Three common research methodologies are CAPI, CATI, and CAWI, which stand for Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing, Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing, and Computer Assisted Web Interviewing. While these three methods have similar names and are often mentioned together, in practice they are very different methods, and each has unique characteristics which should be taken into account when deciding on a data collection method. Below we outline the major differences of CATI, CAPI, and CAWI, along with pros and cons of each method.

Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)

Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing or CAPI is an in-person or face-to-face research method in which interviewers use software on a computer or tablet to record interview responses. CAPI is an interviewer-administered mode, meaning that interviewers can clarify questions that may be unclear to respondents and ask follow-ups. It is generally considered an improvement on older face-to-face interview methodologies, in which interviewers relied on pen and paper to read through a questionnaire and record responses, because it reduces the chance of interviewer error and enables more secure storage of data. CAPI surveys support nearly any question type, both qualitative and quantitative, and interviewers can use visual and audio aids.

Because CAPI is an in-person research mode, it can reach anyone, even populations who do not have internet or phone access, which makes it a good solution for gathering data from low-income populations. However, CAPI requires interviewers to be trained in survey administration and for them to travel to each household they will interview. In emerging regions and rural areas where houses can be dispersed over a large area, this can make administering CAPI surveys time-consuming.

Pros of Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing:  

• Can reach any household or respondent, even those without internet or phone access
• Allows for interviewers to collect detailed data through follow-up questions and probing
• Improves on paper and pen survey administration by reducing the chance of interviewer error or data loss

Cons of Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing:  

• Requires interviewers to be recruited and trained in survey administration
• Can be time-consuming for interviewers to travel from household to household, especially in rural areas
• Can be costly due to the need for trained interviewers and the length of time it takes to collect data 

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing or CATI is a voice call interview method in which trained interviewers call respondents’ phone numbers, usually working from a central call center. CATI interviews are similar to CAPI interviews in that they are interviewer-administered, so interviewers can conduct similar probing and clarification of survey questions, and CATI software also allows interviewers to securely record responses and save data. CATI interviews support both qualitative and quantitative survey questions and can utilize audio aids as part of a questionnaire design.

CATI surveys can only reach populations with access to a landline or mobile phone, which means the lowest-income populations may not be reachable through a CATI survey. However, CATI is generally faster to administer than CAPI surveys and slightly lower cost, as interviewers work from a central location rather than traveling to conduct surveys in person.

Pros of Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing:

• Allows for interviewers to collect detailed data through follow-up questions and probing
• Securely stores data and enables simple survey administration through CATI software
• Reaches wide segments of the population without having to overcome logistical hurdles associated with in-person research
• Interviews can be administered at the respondent’s convenience by scheduling a call-back time

Cons of Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing:

• Requires interviewers to be recruited and trained in survey administration
• May not reach the lowest-income populations who do not have access to a mobile phone or landline

Computer Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI)

Computer Assisted Web Interviewing or CAWI is another name for online surveys or interviews, which are surveys administered through a web browser or mobile application. Links for CAWI surveys can be sent through multiple methods, including email, mobile application notifications, online advertisements, and SMS messages. CAWI surveys support both closed-ended and open-ended survey questions, however may not provide as detailed qualitative data as an interviewer-administered mode such as CATI or CAPI.

CAWI surveys are useful for gathering quick insights from large sample sizes as they do not require interviewers to be trained and can be distributed very widely, but they are limited to populations who have internet access and are comfortable using computers or internet-enabled phones or tablets. CAWI surveys are also self-administered, meaning you rely on the respondent to fill in a survey accurately without the guidance of an interviewer, and that questionnaires generally need to be shorter for respondents to complete them.   

Pros of Computer Assisted Web Interviewing

• Simple to set-up and administer to large sample sizes
• Do not require the hiring and training of interviewers
• Can be a fast and low-cost method of data collection

Cons of Computer Assisted Web Interviewing

• Only reach literate populations and those with access to the internet and a computer or mobile device
• Qualitative data collection can be more limited than with interviewer-administered modes
• Questionnaires should be shorter to encourage higher completion rates

Choosing between CAPI, CATI, and CAWI

As outlined above, there are significant differences between CAPI, CATI, and CAWI survey modes. Generally, if you are looking to get the most representative survey possible, CAPI and CATI are the best options, but CAWI can be useful for quickly gathering insights on a consumer population or in countries which have high levels of internet access. When choosing a research mode, you must take into account the population you are trying to reach, questionnaire length and complexity, budget, and timeline. Use GeoPoll’s interactive research mode picker to get a quick view of what modes may be feasible for the project you are working on.

