METHODOLOGY

This dissertation examines the issue of communicating to illiterate populations, which the author frames as a communications issue.

The research undertaken by the author for this dissertation was qualitative.

In the primary research of the case included in this dissertation, the author's research paradigm is naturalist, most closely following participant observation. The author was working on the case he was researching, so the relationship between researcher and subject was close. However, enough distance was maintained to provide the author a researcher's role. While the paradigm was naturalist, the research methods, observation and interviewing, centre on a case study. This approach follows what Stake (1994) calls an intrinsic case study, as the case is studied for its intrinsic value, not because it is representative of anything. Within the paradigm of participant observation there were different roles and those are described below (Price, 1996).

The author viewed the case as an interesting communications exercise - an attempt to communicate to a largely illiterate audience, and sought to record it so that he could analyse the attempt.

Secondary research was conducted in the form of a literature review of applicable theory and case information. The author designed the research approach to provide context to the case and to the importance of the issue it raises, communicating with illiterate populations.

Communications theory was researched to guide the analysis of the case. It is important to note that communications theory was the theoretical focus, as the issue was approached as a communications issue.

Comparative studies that approached the topic in the same manner were sought, but no directly comparable studies were found.

The aim of the primary research was to examine and record, as an "informed" interviewer, interviewer and participant observer, the case of the attempt by the Department of Health of the province of New Brunswick in Canada to communicate to an illiterate population. During the process of examination the author's role shifted from participant observer, an employee of the department working on the examined case, to an informed interviewer once he had left the employ of the department. At such times when the author was an employee of the department and a participant observer, those with whom he had contact were not aware that anything was being recorded or observed for any other purposes than those of their employment. Indeed, the only information that was recorded was that required for the purpose of the author's employment. This research forms the primary research of this dissertation.