In many ways, the PPAR research process is no different from other kinds of research. In any research project, the first step is usually to define the research question. This is often called Identifying the Issue. For this step it might help to ask yourself the following questions:
- Why is this important?
- Who is affected?
- Why is this serious enough to research?
Once you come to an agreement on the issue to be researched, it is time to Collect the Data. Again, there are established methods for this that are shared by virtually all kinds of research, for example: Focus Groups, Interviews, and Surveys.
Finally, in order for the information you have gathered to be useful, you have to Analyze the Data in order to extract findings that are relevant to your goal.
As its name implies, Doing the Research is the heart of the process. We spend a lot of time on these three steps of the PPAR process. The activities in the modules below will help hone your research skills. Your team member with research or evaluation experience will be helpful in supporting team members’ skill building.