Barbara Gruehl Kipke

Bicycle Usage in Two Cities of Africa

Homepage Manual Contents Navigation

PROCEDURE OF RESEARCH - Questionnaire Objectivity

It is of utmost importance to achieve an accurate response to questions. For that reason, local interviewers were chosen, who speak the local languages. This is actually a prerequisite, because the people in lower income areas often do not speak the colonial languages. Furthermore, a feeling of trust can develop because it is obvious that the survey is not being conducted by the government for the purposes of tax collection. A flexible approach in terms of the order of asking initial questions to the head of household facilitates the beginning. The survey is conducted by two interviewers, who complement one another during the survey.

It must be realized, that influences exist during the survey, depending on the motivation of the participants. It is uncertain what effects the small presents have that are given to the households, as well as the effect of the presence of foreigners (my husband and I) on the results of the survey. The influence of household members on each other can not be assessed as yet but will be monitored.

Time and distance information can be expected to be rather inaccurate, but will be cross-checked to the extent possible. Time and distance categories should therefore be seen as rough estimates. Time "consciousness" seems to vary from ward to ward. Muslims have an increased sense of time because they pray five times a day at specific set times.