Example of a research (interview) log

The operating principle of performance contracting in the Kenya Government and its institutions is that: “What is not measured is not done”. We as your supervisors need hard evidence that actually you have used the time and funds allocated for research appropriately. For this reason we suggested that you keep a time use log. It is also easy to align a time use log against funds used and vehicle use. No doubt you found it difficult to keep such a log. That is why we have not seen any. Please find below an example of a log that you might keep.

Date / Time / Person identity / Contact / Type of interview / Delivered result (completed Qunn, interview record, etc) / Remarks
14/1/14 / 9.00 / Ole Selereno, K.P. / 0722123123 / KID / Interview record and transcription / Cagey respondent
11.30 / Kipyator, T.M. / 0712312312 / questionnaire / qunn / forthright
2.00 / Ng’ang’a P.K. / 0701455413 / questionnaire / qunn
15/1/14 / 8.30 / Arap Maina. K / 0763123852 / FGD / Recording / Almost fought
10.00 / Lisekuta, J.D. / 0723654123 / Discussion cards
3.30 / Otoyo B.N. / 0714569872 / Key conclusions and recommendations

Example of a research trip/Fieldwork Report

Yours supervisors also requested that you make a report at the end of each field work period. Again you must have found this difficult to do, since I have not seen any. Report writing is useful to you as it exercises writing skills and eventually prove useful in thesis writing. It also will assist your supervisor determine what kind of help you need to complete your study. I suggest that your report keep to this structure below:

·  Field work title:

·  Aim of the field work:

·  Description of key activities of the field work and their results:

o  How much time spent doing what with what result

·  A preliminary assessment of the results

·  A preliminary analysis of the methods (strategies, approaches, contacts, timing)

o  What will you do different next time and why?

o  What will you do exactly the same way and why?

·  The main Challenges and how you coped with them. Do you need help?

·  The main Constraints faced and what can be done to sort them out

·  Did you observe nay gaps on your overall research goal, objective and strategy?