Toolbox

Despite the growing consensus that poverty is multi-dimensional and complex, a lot of research is based on using approaches and methods that cannot capture a full picture. To deepen the understanding of poverty, much research needs to be multi-disciplinary and involve a mix of quantitative, qualitative and participatory approaches.

This toolbox provides a guide to the variety of approaches and methods available and how they can be mixed to produce both rigorous and policy relevant research. Through identifying further resources (and especially websites) where you can explore methodological tools and issues in greater detail, the toolbox allows researchers to check that their research designs reflect ‘good practice’.

The CPRC Methods toolbox is available to download in full, or by sections below. The document contains links that can be accessed by viewing the Toolbox online.

Contents

Section 1  Overarching issues

• The ethics of poverty research 
• Including vulnerable groups in research (children and young people; impairment and disability; HIV/AIDS; older people; conflict)
• Developing international research partnerships

Section 2  Approaches to research

• The qualitative-quantitative distinction
• Participatory approaches
• Livelihoods approaches
• Political science-influenced approaches

Section 3  Designing research

• Types of poverty-oriented research
• Selecting a unit of analysis

Section 4  Research methods

• Focus group discussions
• Interviews
• Life histories
• Participatory methods
• Choosing which methods to use
• Combining methods and triangulation

Section 5  Analysing data

• Coding and analysis of focus groups
• Quantitative analysis 
  See Toolkit Notes: Testing and adjusting for attrition in Household Panel Data; and Creating and Interpreting Contour plots using DASP and GNUPLOT

Section 6  Dissemination

Section 7  Impact assessment

Section 8  Resources