrument header: study code, question ID, response options, skip rules.
Quality assessment rubric (for T-DTH3)
- Methodological fit (35%): Does method suit questions & theoretical framework?
- Instrument quality & piloting (25%)
- Ethics & data protection (20%)
- Sampling & feasibility (10%)
- Supervisor approvals & responsiveness (10%)
Common pitfalls & mitigations
- Pitfall: Underestimating recruitment time → mitigate: build buffer and alternative sites.
- Pitfall: Weak ethics justification → mitigate: explicitly state potential harms and protective measures.
- Pitfall: Poor instrument translation → mitigate: back-translation and cognitive interviews.