Farm Radio: Talks & Preparation

Farm Radio Talks and Preparation

• Radio is the most widely used teaching method in Bangladesh despite relatively low ownership, research indicates access among rural populations
• Khete Khameray was the oldest radio program for rural audiences
• Other broadcast programs include Sonali Fasal, Krishi Samacher, Chas-Abad, and Ajker Krishi

Definition of Farm Radio Talk

• Farm radio talk is a special radio format that builds messages with farm problems and solutions for diffusion among the rural population
• Talks are given by experts or subject matter specialists but can also be delivered by other people or experienced farmers who qualify as resource speakers
• Formats include straight talk, interviews, and panel discussions

Merits of Farm Radio Talk

• Messages can reach a large number of people, surpassing individual and group methods
• Messages reach the audience quickly
• Radio removes physical barriers related to geographical locations
• Radio can reach all ages and sexes equally
• Radio removes illiteracy barriers in communication
• It's more intimate than print media
• Radio talks can be prepared with emotional appeal for persuasive value
• It is a relatively inexpensive teaching method
• Farm owners in other locations can stay informed about the latest technologies
• Radio can complement inadequate extension services
• Local talents can be explored
• Recordings can be preserved for repeated use

Demerits of Radio Talk

• Feedback is low
• Persuasive value is less compared to face-to-face teaching methods
• It can't present things in visual form
• Language by experts may not be well understood by all
• Broadcast time may not suit all farmers
• Electricity failure can make the method ineffective
• People are more interested in entertainment programs
• Ownership of radio is still low, especially in rural areas
• Skillful technical expertise is needed to prepare and present radio talks

Purposes of Farm Radio Talk

• To inform about the latest scientific techniques for increasing production in farm enterprises
• To inform the non-agricultural rural audience on subsidiary and off-farm income-generating activities
• To inform rural women on improved home-making technologies and encourage participation in decision-making for family well-being
• To highlight achievements of farming and home-making innovations for motivational purposes
• To provide agricultural information on issues like agricultural marketing, weather reports, and crop production forecasting

Methods of Preparing Radio Talk

• Select a topic based on community needs
• Consider the characteristics of the audience
• Select the specialist
• Decide on the time allotted
• Ask the specialist to prepare the talk in writing
• Edit the write-up
• Type the edited manuscript in double space on one side of the paper
• Avoid continuing a sentence on the next page
• Number the pages
• Add an announcement and introduce the speaker
• Rehearse several times

Organization of the Talk

• Introduce the topic to attract the audience with good opening remarks
• Analyze the situation, emphasizing problems faced by the local community in the second part
• Give facts about the recommended practices and their merits over previous practices in the third part
• Include an appeal for action in the fourth section
• End with a summary to reinforce important points

Elements of Preparing a Good Script

• Use simple words and short sentences
• Use easy language
• Prepare the script in chronological order
• Give examples from local conditions
• Use simple statistics relevant to the topic
• Use short paragraphs
• Explain significant points in detail
• Summarize at the end

Methods of Delivering Radio Talk

• Extemporaneous presentation is preferred, but it involves risks
• Use personal pronouns
• Use active voice
• Be informal and use humor
• Use short sentences
• Mention the source of scientific facts
• Prefer indirect quotation

Radio Talk Delivery Guidelines

• Handle figures properly, using commonly used terms like "lakhs" instead of "millions"
• Avoid abbreviations
• Avoid tongue twisters, changing hard-to-read phrases
• Provide phonetic spelling for difficult words
• Indent five spaces to mark paragraph beginnings

Microphone Technique

• Relax physically and mentally
• Talk up to the microphone to avoid tightening throat muscles
• Wear comfortable clothing
• Test voice level to determine the correct distance from the microphone
• Maintain a consistent distance
• Speakers with coughs or colds should be avoided
• Clear your voice by coughing before beginning
• Follow normal breathing patterns
• Avoid breathing directly into the microphone or making distracting noises
• Avoid moving face back and forth

Speed, Pitch, and Volume of Delivery

• Use a moderate speed, around 140 words per minute for long talks
• For a 15-minute program, speak for 13.5 minutes, allowing the rest for technical shifts and introductions
• Use an optimum volume
• Avoid sudden rises and falls in volume
• Maintain proper voice placement, range flexibility, good control, and appropriate pitch

Survey Definition

• A survey is a scientific study of community conditions and needs
• It collects data on living and working conditions within a specific time frame

Objectives of Surveys

• To collect detailed information about a social problem
• To gather reliable information to determine specific community needs
• To explore relationships between various social factors
• To create a plan for a program to be implemented in a particular area
• To assess the progress of a specific developmental program

Areas Covered in Agricultural Surveys

• People: education, family size, occupation, farming experience, and group affiliation
• Economic: individual and family income, income sources, and farm size
• Land: topography, types, and utilization
• Enterprises: variety of crops, livestock, management style, and homestead trees
• Farm implements: machinery, implements, and equipment
• Media exposure: personal, group, and mass contact methods
• Realistic/fatalistic behavior
• Nature of housing and sanitation
• Awareness of recent issues
• Skills in farm & home management
• Attitude towards developmental aspects

Qualities of surveyors

• Clear on investigation nature
• Acquainted with instruments for collecting information
• Clear about survey fields and areas
• Prepared for fieldwork and to use primary and secondary data sources
• Able to create a congenial atmosphere with respondents

Survey method advantages

• Deep and specific identification of social problems
• Explanation of relationships between different social incidence.

