Community Based Research


Community-based research is a method in social science that gives greater prominence to community members to collaborate in the research process, not only as respondents to the surveys and who may also be the recipients of possible changes in society, but participate in the administration of the questionnaires, selecting the samples of qualified interviewees with relevant criteria and also participating in other stages of the study and suggesting modifications for improvements in the project. This community collaboration is closer to a deal between peers or a bridge, between those who take responsibility for the project and those who are surveyed, thus integrating knowledge and action for the mutual benefit of the parties, see Social Action. p>

The other aspects of the technique of the community survey remain the same: no intervention in the respondent's opinions, anonymity, etc. It is not a participatory survey. It is about boosting the quality of results by incorporating together the best of those who designed the survey, who administered the surveys and those who provided answers to all of this. Attempts are also made to enrich stratification of the sample by intervention closer to the community or based on it. The subject has been studied in Social Sciences by Barbara Israel et al. (1998). There is also community-based education, which addresses the needs for extracurricular instruction and leadership.

The project managers first send an invitation to participate, they are sent instructions of the operation to follow, giving priority to the attitude of the volunteers-interviewers in relation to the respondents: responsiveness and diversity of the respondents and not to an anonymous and sometimes uncontrolled sampling. These sample stratification criteria will not be a problem because of their knowledge of the community. Those selected are those who have already participated in community projects, whether of quality of life, sustainable development or others or that have simply put an interest in the community. Summaries of an actual survey in New England County. 2004. Participatory Action Research (IAP) is the latest update, for a more collaborative application of socio-economic training cases for social development plans, for example: Diego de Almagro Commune (Chile). The most complete methodology is scattered in the other several examples. The method is one step further with the inclusion of the City Council, Residents and Researchers in round tables of discussion and implementation of a project, which is where conclusions will come. Try to involve and hold all parties accountable. Popular knowledge as a source of knowledge in action with participatory observation, without protagonism. A research applied to the action, without sciences, nor elitism. The stages are a diagnosis of the situation (field work and working group, strengthen citizen's doing, seek sustainable development and stimulate social organizations and neighbors with a methodological principle of transparency: to participate and share and with a mission of dynamization of the group by the investigators and their control, monitoring the degree of involvement of the social agents, taking care that conclusions and actions are not invalidated by isolated interventions. Bibliography

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