Depending on the country you are looking to research in, some modes may be more feasible than others, and talking to a research expert can help you narrow down your mode options. In addition to the three research modes mentioned here, there are other options such as SMS and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) which some research firms, such as GeoPoll, offer in addition to CAPI, CATI, and CAWI.

To speak to the GeoPoll team about which research mode is right for you, please contact us today.

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Interview with King Beach

Tell me about your background before you came to GeoPoll and what space you worked in 

I started in survey research and social science research as an undergrad at Michigan State. My degree was in the natural science with an emphasis on research and scientific methods – I also worked with the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research to learn about survey research, designing surveys, managing call centers, and improving performance. I engaged on a lot of social norms surveys and health surveys, and I worked up from a interviewer to manager through undergrad, and then continued to work with that group before joining GeoPoll.

What drew you to GeoPoll and made you join the team? How long have you been at GeoPoll?  

It sounded exciting – I found the position through AAPOR and it sounded like a good opportunity to get involved with new research methods. GeoPoll was also offering the opportunity to do multi-faceted components of the research, seeing the research lifecycle from questionnaire design to analysis. There are not a lot of organizations who let you do all of that. It was startup mentality and there was an interest in doing exploratory research that hasn’t been done before by testing and seeing what does and doesn’t work in market research.

Thinking about my roles within the company, oh boy! I came on as a research assistant and was mostly focused on survey operations and day to day project management. That evolved to managing teams related to the influx of SMS work that we had at the time, and growing survey operations from a team of 1-2 to a team of 15. Recently my work has transitioned over to CATI as clients are more interested in our ability to collect data through CATI. I now work on a wide variety of things surrounding our operations, from design of our mobile applications to client communications.

Can you briefly describe your current role at GeoPoll and main responsibilities?  

The Solutions Team oversees our call center and in-person work in over 60 countries. We onboard, train, and provide standardized quality control with the local teams we work with for our CATI and CAPI surveys. This means meeting the teams, doing trainings, and making sure different groups can meet our standards for quality and oversight.

Within 2020 the big change has been transitioning from face-to-face to virtual training. In 2019 we had a large network of team members who could travel to countries to do work and face-to-face training, we had about 6 people (on the Solutions Team) on the road at any one time. We’ve reinvented that to do that virtually all over video meeting while still implementing the standards we had while in person. It has led to some challenges in communication but for the most part we’ve been successful in migrating to virtual oversight.

What is the biggest challenge in overseeing so many call centers in different regions?

We’ve learned along the way that we need to have local partners in market who are on the ground to help co-design surveys, assist with trainings, provide feedback on questionnaires, and more. Gathering local context and constructive feedback through virtual meetings is crucial and we’ve bridged that gap by finding the right people in the right positions. Another thing is scaling given how much growth we’ve had in the past year – we’ve increased our CATI work 5-6x in the past year.

For call centers, oversight is challenging as we’ve seen when teams have gone remote in countries where working remote is not very common, there have been teething issues with staff who are not used to working at home. We are working in countries where people don’t work remotely so there has been a lot of growth that our teams have taken on to maintain their staff of interviewers remotely – in Burkina Faso our call center manager was going house to house on a scooter to check on interviewers to make sure they had everything they needed!

You mentioned the growth we’ve seen in CATI over the past year, largely due to restrictions around in-person research. Can you speak to that and if you think clients will stay with CATI now that they’ve tried it out?

It’s interesting as GeoPoll has been on the front of this for so long and you see these big shifts with how data is collected over time. On the consumer research side, I think the industry will stick with CATI work if they are still getting data they expect with the quality they expect at a cheaper price point. The advantage with CATI is that you can still do both quantitative and qualitative research and provide the same level of oversight as with CAPI. On the international development side, I do think more work will remain with CATI but very targeted projects may move back to CAPI.

What I’ve heard from our colleagues is that the CATI work and the quality of data we have provided is an eye opener for the industry which has led to more work with many clients. When they run the first couple projects with us they might be testing between modes, and they are pleased with the quality we provide so continue on.

What are you excited about in terms of where GeoPoll will go in the future?  

