Methods Guide

Young Lives is the first multi-disciplinary longitudinal study of childhood poverty to be carried out in more than one developing country.  We have invested much time and effort into developing our methods and approaches. These include our research tools, such as the questionnaires for the household and child surveys and participatory methods used for in-depth case study research, as well as practical approaches to areas such as the ethics of working with children or communicating our research findings.

Drawing on the practical experiences of our research teams, this Methods Guide aims to document and share some of the lessons we have learned along the way. It provides an overview of how the Young Lives research has been carried out. It gives readers an insight into the diverse methods and processes that are used to carry out a complex longitudinal study made up of many different components. It offers lessons on building and managing research partnerships, designing and carrying out multidisciplinary research, managing and analysing data, and using research to influence policy.

Written in 2011, the Methods Guide reflects on a decade of experience and iterative change. Each section summarises a different stage of the research process, and reflects on:

•    what has been done in each area
•    what challenges have arisen
•    how ways of working have changed and developed
•    what lessons have been learned.

The Methods Guide will be periodically updated and will document any major changes made to the design of Young Lives or the methods it uses. If you are interested in more details about any particular aspect of the research process or section of the Methods Guide, please address your enquiry to Caroline Knowles (younglives_at_younglives.org.uk). The Guide was written by Karen Brock, in close collaboration with team members.

Young Lives Methods Guide – contents

Young Lives: Study overview
Building and Managing Partnerships
Research Ethics
Sampling
The Longitudinal Survey
The Qualitative Research Component
The Schools Component
The Oak Foundation Sub-study on Risk, Vulnerability and Resilience
Piloting: Testing instruments and training field teams
Planning and Managing Fieldwork
Cohort Maintenance: Tracking and attrition
Data Management: Cleaning, storage and archiving
Introducing Computer-assisted Personal Interviewing
Methods for Analysis
Communications Processes and Planning
Engaging with Policy and Practice on Child Poverty

 

Other toolkits from research organisations

Chronic Poverty Research Centre: approaches and methods for multi-disciplinary research http://www.chronicpoverty.org/page/toolbox

Well-being in Developing Countries: research tools to conceptualise the social and cultural construction of well-being in developing countries:
http://www.welldev.org.uk/research/methods-toobox/toolbox-intro.htm

Economic and Social Research Council toolkit on research communication and impact: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/tools-and-resources/impact-toolkit/index.aspx

Funding

The Young Lives methods guide was funded as part of the Economic and Social Research Council grant: Developing and refining methods for comparative cross-national research on poverty and vulnerability: Drawing on Young Lives’ and WeD’s experience.