Rapid Assessment Procedures
The method of Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAPs) is useful when anthropologists need to complete their research in a short period of time. RAPs are a combination of anthropological knowledge and methods, such as sampling, interview, observation, and data analysis. Anthropologists adjust these basic methods to best fit in particular urgent research following the principles of RAPs. A research project with RAPs usually takes only one to six weeks to complete when conducted in community settings.
Advantage
Traditionally, academic anthropologists often spend more than a year for research because it takes a long time to understand another culture. This time-consuming research procedure can be impractical when research findings are needed to solve realistic problems in society. The method of Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAPs) has been developed to quickly collect necessary data and present recommendations to policy makers.
Characteristics
The method of RAPs requires clearly defined research questions. In order to produce results in a short time, researchers need to focus on a few key issues of a community under study. They take advantage of previous long-term studies and learn about the community. Since RAPs come to speedy conclusions, anthropologists make special efforts to ensure accuracy. The following characterizes RAPs:
RAPs use a team that consists of specialists from many different disciplines, such as anthropology, international development, service, and agriculture. The team also includes local people who are indigenous to the culture under study. The local people provide the team with knowledge and concepts of the community. This multidisciplinary team increases validity of the research and reduces individual researcher’s biases.
RAPs also use many kinds of data-collection techniques. For example, researchers may use direct observation and focus groups to study the same issues. With multiple data-collection techniques, they can deny or verify findings as well as broaden the range of information. In addition, researchers carefully create samplings so that their findings can be applicable to a broader context. For example, they may attempt to randomly select interview participants as much as possible. This effort enables researchers to generalize their findings obtained from a specific community.
This page was created by a Minnesota State University, Mankato student. Last updated 11/14/04.