What I’m most excited about is that we’ve found a way to be on the forefront of new research. We are able to offer clients a variety of ways to work with us and provide different forms of data. We’ve also found a way to adapt and expand what we do here at an unprecedented pace in terms of growth. A year ago we may have ran CATI in 20 markets and now we’re in 60. Being able to continue to expand to meet client’s needs is always interesting, whether that’s through new markets, approaches, or project design.

What’s a fact about yourself that people may not know right away?

I think you know most of these but I love art, cars, hiking and the outdoors. Street art is a fun one, and in most of the new offices we’ve opened I’ve done a mural for the office. I think I’ve done art in Africa in 5-6 different countries in our offices and even working with local art communities. It builds comradery with the rest of the team when I go out and share some personal art.

The post King Beach on Remotely Managing 60+ Call Centers appeared first on GeoPoll.

Although Pakistan has not recorded as many COVID-19 cases as India and other countries, lockdowns and other measures including the closure of schools to stop the spread of the pandemic have upended life for many in Pakistan in the past year. Actions related to COVID-19 combined with extreme weather events including drought, flooding, and locusts in the past years have also contributed to food insecurity in the country, particularly among the poorest populations.

In order to gather on-the-ground feedback from Pakistanis on their feelings towards the US troop removal from Afghanistan, foreign influencers, and how COVID-19 has impacted their lives in the past year, GeoPoll conducted a study via SMS in Pakistan with 408 respondents, the majority of whom were located in the Punjab region. The study was conducted in January 2021. While this study was not nationally representative, it provides some high-level insights into the views of Pakistanis and how they are looking to the future. Read a summary of results below or jump to the dashboard with full results.

Pakistan and the Great Power Competition

There are several factors that make Pakistan a geopolitically significant country, and as such foreign powers including the United States, China, and Russia have an interest in Pakistan. GeoPoll’s study asked several questions regarding foreign influences on Pakistan, and the responses demonstrate how different countries are influencing different aspects of Pakistan. Economically, China was the clear largest influencer, cited by 49% as the biggest influencer of Pakistan’s economy, likely related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, an infrastructure initiative.

Respondents were more split on the largest influence on Pakistan’s military and politics, with 33% stating that China has the largest influence on Pakistan’s military, 20% stating the United States, and 21% stating India. Politically, the United States and India are cited as the largest influences, at 32% each.

Culturally, 50% of respondents stated that India was the largest influence on Pakistan’s culture, with other countries including the United States, China, and Afghanistan having under 15% of responses each. Russia was not listed as a significant influence in any question, though more respondents felt Russia influences Pakistan’s military (7%) than any other category. Afghanistan’s biggest perceived influence was in Pakistan’s culture.

Pakistan’s Views on US Troop Withdrawal

 Respondents were somewhat split on the United States’ recent announcement that they would withdraw troops from Afghanistan, with the largest group (43%) stating that they ‘strongly agree’ with the decision, while 33% strongly disagree with the decision. Although relatively small sample sizes, the oldest age group were most likely to state that they strongly disagree with the troop withdrawal, with 50% of those aged 35 and older strongly disagreeing with the removal. Females were also slightly more likely to disagree with the US troop withdrawal than males.

COVID-19 and Pakistan  

COVID-19 has had economic and social impacts on huge portions of the population in most countries, and Pakistan is no exception. In line with our findings from other studies, GeoPoll found that 41% in Pakistan stated that finances were their biggest challenge due to COVID-19, and 44% state that their income has decreased a lot compared to before COVID-19, with an additional 26% stating their income has decreased a little. Despite this, respondents expressed hope for the future, with 56% stating that they believe Pakistan’s economy will get better in the next year, and 55% believing that their personal finances will get better in the next year.

Additionally, a majority of respondents stated that they would get the COVID-19 vaccine once it is available to them, with 41% stating they will ‘definitely’ get the vaccine as soon as possible, and 25% stating they would ‘probably’ get the vaccine as soon as possible. The biggest concern surrounding the vaccine was the ability for everyone to get the vaccine, at 28%, followed by vaccine safety, at 21%.

Conduct Research in Pakistan 

This study provides some high-level insights into several topics of interest in Pakistan. GeoPoll can conduct research in Pakistan via 2-way SMS surveys, Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) voice calls, web links, and in-person research methods. To learn more about our capabilities in Pakistan, please contact us.

The post Pakistan Study on COVID-19, US Troop Withdrawal appeared first on GeoPoll.

Scott Lansell Interview

Roxana Elliott: Thanks for speaking with me! Can you start by telling me about your background before you came to GeoPoll?

