MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Multiple Indicator Cluster SurveysSurvey Design Workshop

Field Staff and Field Procedures

Session Objectives

• To review the MICS recommendations for:

– The size and composition of the fieldwork team

– Roles and Responsibilities

– Field Procedures and Survey Protocol

Size and Composition of the Field Teams

Number of interviewers depends on:– The sample size– Number of interviews that can be conducted per

day (information provided from pre-test)– Desired length of fieldwork (allowing for travel time

from house to house and cluster to cluster)

2-3 months fieldwork should be the minimum in order to allow for mistakes in field to be identified & corrected

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Recommendations

• Avoid using a large number of interviewers

• Number of interviewers should be kept at a size to enable standardized training

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Recommendations

• Field work should be conducted at a pace that will allow the identification of systematic errors before it’s too late.

• If possible, all teams should begin fieldwork in a central location. This will make it easier for senior survey staff to visit all teams during the first week or two of fieldwork.

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Selecting the Field Staff

Field staff should be:• Educated (secondary school or higher)• Fluent in the language of respondents • Female (interviewers) Female supervisors and editors an advantage

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

The fieldwork team composition

Recommendation:

1 Supervisor1 Editor1 Measurer4 Interviewers

Supervisor’s role

• the well-being and safety of team members

• team morale

• the completion of the assigned tasks

• the maintenance of data quality

Supervisor’s responsibilities• Preparations for the fieldwork• Organise and direct the fieldwork • Supervise interviewers and measurers in the

field (spot checks)• Support the editor:

• Check the work of the field editor and assist with editing as needed

• Spot-check the data collected• Provide feedback to the editor• Organize additional training of interviewers if needed

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Field Editor’s Role and Responsibilities

• Monitor interviewer performance:– Observe several interviews every day– Edit all completed questionnaires before leaving the

cluster– Conduct regular review sessions with interviewers

• Compile completed questionnaires from a cluster and pack them up to be sent to the central office

• Maintain a suitable mechanism to monitor the flow of questionnaires

• Assist the supervisor as needed

Measurers' Role and Responsibilities

• Measure the weight and height of all children under five

• Maintain the equipment

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Interviewers' Role and Responsibilities

• Locate structures and households in the sample and complete the questionnaires

• Check completed questionnaires

• Revisits for households and/or women/mothers/caretakers (at least 3 times)

• Assist the measurer in conducting height and weight measurements of children

• Complete control sheets

FIELD PROCEDURES

CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW Building Rapport

• Make a good first impression• Obtain consent• Do not be apologetic• Always have a positive approach• Stress confidentiality of responses • Answer any questions frankly• Interview the respondent alone – particularly

important for Woman’s Interview

CONTACTING HOUSEHOLDSLocating Sampled Households

• We should have, for each sample cluster:

– Up-to-date maps to indicate the location of structures

– Address information for each structure

– A list of the names of the heads of all the households living in the structures

Problems in contacting households

Situation 1: Name of present household head is different from name

provided by supervisor

What do you do?

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Problems in contacting households

Situation 1:Name of present household head is different from name

provided by supervisor

After ensuring that you are in the correct structure/dwelling, interview the household that is living there now

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Problems in contacting households

Situation 1:Name of present household head is different from name

provided by supervisor. Specific examples of such situations:

– The household has moved and a new household is living in the dwelling

– Structure number and name of household head do not match with what you find in the field

– The household selected does not live in the structure that was listed

– The head of the household has changed

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Problems in contacting households

Situation 2: No one is found at home

Example: The selected household has moved away and the dwelling is vacant

What do you do?

Problems in contacting households

Situation 2: No one is found at home

Example: The selected household has moved away and the dwelling is vacant

The dwelling should be considered as vacant. Circle 05 (dwelling vacant) in HH9 on the cover sheet of the household questionnaire.

Problems in contacting households

Situation 2: No one is found at home

Example: No one is home and neighbours tell you the family has gone to the market

What do you do?

Problems in contacting households

Situation 2: No one is found at home

Example: No one is home and neighbours tell you the family has gone to the market

Call-back; return to the household at a time the family is likely to be back

Problems in contacting households

Other situations:• A household is supposed to live in a structure that when

visited is found to be a shop and no one lives there

• A selected structure is not found, you are told it was destroyed in a recent fire

• The listing shows only one household living in the dwelling, but two households are living there now

Recording Responses

• All interviewers to use pens with blue ink to complete all questionnaires

• Any editing in the field (by supervisors or field editors) to be done by using pens with red ink

• Office editors to do all their work using pens with green or black ink

Correcting Mistakes

• If a mistake is made in entering a respondent’s answer or he/she changes their reply, be sure that you cross out the incorrect response and enter the right answer. Do not erase an answer. Just put two lines through the incorrect response.

• It becomes possible at every stage to understand the changes that have been made – if necessary to go back

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop

Remember

Under no circumstances should we make up an answer!

MICS4 Survey Design Workshop