Final Year Projects 5: Planning your Fieldwork

Final Year Projects What is fieldwork? Questionnaire Interview Case study Experiment (or adaptation of the classical method) Participant observation/Ethnography Documentary analysis/content analysis some combination of the above

Final Year Projects Advantages (if done well!) Shows some enterprise and initiative Brings a project ‘alive’ by the use of the author’s own data Can demonstrate the use of research methods taught earlier in the course Gives the opportunity for statistical hypothesis testing

Final Year Projects Disadvantages Can often appear only as an ‘add-on’ not fully integrated with the rest of the test If not done well, it can detract from the project Can be time-consuming and detract effort from the rest of the project Things can go wrong, not under your control!

Final Year Projects Which method to use ? Determined by the overall shape of the investigation i.e. methods should be suited to the subject matter A combination of methods may be used i.e. not a choice of one OR the other. Questionnaires + a strategic interview are a powerful combination

Final Year Projects Planning access Getting permissions can be time-consuming Finding the appropriate person is not always easy Some pre-survey contact is usually vital Personal contact rather than ‘cold-calling’ usually a better approach What is in it for the organisation?

Final Year Projects A time-line for fieldwork: Activity Time (in weeks) Reading around the method Planning (e.g. sampling) Access Data Collection Data Analysis Incorporating your analysis

Final Year Projects Ethical concerns These have to be thought about and then an ethics statement form completed Confidentiality has to be respected Ethical concerns at design, data collection and analysis stages Your tutor has to be FULLY INVOLVED and to GIVE CONSENT

And finally…. Any questions?