Scott Lansell: My first exposure to International Development was at USAID, where I worked in several functions culminating as a desk officer for several east European countries in the early 1990s after the Berlin wall fell. During that time I was first exposed to USAID’s mission and its operational processes along with its many implementing partners in its role leading the US’s development assistance programs across the globe. After USAID, I joined the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) where I focused on portfolio and regional management within the democracy and governance sector with focus on elections administration internationally. I then joined World Learning, focusing on civil society, governance, higher education, and workforce development, where I also led the NGO’s donor diversification team including the launch of World Learning Europe.

What drew you to GeoPoll and what are your current responsibilities?

It was clear from my prior work that being able to regularly monitor and report on the impact of the interventions underway in the international development space was crucial to long term sustainability and documentation of development impact. GeoPoll brought an innovative approach and capacity offering mobile survey research and data collection to international development implementers and donors. It brings the 21^st century into development and monitoring project success which demonstrates a way that the international community should utilize.

In addition to leading GeoPoll’s business development efforts to engage new clients and maintain our existing clients, I also oversee the program management teams that implement our international development projects – this dual role is important as it is important to understand both the business development and implementation sides ensuring that what we are offer is feasible, cost effective, and meets the objectives and expectations of each of our clients.

Why do you think research solutions such as GeoPoll’s are so important in the international development sector?

The key to a successful development project is being able to show the impact of the work and track how the intervention is received, localized and transferred to local ownership. In traditional sectors this can be dependent on deploying staff in person to gather and monitor implementation.  The challenge with this approach to impact monitoring and assessment is there can be bias, or difficulties in accessing remote efforts due to security, health crises, and logistics.  Too often the most vulnerable populations may be under-represented due to these and other limiting factors.

GeoPoll brings a capacity to undertake data collection using both high-tech and low-tech means. While we are data collection company, we’re not dependent on internet access or people who have high-end mobile devices. We can reach people from all backgrounds to have a better understanding of what those populations are feeling about interventions. We offer various approaches or modes to engage different populations – for example, when you’re reaching out to a fisherman in a village a low-tech approach is useful. Clients that come to us in the international development and relief sector are focused on the broadest populations, those who are most disenfranchised and most difficult to access. Mobile has the ability to help transcend these barriers. 

What has surprised you about GeoPoll and the projects we work on?

The speed at which we can create and deliver a solution has always impressed me.  While timelines in the development sectors can be significant, GeoPoll can respond to clients’ needs, design and offer viable solutions, and then move to implement solutions in a matter of days.  I’ve been a part of project design that offered raw data in only one week after the initial conversation with the client – this is unheard of when using more traditional approaches.

Where do you think GeoPoll will go in the future?

There is constant interest in expanding the services we offer to meet our clients’ needs.  We are constantly looking to offer new and innovative approaches and platforms. Being able to use both traditional and higher-tech solutions in conjunction with each other is unique as we are trying to meet a quickly expanding demand for technological solutions without losing traditional approaches and access to the lower socio-economic populations we serve.  We aren’t only focused on offering the latest new mobile application because the populations we often need to speak to don’t always have access to the latest technology.

How has GeoPoll adapted its solutions to COVID in the past year?

It became clear very early in 2020 that COVID-19 was becoming this generation’s largest challenge. GeoPoll’s leadership quickly determined we needed to make sure that donors and implementers could quickly access public perceptions on the pandemic and do so without putting people’s lives at risk. Beginning in March of 2020, we conducted several studies on COVID-19 and were able to collect data in multiple waves to show what mobile can bring when data must be collected remotely. We also very quickly redesigned our training and monitoring structure to ensure the safety of our call center operators, so that we can continue to offer the same quality of service to clients even when people are working remotely.

What’s a fact about yourself that people may not know right away?

I’ve always been a consumer of world history and have a tendency to look at situations and ask myself ‘Where have I seen this before and what can I learn from it?’ I also enjoy cartography – I see maps as art and have an appreciation for diversity of cultures which began very early after living overseas as a child.  I enjoy following international affairs from the perspective of not just an American but also looking at how we as a global community can and will play key roles on the international stage. No matter what I’m doing, I’m trying to play a small role in working to support global efforts to help develop self-sufficiency and make the world a better place regardless of nationality, region or culture.

The post Scott Lansell on Data Collection for International Development appeared first on GeoPoll.

