How to Conduct Research: An Overview

1
How to Conduct Research An Overview
2
What do we mean by conducting research?

• Doing some work to find the answer to a question

3
Why do research?

• Research gives your advocacy substance
• Research gives you new information to help make
  your case
• Research can show you what's most likely to
  address your issue successfully
• Research can provide you with anecdotes and
  examples to use

4
Why do research? (cont.)

• Research can confirm what you were already sure
  of
• Research allows you to make cost-benefit
  arguments
• Research gives you credibility
• Research can short-circuit the opposition
• Research sets you up as the expert on the issue

5
When should you do advocacy research?

• When you're trying to get legislation passed
• When you're seeking to arouse community concern
  about an issue that needs attention
• When important programs or services or whole
  groups of people are under attack
• When government officials are corrupt or
  otherwise guilty of wrongdoing

6
When should you do advocacy research? (cont.)

• When government or another entity is lying to the
  public
• When it's necessary to prevent harm
• When it's important in order to further the
  public interest

7
How do you do research?

• General guidelines for research
• Ask for help
• Try to find out if someone's already done the
  research you're planning
• Learn the basics about your issue
• Know what you're going to use the information for
• Be skeptical about your sources, and check all
  your facts twice
• Be persistent

8
Types of research

• "Academic" research
• Interviews and conversations
• Surveys
• Studies
• The investigation of facts, events, etc., where
  finding information requires some detective work
• The search for stories and anecdotes to
  illustrate your issue