PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AND METHODOLOGICAL PRECISION IN PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH

From 13 to 17 July of this year, a series of training sessions was organised for interviewers working in the CATI Research Department of the Republican Center for the Study of Public Opinion “Ijtimoiy Fikr”.

The primary purpose of the training was to enhance the professional skills of interviewers, systematically analyse the challenges arising during telephone surveys, and develop practical proposals and recommendations for addressing them.

During the sessions, the participants’ theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and professional experience were assessed according to the following criteria:

• proficiency in using the CATI system;
• ability to establish effective communication with respondents;
• skills in presenting questions accurately, clearly, and neutrally;
• ability to respond appropriately to challenging situations arising during surveys;
• accuracy in recording responses and ensuring the reliability of collected data;
• compliance with professional ethics and interview requirements.

The training sessions were conducted by department heads Sherzod Boboev, Umida Khalikova, Igor Mikhailovich, and Ravshan Islambaev. The specialists provided practical guidance on methodological requirements for conducting interviews, the psychology of communication with respondents, rules for presenting questions, and methods for managing problematic situations that may arise during surveys.

As part of the training, the professional performance of the interviewers was analysed, and a rating was compiled on the basis of the established criteria. The assessment results made it possible to identify each participant’s strengths, areas for professional development, and skills requiring further improvement.

The identified errors and shortcomings were discussed in detail, and the reasons for their occurrence were analysed. The interviewers received targeted recommendations on improving the quality of surveys, maintaining neutrality during communication, recording data accurately, and increasing overall work efficiency.

Following the training, practical proposals were developed to further improve the activities of the CATI Research Department, regularly assess the professional preparedness of interviewers, and enhance the quality of sociological data.

The systematic organisation of such training sessions contributes to strengthening the professional responsibility of interviewers, reducing errors during the survey process, and ensuring the reliability and objectivity of the sociological information collected.