A Likert scale is a type of scale used in survey research that measures respondents’ attitudes towards a certain subject. Likert scale questions are single-choice, closed-ended questions, and the primary benefit of using a Likert scale is that it provides more granular information on people’s attitudes towards a subject than a simple yes/no question type. By using a Likert scale, researchers can assess varying levels of agreement, importance, quality, and other factors.

The term Likert comes from the creator of the Likert Scale, Rensis Likert, a social psychologist who invented the scale in the 1930s, and Likert scales are now so commonly used that the term is often used interchangeably with any type of rating scale. While Likert scales are a type of rating scale, they are specific in that they provide respondents with a range of text-based answers that lie along a scale. A full Likert scale consists of a series of related statements, but the term is also used to describe a single-statement question with ‘Likert-type’ responses:

Full Likert scale:

Likert-type question:

Likert scales or Likert-type questions are often used to rank level of agreement with a statement on a scale from 1) Strongly disagree to 5) Strongly agree, however they have a wide range of uses and can also measure items including frequency, quality, importance, and satisfaction. Likert scales can be either unipolar, which measures on a one-way scale, such as from ‘not at all helpful’ to ‘very helpful’, or bipolar, which measures two opposite forces – for example ‘agree’ versus ‘disagree’ or ‘satisfied’ versus ‘dissatisfied’. In either case, the first option should be the furthest in sentiment from the last option.

Likert scales are most commonly 5-point or 7-point scales with a neutral middle-point, such as ‘neither agree nor disagree’ ‘neutral’ or ‘undecided’, but 4 or 6-point Likert scales which eliminate a neutral option can be used when a researcher wants to force a respondent to provide a clear opinion. While a 7-point Likert scale can provide an even greater level of granularity than a 5-point Likert scale, respondents may find it harder to distinguish between the options in a longer scale. Since a 7-point scale takes up more room on a screen, 5-point scales are often preferable for survey modes such as SMS or other mobile-based survey modes, which limitations around question length or screen size.

Likert Scale Examples

In addition to the granularity they bring over to survey research, Likert scales are useful as they provide a number of pre-written answer options that are applicable to a wide range of scenarios, from customer satisfaction to public opinion research. For example, the ‘disagree to agree’ Likert scale as shown below can be applied to nearly any topic by asking respondents to rate their level of agreement with a statement regarding brand affinity, political beliefs, and more. Some of the most useful Likert scale question examples include:

Agree to Disagree Likert Scale

• Strongly Disagree
• Disagree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Agree
• Strongly Agree

Satisfaction Likert Scale

• Very dissatisfied
• Somewhat dissatisfied
• Neither dissatisfied or satisfied
• Somewhat satisfied
• Very satisfied

Likelihood Likert Scale

• Very unlikely
• Somewhat unlikely
• Neither likely nor unlikely
• Somewhat likely
• Very likely

Good to bad Likert Scale

• Very poor
• Poor
• Average
• Good
• Excellent

Frequency Likert Scale

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always

Usage of Likert Scale Questions

A major benefit of Likert-type questions is their flexibility, as the above questions can be used to gather information regarding sentiment towards a wide range of topics. By using Likert-type questions or a full Likert scale in conjunction with simple yes/no questions, open-ended questions, and other question types, a researcher can form a complete picture of views towards:

• A product or brand: How likely are you to buy this ice cream brand again?
• Customer satisfaction levels: How satisfied are you with the service being provided to you?
• Political beliefs: Rate your level of agreement with the new government tax policy from strongly disagree to strongly agree
• Actions of individuals or companies: Do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of Company X’s recent decision?

To write a good Likert scale or Likert-type questions, researchers should ensure that the statement or statements being evaluated is clear, the answer options are distinct from each other (as demonstrated in the above pre-written choices), and the scale encompasses all possible options, rather than assuming an experience was satisfactory or that a respondent will positively react to a statement.

At GeoPoll we have a range of experience in developing Likert scales and Likert-type questions for multiple methodologies, including SMS surveys, voice call surveys through Computer Assisted Telephone interviewing, and link-based surveys. To learn more about our capabilities or speak to a member of our team about an upcoming project, please contact us.

The post Likert Scale Examples and Definition appeared first on GeoPoll.

For example, one might use an average to represent a fact such as the amount customers are willing to pay for ice cream. However, if 95% of respondents stated that they would spend $5 or less on a pint of ice cream, and 1% of respondents stated that they would spend $100 on ice cream, an average would be skewed by the 1% who would spend much more. In this case, a researcher may decide that a different statistic, such as the median, would more accurately represent the findings. Making these judgments is an important step in the quantitative data analysis process, as are ensuring that data is properly cleaned and coded prior to analysis.

