Primary research:

Personal communication forms an important part of the research. This takes a number of forms. Firstly, personal contacts with personnel that were part of the author carrying out his duties in his work term. The role of the author in these personal contacts was that of participant observer and the author did not initiate or undertake in any way to act beyond his duties as an employee.

Personal contact with personnel with whom the author worked during his work term was recorded so that the paper reflects the development process of the communication attempt. As an actor within the process, the author communicated with other actors as the communications effort developed. This communication took place formally in the form of memos and as discussion in meetings, which the author recorded in notes. Again, the author's role here was that of participant observer.

As stated earlier, the author also conducted formal interviews with some of the personnel with whom he interacted carrying out his duties. Six separate interviews were conducted with the communications director of the DHCS and with the co-ordinator of the project, a role filled by two different people during the course of research. These were done to more fully reveal motives behind actions. The author's role during these contacts was as an informed interviewer. Interviewees were informed at the outset that information from these contacts would not be given to the department, their employer, as the interview was being conducted as part of an academic study. This approach resulted in actors being more forthcoming than perhaps they might have been in other circumstances.

Personal communication is also included as advice received from the New Brunswick Statistics Agency. In the initial research of the illiteracy statistics for the target demographic, the author was guided by personal communication with staff of the agency. The author's personal communication here was done in his role as an employee of the government, as a participant observer.

Other interviews were also conducted with field personnel who did not play a role in developing the communication program, but were charged with the responsibility of implementing the whole program, including communications activities. These interviews, three in total, were conducted with senior administrators at the hospital level. These were done to discover how the communications effort was actually carried out as opposed to how it was prescribed.