Step 3: Enumerators
Enumerator selection is ideally a two-step process. Potential enumerators should be informed when first contacted that the following is the process which will be followed. Merely stating that there will be interviews for the positions will likely do a great deal of the selection work. First, potential interviewers should be screened in one-on-one interviews prior to training. Talk with the applicants, have them read and interpret questions from the questionnaire, quiz them on their knowledge of the survey location(s), and observe their appearance and behavior. In practice, such interviews should eliminate all or almost all interviewers that do not meet the desired enumerator profile. The second step is observation of enumerators during training.
What is the profile a good enumerator?
Enumerators must be sufficiently literate and numerate to administer the questionnaire, respond to interviewee questions, and administer the sampling plan. A questionnaire must be read to respondents verbatim, so literate enumerators are obviously necessary. Enumerators can be screened either (i) in interviews prior to training or (ii) during the training process, particularly as mock interviews are carried out. When possible, eliminate unsuitable interviewers prior to training, but do not hesitate to dismiss applicants following training if they have serious difficulties reading or interpreting the meaning of questions. While it may be awkward to dismiss enumerators, the awkwardness pales in comparison to the difficulties of later correcting problems caused by the use of inappropriate enumerators. In addition, most surveys deal at least in part with information related to prices, schedules, and other numerical areas, so numeracy is a vital interviewer characteristic as well. The ability to read and use maps to locate survey areas and assignments is almost always necessary as well.
Enumerators must be acceptable to the population within which they will be conducting interviews. If enumerators are not acceptable to the target population, they will frequently not be able to gain access to potential respondents. If, for example, one of the aims of the study is to interview women, in more conservative rural areas it might be necessary to use exclusively female enumerators. If senior managers or engineers in firms are to be interviewed, shabbily dressed enumerators will not be taken seriously and will often be turned away. These factors can lead to higher refusal rates, incomplete interviews, higher survey costs, and lower quality data. Choose appropriate enumerators and insist that they appear and act in a professional manner when in the field. Request that enumerators arrive at training dressed professionally, and during training, do not hesitate to point out what constitutes acceptable dress and behavior.
Enumerators should be residents of the area within which they will be conducting interviews. Familiarity with the survey area is important primarily for implementation of the sampling plan. Enumerators must be able to find the areas in which they will work. Frequently, assignments will be given to enumerators based on particular streets, buildings, or neighborhoods. Enumerators who have the ability to accurately and quickly locate and move around within these areas will help achieve the objectives of the survey within the budgeted amount of time.
Enumerators must be available during the time in which the survey will be conducted. While seemingly obvious, this is an important point. When enumerators fail to show up on a given day, the survey schedule is disrupted. When enumerators frequently do not show up or quit altogether, additional enumerators must be located, screened, and trained. This can strain both the personnel and financial resources allocated to the survey project.
Review the full text of this Operations Manual for more information on enumerator training, monitoring, behavior and compensation. Back to Step 2: Questionnaire Design