Quantitative Analysis Methods

Quantitative data is analyzed using statistical methods, as quantitative data represents numbers from which datapoints can be calculated. Data from a quantitative dataset, such as survey results, is usually loaded into a program such as Excel or the statistics software SPSS which enables researchers to quickly create tables and charts in order to examine findings. Often the first step in analyzing a dataset is to view top-level findings using descriptive statistics such as mean, median, and mode.

Descriptive Statistics

In the below definitions, we will use the example of a survey with 400 respondents who were asked to rate their opinion of chocolate ice cream on a scale of 1 ‘strongly dislike’ to 5 ‘strongly like’. The data indicated that 100 rated an ice cream flavor a ‘5’, 200 rated it a ‘4’, and 100 rated it a ‘3’.

• Mean or average: The numerical average of a set of numbers.
  • In the above example, the average rating would be ((5×100)+(4×200)+(3×100))/400= 4
• Median: The median is the midpoint in a set of numbers.
  • In the above example, the median would be the number in the 200^th row of data. In this case it would be 4, but depending on the dataset, the median can be different from the average.
• Mode: The number that occurs the most often in a dataset.
  • In the above example, this would also be 4 as it occurred 200 times, while 5 and 3 only occur 100 times each.
• Range: A statement that represents the lowest and highest numbers in a dataset.
  • In the above example, the range would be from 3 to 5.
• Distribution or Percentage: The percent represented by each category within a group, out of the total (100%).
  • In the above example, instead of looking at the dataset as a whole this would report that ‘25% rated the ice cream a ‘5’, 50% rated it a ‘4’, and 25% rated it a ‘3’ 

Cross Tabulations

After examining descriptive statistics, researchers may use cross-tabulations to dig deeper into a dataset. A cross tabulation or crosstab is a way to show the relationship between two variables and is often used to compare results by demographic groups. For the above example, we could create crosstabs to show results by age:

Crosstabs can also be created to examine one datapoint by another, such as if those who rate chocolate ice cream highly also rate vanilla ice cream highly, or if there is a different relationship between the two variables. Crosstabs are useful to better understand the nuances of a dataset and the factors that may influence a datapoint.

Calculating Statistical Significance

When researchers are looking to prove or disprove hypotheses, they will often also use measures to calculate the statistical significance of their findings. Measures of statistical significance demonstrate if a finding is merely due to chance or if it is a significant finding that should be reported on. In the above example, without calculating statistical significance we cannot be sure if the difference in results between those aged 18-24 and 25-34 is due to the difference in age groups, or if the findings are a coincidence based on the sample that was selected and not related to age.

Statistical significance is usually represented by a statistic called a p-value. A p-value is a calculated number between 0 and 1, and the lower the p-value is, the less likely it is that the results were due only to chance. Typically, a p-value of less than 0.05 is regarded as statically significant, as it means there is a less than 5% likelihood that the results were due to chance. While having a p-value of under 0.05 doesn’t necessarily mean that the stated hypothesis is true, it decreases the chances that any differences in the dataset are occurring by chance. Researchers who are running tests to make decisions, for example to determine if populations prefer vanilla or chocolate ice cream in order to make purchasing decisions, should use a test of significance in order to have more confidence in their decision making.

Programs including Excel, R and SPSS can calculate the significance of findings through a series of steps, outlined in more detail here. If you work with a full-service research agency such as GeoPoll, we can run statistical significance tests for you and include the resulting data in our data analysis.

Conduct Quantitative Data Analysis with GeoPoll

GeoPoll is a research company that gathers data for international organizations, governments, consumer brands, and media houses which enables better decision making. Our services range from study and questionnaire design to data analysis, including the creation of data tables, crosstabs, and full research reports. To learn more about our capabilities or get a quote for your next project, please contact us.

The post Quantitative Data Analysis appeared first on GeoPoll.

The events of 2020 were unlike any the globe has experienced before, with COVID-19 dominating lives around the world for most of the year. Individual’s routines have dramatically changed, and both global economies and individual finances have suffered due to the fallout from COVID-19. In the midst of all of this, in-person data collection methodologies were no longer feasible at a time when accurate, timely data was needed more than ever. This led to a surge in the need for remote research methodologies, both for studies that directly examined the impact of COVID-19 and for longer-term projects which were suddenly unable to conduct research through traditional methodologies. In countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, mobile-based methodologies such as Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing became the best way to gather insights from hard-to-reach populations.

