3.5. Population under study
According to Richard M. Grinnel Jr et al. (1990, 118) a
population is a totalling of persons or objects within which a study is
conducted.
The target population was composed of the Rwandan people, who
were estimated to 8,3 millions in 2002.
3.6. Sample size and selection of
respondents
The researcher determined the sample while basing on the
socioeconomic criteria of people under investigation; therefore he took a
stratified sample. In every stratum he took a sample of ten people by purposive
sampling technique. Kenneth D. Bailey (1982: 83) explains purposive sampling as
a method of sampling whereby the researcher uses his/her own judgment about
which respondents to choose, and picks only those who best meet the purposes of
the study.
So, the researcher divided the sample in several categories
according to a person's age, his/her function, his/her level of education,
his/her place of residence, the problematic ``refugee'' and how wars and
genocide affected him/her. Then, he found 72 strata in which every citizen can
be identified precisely (see appendix 7). Ceteris paribus, each category can
influence people to react differently.
This means that the sample was composed by 720 individuals met
in the four former provinces of Rwanda (Butare, Gitarama, Kibuye and Ruhengeri)
and the city of Kigali. The first two provinces are currently localized in the
Southern province, the third is in the Western province and the fourth is in
the Northern province.
3.7. Data collection
techniques
Data for this study were collected through documentary sources
and a survey questionnaire.
3.7.1. Documentary sources
In the present research, review of published & unpublished
documents and Internet sources relevant to the study were used.
3.7.2. Questionnaire
While elaborating the questionnaire, the researcher made an
intellectual preparation, meaning that the idea of the investigation, the
objective of the investigation, the criteria to keep and the limit of the
investigation were his first preoccupation.
Before beginning the investigation, the researcher made a
pre-investigation, which was carried out during a period of two months (from
December 2003 until January 2004) and he took randomly a sample of twenty
people.
The results of this pre-investigation showed that people
didn't want to mention their names. Then, to permit them to reveal their real
opinions the researcher excluded names in the identification of the respondent.
It was also necessary to be near a person as he/she was answering to questions
of the investigation, to provide him/her some supplementary information in case
of need.
During the investigation (period of February 2004 to June
2004, that means five months), the researcher considered all remarks and
suggestions received at the time of pre-investigation.
The sample has been met in the four former provinces of Rwanda
(Butare, Gitarama, Kibuye and Ruhengeri) and the city of Kigali.
The questionnaire was composed by the introduction, the
identification of the respondent and three half-open questions.
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