of perspectives may be more suitable. Many projects will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. For example, documenting human rights abuses among refugee and internally displaced populations may involve quantitative sampling (so that the results can be generalized to the broader population) as well as qualitative research to gain a comprehensive understanding of how and why abuses occurred. Qualitative and quantitative questioning It is likely that qualitative and quantitative questioning will be necessary in any interview. A survey may proceed as follows: Q. Why did you leave the neighborhood you live in? (Qualitative) A. Because of repeated shelling. (Quantitative and qualitative data) Other kinds of violations, such as the terrorizing of civilian populations as a military tactic, may only appear to be systematic after a series of interviews using qualitative techniques, at which point those violations should be noted and processed as quantitative data. The research methodology an organization uses will also be influenced by the environment in which they are operating. When working in a refugee camp setting, for example, the security constraints might mean that interviewers have to wait to be approached by individuals who are willing to discuss their experiences. This will make random sampling very difficult. In such a situation, documentation teams should consider an individual’s motivation for coming forward and telling her stories, and the potential implications this has for her reliability or credibility. On the other hand, particular human rights abuses, such as sexual abuse, may be under-reported because of feelings of shame or fear resulting from the experience. The documentation team will need to assess whether and how it can reach victims. Speaking with other human rights organizations working on the same issue may yield some insight into how to identify potential interviewees. Regardless of the kind of methodology a project employs, it is critical that any conclusions that are drawn from the research honestly reflect the limitations of that methodology. 1.2 Devising an interview protocol An interview protocol sets out overarching guidelines intended to guide the interviewer’s overall preparation and approach, and should emphasize the key principles elaborated in Section B, adapting them to the local context. An interview protocol should also clarify the terms of the interview that the interviewer must communicate to the respondent. For example, interviews should begin with an introduction that clearly and accurately explains the following:  The purpose of the interview and how the information from the interview will be used, including how long it will be stored;  Who the interviewer is (e.g., first name and general explanation of background, e.g., lawyer, doctor, investigator); 12