GeoPoll has been building our mobile-based research platform for almost ten years, and as COVID-19 accelerated the need for remote solutions, our team rose to the challenge. We opened new call centers, expanded our global reach, and conducted over 4.4 million surveys on important topics including food security, the economic impacts of COVID-19, changes in consumer behavior, and more. Throughout this, we also made enhancements to several of our existing products, launched a brand new GeoPoll Application, added functionality to our CATI application, and created dashboards to better monitor data quality throughout the project lifecycle.

In addition to the studies we ran on COVID-19, we conducted studies on Kenya’s media landscape throughout the year, influencer marketing in Nigeria and Kenya, and the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia. We spoke to GeoPoll team members including Nicolette Lok, VP of Operations, Benard Okasi, Director of Research, and Wycliffe Litabalia, Survey Operations Manager, on what it takes to succeed in their line of work. And we continued to build our library of research content, writing articles on data weighting, sampling frames, and quantitative vs qualitative research.

As always, you can find all of GeoPoll’s studies on the GeoPoll blog, and our coronavirus-specific research in our COVID-19 resource portal. If you would like to learn more about GeoPoll’s capabilities conducting remote research in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, please contact us.

The post GeoPoll’s 2020 In Review appeared first on GeoPoll.

In mid-December, GeoPoll began to make calls to Tigray and the neighboring Amhara region from our call center located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aiming to gather more information on the crisis and reach those who had been impacted. While communications outages were ongoing in some areas, GeoPoll was able to reach 434 respondents in Amhara and 46 in Tigray through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). CATI voice calls were made by trained interviewers in local languages (Amharic and Tigrinya). All respondents opted-into the study and were given information regarding the confidentiality of their responses.

Data from Tigray and Amhara, Ethiopia

While the results from our study are limited in scope and from a small sample size, they provide some insight into the current situation on-the-ground in Northern Ethiopia. Results show that a much higher percentage in Tigray than in Amhara have been forced to leave their home or know someone who has left their home, with 52% of those in Tigray saying they have fled their home in the past 2 months and 80% in Tigray knowing someone who has fled their home. A higher percent in Tigray (63% compared to 9% in Amhara) also say they have witnessed violence in the past two weeks, and that they do not feel safe in their homes

Food and livestock markets are more likely to be closed in Tigray, with 57% reporting that their food market is closed and 58% that their livestock market is closed.  Over half of those in Tigray report that they do not have access to medical care, and 80% have experienced phone outages, compared to 32% in Amhara who have experienced phone outages. Those in both Amhara and Tigray report shortages of necessities such as fuel, but they are more severe in Tigray; 87% in Tigray have experienced shortages of necessities while 40% in Amhara say the same.

Open-ended answers give more context to reasons why people have been displaced from their homes, with many citing conflict, the current food situation, necessity shortages, and violence people have witnessed. Regarding violence they had observed, one respondent stated that ‘I saw a battle in which the Tigray Special Forces attacked defense, and then the Amhara Regional State Special Forces came to rescue the defense force and fought to save them.’ Regarding the food situation, while some say it is fine now, others state there is a food shortage, with one respondent stating ‘There is low food supply and high increases in price.’ Answers around shortages of necessities mention food, water, and electricity, among other items. We also asked about current concerns and hopes for the future of Ethiopia, with many citing peace as a hope for the future of Ethiopia.

The full results of this study are available in the dashboard below. To learn more about GeoPoll’s capabilities in Ethiopia, please contact us.

The post Remote Data Collection in Northern Ethiopia: Tigray and Amhara appeared first on GeoPoll.

Consumer spending is also experiencing changes; as the holiday season approaches, a study from McKinsey in South Africa found ongoing reductions in discretionary spending, and that 88% of households expect to spend the same or less on the holidays as they did last year. In the meantime, news of pending vaccines is bringing hope that normalcy may return in 2021.

With these topics in mind, in November 2020 GeoPoll conducted a study in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa to gauge how lives have changed in 2020, people’s views on the future, and their willingness to take a vaccine.

