> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://methodology.china-index.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Research process

> How Regional Partners, local experts, reviewers and Doublethink Lab staff produce and check every response, from recruitment to publication.

Every country's responses pass through four stages before publication. The numbers in the diagram match the steps below; each step names who is responsible.

<div className="process">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/doublethinklab/evw4GLNWOb3f79vz/images/research/process.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=evw4GLNWOb3f79vz&q=85&s=5391a2bff5b756f9148bc8d53070f88f" alt="The research process: Stage 1 select Regional Partners (steps 1–2), Stage 2 select local experts (steps 3–4), Stage 3 investigate and respond (steps 5–6), Stage 4 review and verify (steps 7–8), then publish." width="1090" height="4977" data-path="images/research/process.png" />

  <div className="process-steps">
    <span className="stage-label" style={{ background: '#c5494e' }}>Stage 1</span>

    ## Select Regional Partners

    **1. Call for Regional Partners** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#c14f4d' }}>DTL staff</span>

    * Open call within the CITW network.
    * Targeted call for potential applicants.

    **2. Select eligible and qualified Regional Partners** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#c14f4d' }}>DTL staff</span> <span className="who" style={{ background: '#ec8e26' }}>CITW Advisory Board</span>

    * Check the [eligibility requirements](/2024/data-collection#eligibility-requirements-for-regional-partners-and-local-experts) for Regional Partner applicants.
    * Review applicants' work and research experience in China studies to make the final selection.
    * Provide methodological training for Regional Partners.

    <span className="stage-label" style={{ background: '#529375' }}>Stage 2</span>

    ## Select local experts

    **3. Submit local expert list** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#529375' }}>Regional Partner</span>

    * Regional Partners identify qualified and trustworthy local experts within a country.

    **4. Select eligible local experts** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#c14f4d' }}>DTL staff</span>

    * Check the [eligibility requirements](/2024/data-collection#eligibility-requirements-for-regional-partners-and-local-experts) for local experts.
    * Provide methodological training for local experts.

    <span className="stage-label" style={{ background: '#427ab0' }}>Stage 3</span>

    ## Investigate and respond to Indicators

    **5. Respond to factual Indicators** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#427ab0' }}>Local expert</span>

    * Local experts observe PRC influence based on presence, significance and scale (see the [grading system](/2024/indicator-development#grading-system)).

    **6. Provide supporting evidence** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#427ab0' }}>Local expert</span>

    * If an Indicator is answered "Yes" or 1–4, experts must provide references supporting the chosen response (see [Writing responses](/2024/writing-responses) and [Evidence periods](/2024/evidence-periods)).

    <span className="stage-label" style={{ background: '#905093' }}>Stage 4</span>

    ## Review and verify

    **7. Review and verify responses** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#905093' }}>Reviewer</span> <span className="who" style={{ background: '#427ab0' }}>Local expert</span>

    * Initial responses from local experts are reviewed by at least one reviewer. In case of disagreement, the Regional Partner reconciles the variance.

    **8. Check data completeness** <span className="who" style={{ background: '#c14f4d' }}>DTL staff</span>

    * DTL checks the completeness of the responses, for example URL validity and supporting evidence.
    * If data is incomplete, feedback and modification are required before the response moves on.

    <span className="stage-label" style={{ background: '#c14f4d' }}>Finish</span>

    ## Publish

    In addition to the final Indicator responses, the names of Regional Partners, local experts (respondents) and reviewers are shown on [china-index.io](https://china-index.io/) unless they wish to remain anonymous. For safety reasons, local experts may choose not to reveal their identity or their association with this project.
  </div>
</div>

Further safeguards against bias, such as the limit on skipped Indicators and the minimum number of experts in politically constrained countries, are set out in [Reducing the impact of bias](/2024/data-collection#reducing-the-impact-of-bias).


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