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Chapter 2Methodology

In considering the most appropriate method of gaining the kind of knowledge we felt was important for this book, we recognised the value of qualitative data as providing the opportunity to understand the challenges and opportunities involved in embedding child protection systems and processes into boarding secondary schools in Ghana. It was felt that a blend of document analysis, our own evaluation findings and the use of existing peer-reviewed research would best inform our conclusions.

Document analysis, according to Bowen (2009) is a form of qualitative research in which documents are interpreted by the researcher to give voice and meaning to a particular topic. It is a cost-effective method however it requires careful planning and can be time-consuming. We used government reports and documents from NGOs and INGOs, position papers and UN reports to assist us with grounding our findings and conclusions.

The other source of information for our book came from our Sunflower project in the form of internal reports, work summaries and final evaluation report.

Program evaluation, according to Cook (2014, p108) is ’generally viewed as a set of mechanisms for collecting and using information to learn about projects, policies, and programs, to understand their effects, both intended and unintended as well as the manner in which they are implemented‘. Throughout the 2-year pilot phase, the social worker provided monthly updates and comprehensive quarterly reports which were used for monitoring purposes. The evaluation at the end of the project provided a more in-depth analysis of the project; its strengths, limitations and future direction.

Existing peer-reviewed research, policy and legislation as well as some ‘grey’ literature produced by government departments, non-governmental and international organisations were used. Grey literature refers to work that is unpublished and can include materials such as ‘unpublished studies, conference abstracts, conference proceedings, book chapters, government and agency reports, as well as unpublished doctoral dissertations’ (Bellefontaine and Lee 2014, p1379).

We found relevant academic journals in the area of Education and Educational Development as particularly useful. Small-scale research findings assisted us in developing our argument. In addition, relevant social work journal articles were sourced.

Methodologically then, this book is a culmination of secondary research as it is a collation of existing research and did not involve direct data collection from research participants. Secondary data analysis offers the opportunity for a researcher to analyse existing data which has been collected by previous studies into similar areas of interest.

According to Bryman (2012), secondary analysis can have a number of benefits to researchers.

Time and Cost

Secondary analysis offers the possibility to researchers access good quality data in a shorter timescale than the collection of primary data and also in a cost-effective manner. For instance, the designing of questionnaires, fieldwork trips and time spent interviewing and talking to participants is absent in the use of secondary analysis, hence the cost-effectiveness of this method. We also recognised the time required for gaining ethical approval would be saved by using secondary sources.

Reduced Time for Analysing Data

Due to the time-consuming nature of data collection, the analysis stage is usually condensed in order to complete the task at hand. The use of secondary data enables a researcher to spend more time on analysing and making sense of the existing literature.

It is also important to highlight the limitations associated with the use of this method in research.

Firstly, there can be a lack of control over the quality of the data. The quality of data, according to (Bryman 2012) should not be taken for granted as such data might not necessarily meet the needs and requirements of the secondary research. This meant that we had to spend time interrogating and sifting through volumes of secondary data to identify what was relevant to our book and could be used.

This however was a welcome part of the process as it gave us further insight into the area under consideration from different perspectives and lenses.

Also, using secondary sources may result in a lack of familiarity with the data. The use of secondary data that has been collected and analysed by others will require close scrutiny to ensure that the researcher gains familiarity with the data. A lack of understanding of the data generated is a limitation to the use of secondary methods of research.

In writing this book, we have considered the need for confidentiality of the school, its staff, the social worker and the students. All names of the people and places used in this book are pseudonyms, in line with our duty of care towards the staff, children and families associated with the Sunflower project.

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