| Archival | Data that have already been collected by an agency or organization and are in their records or archives | - Low cost
- Relatively rapid
- Unobtrusive
- Can be highly accurate
- Often good to moderate validity
- Usually allows for historical comparisons/trend analysis
- Often allows for comparisons with larger populations
| - May be difficult to access local data
- Often out of date
- When rules for record-keeping are changed, makes trend analysis difficult or invalid
- Need to learn how records were compiled to assess validity
- May not be data on knowledge, attitudes, and opinions
- May not provide a complete picture of the situation
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| Key Informant Interviews | Structured or unstructured one-on-one directed conversations with key individuals or leaders in a community | - Low cost (assuming relatively few)
- Respondents define what is important
- Rapid data collection
- Possible to explore issues in depth
- Opportunity to clarify responses through probes
- Sources of leads to other data sources and other key informants
| - Can be time consuming to set up interviews with busy informants
- Requires skilled/trained interviewers
- Accuracy (generalizability) limited and difficult to specify
- Produces limited quantitative data
- May be difficult to analyze and summarize findings
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| Focus Groups | Structured interviews with small groups of like individuals using standardized questions, follow-up questions, and exploration of other topics that arise to better understand participants | - Low cost
- Rapid data collection
- Participants define what is important
- Some opportunity to explore issues in depth
- Opportunity to clarify responses through probes
| - Can be time consuming to assemble groups.
- Produces limited quantitative data
- Requires trained facilitators
- Less control over process than key informant interviews
- Difficult to collect sensitive information.
- Accuracy (generalizability) limited and difficult to specify
- May be difficult to analyze and summarize findings
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| Surveys | Standardized paper-and-pencil or phone questionnaires that ask predetermined questions | - Can be highly accurate
- Can be highly reliable and valid
- Allows for comparisons with other/larger populations when items come from existing instruments
- Easily generates quantitative data
| - Relatively high cost
- Relatively slow to design, implement, and analyze
- Accuracy depends on who and how many people sampled
- Accuracy limited to willing and reachable respondents
- May have low response rates
- Little opportunity to explore issues in depth
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