Survey Method Limitations

• Requires significant funds and trained investigators for a dependable survey
• Is very time-consuming
• Can be undependable and unreliable if rushed
• Can be unreliable if respondents do not cooperate or provide correct information
• Has results applicable only to the survey area
• Is not useful for historical problems

Data in Surveys

• Data is the basis for hypothesis testing, collected with various methods to find the causes of a problem
• Data collection is usually done impartially to avoid bias

Types of Data

• Qualitative data (e.g., honesty, color, Yes/No)
• Quantitative data (discrete and continuous)
• Discrete data: Full numbers only (e.g., number of children)
• Continuous data: Data with a highest and lowest level with equal value of interval (e.g., farm incomes)
• Primary data: Collected directly, original in nature
• Secondary data: Previously collected, kept as records

Data Compilation

• Compilation of data: Selecting and putting gathered data together
• Includes coding and classifying raw data
• Coding: Translating raw data into symbols for counting and tabulation, assigning symbols or numerals to responses
• Classes should be appropriate to the research problem, exhaustive, mutually exclusive, and unidimensional

Data Categorization

• Categorization is arranging data into homogeneous groups or classes according to similarities and resemblances
• Categories must have a single classificatory principle, be exhaustive, sufficient, distinct, separate, and mutually exclusive
• Classifications are done according to attributes or class-intervals

Classifying Data by Attributes

• Data is classified based on common characteristics that are either descriptive (literacy, gender) or numerical (weight, height)
• Descriptive characteristics refer qualitatively
• Numerical characteristics are measured through statistical units

Tabulation of Data

• Tabulation is the process of presenting data in tables
• Objective: To clarify and simplify data to make it socially understandable

Objectives of Tabulation

• Clarifies data characteristics
• Conserves space, reduces explanatory text
• Facilitates comparison
• Facilitates summation and error detection
• Depicts trends and tendencies
• Provides a basis for statistical computations

Rules for Tabulation

• Construction of tables requires skill, experience, and common sense
• Can be done manually or electronically
• Choice depends on study size, cost, time, and availability of machines
• Rules cover table structure and general guidelines

Table Structure Elements

• Table number
• Title
• Head note
• Caption
• Stubs
• Body
• Foot-note
• Source-note

General Tabulation Rules

• Provide clarification in data characteristics
• Tables should be simple and compact
• Each table should have a distinct number
• Captions and stubs should be systematically arranged
• Units of measurement should be indicated
• Use explanatory footnotes as needed
• Adopt suitable approximation
• Avoid confusing ditto marks

Miscellaneous Tabulation guidelines

• Put miscellaneous and exceptional items in the last row
• Each table should be complete and self-explanatory
• Ensure the table is accurate and error-free
• Use proper lettering to adjust the size
• Break large tables into two or three tables for simplicity

Statistical Data Analysis

• Statistical analysis involves indices computation and a search for patterns of relationship
• Analyses of data sum up findings and address questions
• Data should be carefully analyzed, and results properly presented
• The analysis stage determines hypothesis retention or discarding

Types of Data Analysis

• Descriptive analysis: Studies variable distributions to summarize data, provides subject profiles
• Inferential/Statistical analysis: Estimates population values and tests significance for testing hypotheses
• Inferential Analysis: a difference testing statistical analysis and a relationship testing statistical analysis

Difference Testing vs. Relationship Testing

• Difference testing statistical analysis: Comparisons are made to observe significant differences between two groups
• Common tests include Chi-squared, McNemar, Sign, and Walsh
• Relationship testing: Tests are computed to find the relationship between two or more variables or the effects of one variable on another
• Common analysis examples are Correlation, Regression, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Factor analysis, and Path analysis

Survey Report Structure

• Preliminary materials: include the title page, approval sheet (if any), acknowledgment (if any), table of contents, list of tables (if any), list of figures (if any), and abstract
• Body
• Reference materials

Title Page Elements

• Name of the topic (title of the study)
• Name of the author
• Relationship of the report to a course or degree requirement
• Name of the institution
• Date of presentation All items should be centered, and no terminal punctuation is used

Report Body

• In a study report, it contains the collected data and their analyses divided into five divisions
• Introduction section contains:
  • Background
  • Statement of the problem
  • Objectives/purposes of the study
  • Significance of the problem
  • Assumptions and limitations
  • Statement of hypotheses
  • Definition of important terms
• Methodology
  • Locale of the study
  • Population and sampling design
  • Measurement of variables
  • Data gathering instrument
  • Methods of gathering data
  • Statistical treatments
• Result and Discussion - includes the text, the table and/ or the figures
• Summary Conclusion and Recommendations
  • Brief restatement of the problem
  • Descriptions of procedures used
  • Major findings and conclusions
  • Recommendations for further study.

