The government has tabled changes to the statistics Act 2015 whose previous amendments

were passed by the National Assembly in September last year. These sections of Statistics
Act criminalized dissemination of none official information released without approval by the
relevant authority. Assume that today the government has appointed you to collect
stakeholders’ opinion about their feelings with regard to such amendments.
i)Briefly explain the proceduresyou will follow to undertake this study.
ii)If stakeholders include members of parliament, journalists, and the normal citizens:
a)Describe the study design to be adopted
b)The sampling procedure for this study
c)Method of data collectionrelevant for this study

1 answer

i) To undertake this study, the following procedures would be followed:

1) Define the objectives of the study: This could include understanding the stakeholders' opinions on the amendments to the Statistics Act 2015 and their potential impact on disseminating non-official information.

2) Develop a research plan: This includes deciding on the study design, sampling procedure, and method of data collection to be adopted, as well as determining the timeline and budget for the study.

3) Identify and recruit participants: Stakeholders could be members of parliament, journalists, and normal citizens. It would be important to identify representatives from each group who are knowledgeable about or have a vested interest in the Statistics Act amendments.

4) Conduct background research: Before conducting the study, it would be beneficial to review existing literature, previous studies, and relevant documentation on the topic. This would help in informing the study design and developing appropriate survey questions or interview guides.

5) Communicate with participants: Once the participants have been identified, it is essential to communicate with them to explain the study's purpose, obtain their consent to participate, and schedule the interviews or surveys.

6) Collect data: This could involve conducting face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, or distributing online surveys. Each stakeholder group may require a different method of data collection, considering their availability and preferences.

7) Analyze the data: After data collection, the responses would be coded and analyzed to identify common themes, opinions, and patterns. This could involve the use of qualitative analysis software or statistical tools, depending on the nature of the data collected.

8) Prepare a report: The findings of the study would be summarized and documented in a report. This report could include an overview of the study, methodology, key findings, and recommendations for policymakers.

ii) a) Study design: To capture the opinions of various stakeholders effectively, a mixed-methods approach could be adopted. This would involve both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Qualitative methods like interviews or focus group discussions could provide in-depth insights, while quantitative methods like surveys could provide more generalizable results.

b) Sampling procedure: A stratified sampling procedure could be adopted to ensure representation from each stakeholder group. Within each group, a random sampling technique could be used to select participants. For example, within members of parliament, representatives from different political parties could be included.

c) Method of data collection: For members of parliament, interviews could be conducted to gather their opinions in a more personalized manner. Journalists could participate in focus group discussions to promote open dialogue and information sharing. Normal citizens could be surveyed using online questionnaires or face-to-face interviews, depending on their accessibility and willingness to participate. Each method would be tailored to the needs and characteristics of the respective stakeholder group.