This report compares results from this most recent study with GeoPoll’s previous studies, which covered topics from the perception of the disease to the economic impacts of COVID-19 in multiple African countries. The main topics covered in this study are:

• Changes to routines, mental and physical health since COVID-19
• The ongoing economic impact of COVID-19
• Changes to consumer spending, ecommerce and mobile money usage during COVID-19, and predicted holiday spending in 2020
• Perceptions of vaccines and willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine

Findings demonstrate that COVID-19 continues to have huge impacts on the financial stability of those in sub-Saharan Africa, and that these financial impacts are leading to mental health challenges for many. The effects of the virus are especially pronounced in Kenya and South Africa, where restrictions have been the most severe.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report, or view data in the interactive dashboard.

Data: Financial Impact, Vaccine Acceptance, and more in 6 African Nations

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The post GeoPoll’s 2020 Year End Report: Ongoing Impact of COVID-19 in 6 African Countries appeared first on GeoPoll.

Note: During COVID-19 GeoPoll is limiting face-to-face research and taking all necessary precautions to protect respondents and interviewers. Read this post about how face-to-face research can be transitioned to remote methods. 

Advantages of Face-to-Face Research

Face-to-face interviewing has several advantages that have made it one of the most relied-upon research methodologies. These include:

• Length of Interview: Face-to-face interviews allow for lengthy questionnaires, as the respondent is more motivated to complete an in-person survey than in other methods, such as online interviews, which can easily be exited. A longer interview enables researchers to ask multiple question modules and gather more detailed open-ended responses than may be possible through online, text message, or even voice call surveys.
• Quality of Data: Face-to-face interviews are typically thought of as producing high-quality data, especially as key demographics such as age, gender, and location cannot be falsified. Interviewers can also note non-verbal cues from the respondent within their answers. However, there are also questions around interviewer bias in face-to-face interviews, which we review below. 
• High Response Rates: It has been found that face-to-face interviews have higher response rates than some other methodologies, however, this could be due to several factors and is not necessarily due to the in-person nature of interviews.  

Disadvantages of Face-to-Face Interviewing

Despite the high quality of data received, some research projects are not feasible for face-to-face interviews due to the following disadvantages:

• Cost: Face-to-face interviews are one of the costliest methods for survey research, as they involve hiring trained enumerators and sending them to multiple locations to collect data. If data is collected by pen and paper, it must be inputted once data collection is complete, adding to costs. 
• Lengthy Complete Time: Face-to-face interviews take longer to complete than online or voice call interviews. Enumerators often travel to multiple locations to collect survey responses. The time it takes to obtain the desired sample size depends on how many enumerators are working at once and the distances they need to travel.  
• Interviewer Bias: The presence of an in-person interviewer may introduce bias in some cases. Bias may occur with sensitive questions which the respondent does not want to answer in person, or if the interviewer reads a question in a leading way.  
• Data Entry Errors: Face-to-face interview responses were traditionally recorded using pen and paper, also known as PAPI. Using pen and paper, there is a high likelihood of human error when inputting answers or lost responses, which can harm data quality. 

How Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing Works

To mitigate some of the issues mentioned above, many researchers have transitioned to using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI), where in-person enumerators read questions and record answers on a mobile application, usually through a tablet device. CAPI platforms reduce the chance of enumerator error, both while administrating the interview and when inputting data.

While the interview is ongoing, CAPI applications can automatically route to the next question based on the respondent’s answer, ensuring no questions are skipped. Data is collected and stored within the application, eliminating the need for data to be inputted manually at a later date. CAPI also allows research organizations to track the progress of individual interviewers remotely, enabling them to see if an interviewer is taking a longer-than-expected time to complete each interview, or is recording unusual response patterns.

Other advantages of CAPI research include the ability to voice record, show picture or video content to respondents, and track the GPS location of interviewers.

Conduct CAPI Research in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America with GeoPoll 

Face-to-face interviewing can be especially challenging in emerging markets such as those in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Populations in these areas are often very dispersed and may speak multiple languages or dialects. A lack of formal roads and address systems can also make face-to-face interviewing in emerging markets even more time-consuming than it is already.

GeoPoll is experienced administering face-to-face interviews in emerging regions through our proprietary CAPI application, which was specifically designed for use in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. GeoPoll works with in-country partners to recruit and train interviewers who can administer surveys in multiple languages, and can remotely track and report back to clients on project progress. Our CAPI platform allows for various question types and advanced skip logic, and gives us full control over questionnaire scripting. GeoPoll’s CAPI application also includes offline abilities, so interviews do not need to be connected to the internet to record answers.

To learn more about GeoPoll’s CAPI capabilities or to request a project quote, please contact us here.

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