Organizations’ administrative records

The administrative records of community organizations are the preferred source for data and are easy to use, but difficult to set up and keep updated. Record-keeping is not consistent across the different organizations. When records are inaccessible or unreliable, interviews or surveys have to be used.

Organizations’ administrative records and press clippings

Government records

The records of these institutions are more current, but may also have reliability issues, and be difficult to access.

Academic records

Health institutions’ and services’ administrative records

Records of Contact interculturel francophone de Sudbury

The records of Contact interculturel francophone de Sudbury present a particular problem: that of collecting data not only on the people requesting services, but also on newcomers as a whole. Resources would have to be invested to monitor and document the entire immigration process.

Checklist

The checklist is a simple tool used to gather straightforward information without having to do in-depth research.

Literature review

The study of the literature may include many types of documents, such as study reports, organization and institution reports, minutes of meetings, plans, information brochures, etc.

Census statistics

A wide range of data is compiled in the census, but an effort must be made to use what has been published or is accessible at a lower cost. In this regard, the RDÉE⁹ and Canadian Heritage¹⁰ profiles are useful. After our consultations, we noted that it is preferable to use the data for Census Division 53 (Greater Sudbury) to document the Sudbury Francophone population.

Data on Statistics Canada health indicators

For comments on the usefulness of data in the Canadian Community Health Survey, see endnote 8 on page 11.The Second Report on the Health of Francophones in Ontario, under the supervision of Louise Picard and Gratien Allaire, uses these data.

Media coverage study

If it is not possible to collect all press clippings, a study of the media coverage of an event or an organization can help closely track all relevant media production, but at a high cost.

Organizational survey

Surveys are a very reliable method for gathering quantifiable data on opinions and perceptions. If the target population habitually uses the Internet (youth, organization directors, leaders, public servants, etc.), online surveys are very efficient and cost effective. If the target population is too broad (Francophones), using surveys may be too complex and expensive.

Community leader survey

Public service employee survey

Francophone newcomer survey

Sample client survey

School records

Interviews with questionnaires can be used to gather facts and opinions when the population is not too large.

Interviews with various government authorities

Interviews with health care authorities

Investigation by direct observation

Investigation by direct observation goes further than the checklist by observing onsite a series of defined variables in an observation guide.

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