The Training Opportunity
Applications are invited from qualified health professionals interested in participating in a short training programme of three days on research methodology, field research, and data collection.
The purpose of the training is to strengthen participants’ practical knowledge and skills in data collection used for high-quality quantitative and qualitative health research. Participants who successfully complete the training may be considered for future research, survey, monitoring, evaluation, or data-collection assignments, subject to project requirements and a separate selection process.
Participation in the training does not constitute an employment offer or guarantee future engagement.
Number of Participants
A limited number of male and female applicants will be selected for the training.
Male and female applicants will be assessed individually. There is no requirement at this stage to apply or participate as male–female pairs or couples.
Training Areas
The training is expected to introduce participants to the fundamental principles and practical skills required for health research and field data collection, including:
- Introduction to health research and research methodology.
- Basic principles of quantitative and qualitative research.
- Research questions, objectives, indicators, and variables.
- Study populations and qualitative sampling.
- Different types of data-collection methods.
- Structured and semi-structured interviews.
- Key informant interviews and qualitative interviewing techniques.
- Health facility and service-delivery observations.
- Questionnaire administration.
- Interview techniques and probing.
- Informed consent and voluntary participation.
- Research ethics and confidentiality.
- Privacy and respectful engagement with respondents.
- Safeguarding and Do No Harm principles.
- Working with women, children, patients, caregivers, health workers, and other potentially vulnerable respondents.
- Avoiding interviewer bias and leading questions.
- Accurate recording of respondents’ answers.
- Data quality assurance and completeness checks.
- Identification and correction of common data-collection errors.
- Introduction to electronic or distanced data collection.
- Completing, reviewing, saving, and submitting electronic questionnaires.
- Field-team communication and coordination.
- Daily field reporting and documentation.
- Handling field challenges and unexpected situations.
- Professional conduct of data collectors.
- Practical exercises, role plays, mock interviews, and supervised practice.