Overarching Methodology Clause Samples

Overarching Methodology. The purpose of the analysis of projects is two-fold. On the one hand, WaterDiss2.0 seeks to help each project improve their dissemination and achieve uptake if they need and request it. On the other hand, WaterDiss2.0 seeks to gather and synthesize information about dissemination experiences to inform best practice and contribute to general knowledge and guidance. In order to respond to these specific needs, both questionnaires and interviews were conducted. While the questionnaire gathered statistical data and information about the project characteristics, the interviews served to delve deeper into the issues addressed in the questionnaire and expand on facilitators and barriers of uptake. The quantitative data from the questionnaires is used to create statistical information, which may highlight causal determination, enable prediction, and allow for generalized findings. The qualitative information serves to illuminate the projects‟ specific achievements and needs more closely, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ understanding and enable extrapolation to similar situations (Golafshani, 2003). The premise that qualitative research is not able to give a completely detached account, due to the personal involvement of the researcher should be kept in mind (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ 2002). However, to ensure good quality of the qualitative research, project partners were provided an interview guide containing key questions and indicators and a list of influential determinants of dissemination and uptake success. Detailed interview minutes were provided by the project partners as well as a filled-in copy of the aforementioned list highlighting which barriers were relevant to a project. Finally, the project partners were asked to write-up their personal experiences and opinions about the project, the communication with the contact person and their impressions on dissemination and uptake of project results. This three-fold approach maximizes the transparency of the interview process and addresses the difficulty of having several project partners conduct interviews (Popay et al, 1998). The reliability and validity of data was ensured during the planning stage of the analysis and is being revised through the first analysis in this deliverable. Reliability of data questions whether the result of the study is replicable. Some findings from the analysis are related to specific cases and will not be replicable due to unique characteristics of the projects. However, the study of several FP6 and FP7 projects allow...