Preliminary Sections

• All pages in the preliminary section are numbered at the center of the bottom margin with lower-case Roman numerals

Introduction Section

• Serves as introduction to the area of consideration
• Presents clear problem statement with specific questions or hypotheses
• Presents important historical background and Significance of the problem
• Description of Specific study purposes
• All assumptions and limitations are recognized
• All important terms are defined

Literature Review

• Reviews important literature related to the study
• Abstracts previous research studies and writing of authorities in the area
• Researcher brings together results of existing research
• Indicates gaps or weaknesses that exist
• Provide background for the development of the present study

Methodology Explanation

• Accurate detailed description of how the work was done
• Variables and controls selected
• Method selection by sample sizes
• Gathering data information
• Instrument reliability selected
• Method description of Statistical procedures

Results and Discussion

• Discussed through textual discussion and tabular and graphic devices that are critically analyzed and reported; good tables and figures are constructed and titled so that they are self-explanatory; contains points regarding the relationship of facts that are revealed that notes relationship results to collected evidence in data

Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

• Briefly restates the problem
• Descriptions of procedures used
• Major findings and conclusions
• Recommendations for further study
• Most readable part of the study. Most readers see the summary first to determine usefulness

Report reference Material

• Bibliography
• Appendix (if any)
• Index (any)

Report Writing

• The researcher must study the report and styles to avoid unnecessary revisions and save time
• Each report should be presented in a creative, clear and concise order
• Switch isn't permitted
• Slang, hackneyed or flippant phrases and folksy style should be avoided. Since objectivity is the primary goal, there should be no element of exhortation or persuasion. The research report should describe and explain, rather than try to convince or action.

Writing Techniques

• The name of the Publication or the sponsoring organization is listed, if the author’s name isn’t given
• In the interest of objectivity the personal pronouns, I, We, You, My, Our and Us should not be used
• Only the last names of cited authorities are used
• Past tense to be used when describing procedure
• Symbols may be used when spelling out specific journals
• Punctuation conforms to good usage and is consistent

Table and Figure Construction

• Accurately compiled, properly arranged, easily read, and correctly interpreted
• Simplify and unity are the key to simple construction
• Tables should follow the first reference in the report (closely as possible)
• Tables should be labeled with the word "Table" followed by its number (Arabic numeral and is placed flush with the left margin

Figures Used in Statistical Data

• Figures should use title to describe the nature of the data being presented
• Simplicity in figures should convey a clear idea and be understandable without any form of textual descriptionaid
• Data should be presented for it to be carefully, accurately, so that over-simplification, misinterpretation, or distortions do not result
• The use of figures should be sparingly and should illuminate not detract Figures and their numbering should occupy more than half of their separate page
• Figures need to follow, never precede and related textual discussion should refer to figures by number, never as ""the"" figure above" or the figure below".

Report Headings

• Should be divided into chapters, and should start on the page. The word "chapter" should be capitalised, followed by a capitalised Roman numeral, center and placed four spaces lower than the usual top line or the text. The chapter title is centered and capitalised, a double space below the heading.
• The heading side follows the style of capitalisation as the heading center
• At the end of the main body of the report is the bibliography listed in alphabetical order

Report Reference

• The Bibliography is different from that of a foot note
• A footnote is formed from bottom to the bottom of the page that specifically lists exactly where the quoted or paraphrased material came found

BIBLICGRAPHY vs FOOTNOTE

• BIBLICGRAPHY indentation: Overhanging first flush with margin, second line indented five spaces
• FOOTNOTE indentation: Regular paragraph indentation
• BIBLICGRAPHY name order: Last name first (of first author when more than one author)
• FOOTNOTE name order: First name first
• BIBLICGRAPHY placement: End of body of report listed alphabetically by last name of first author
• FOOTNOTE placement: Bottom of page with superscript
• BIBLICGRAPHY punctuation: Author name, Year, Title. Place of publication, Publisher.
• FOOTNOTE punctuation: Author, Title (place of publication: Publisher, date of Publication).
• BIBLICGRAPHY Page reference: 414 pp, (total number of pages in book or in article);"" means that the author has 414 pages to pull material from
• FOOTNOTE Page reference: P. 23, (specifies page location of references);"" shows an exact place for the material with references""