1. CHAPTER 10, qualitative field research

2. Chapter Outline Topics Appropriate to Field Research
Special Consideration in Qualitative Field Research
Some Qualitative Field Research Paradigms
Conducting Qualitative Field Research
Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Field Research
Ethics and Qualitative Field Research
Quick Quiz

3. Topics Appropriate for Field Research
Topics that defy simply quantification
Attitudes and behaviors best understood in their natural setting
Social processes over time

4. Elements of Social Life Appropriate to Field Research
Practices
Episodes
Encounters
Roles and Social Types
Social and Personal Relationships
Groups and Cliques
Organizations
Settlements and Habitats
Social Worlds
Subcultures and Lifestyles

5. Special Considerations in Qualitative Field Research
Roles of the Observer
Participant, Researcher, Observer
Reactivity – The problem that the subjects of social research may react to the fact of being studied, thus altering their behavior from what it would have been normally.
Relations to Subjects
Objectivity
Alien / Martian
Reflexivity

6. Some Qualitative Field Research Paradigms
Naturalism
Ethnomethodology
Grounded Theory
Case Studies
Institutional Ethnography
Participatory Action Research

7. Naturalism – An approach to field research based on the assumption that an objective social reality exists and can be observed and reported accurately.
Ethnography – A report on social life that focuses on detailed and accurate description rather than explanation.

8. Ethnomethodology – An approach to the study of social life that focuses on the discovery of implicit, usually unspoken assumptions and agreement.

9. Grounded Theory – an inductive approach to the study of social life that attempts to generate a theory from the constant comparing of unfolding observations.
Guidelines:
Think conservatively
Obtain multiple viewpoints
Periodically step back
Maintain an attitude of skepticism
Follow the research procedures

10. Case Studies – The in-depth examination of a single instance of some social phenomenon.
Extended Case Method – A technique in which case study observations are used to discover flaws in and to improve existing social theories.

11. Institutional Ethnography – A research technique in which the personal experiences of individuals are used to reveal power relationships and other characteristics of the institution within which they operate.

12. Participatory Action Research – An approach to social research in which the people being studied are given control over the purpose and procedures of the research.
Emancipatory Research – Research conducted for the purpose of benefiting disadvantaged groups.

13. Conducting Qualitative Field Research
Preparing for the Field
Be familiar with relevant research
Discuss your plans with others in the area
Identify and meet informants (when appropriate)
First impressions are important
Establish rapport (an open and trusting relationship)
Ethical considerations

14. Qualitative Interview – Contrasted with survey interviewing, the qualitative interview is based on a set of topics to be discussed in depth rather than based on the use of standardized questions.
“Miner” or “Traveler”

15. Stages in Complete Interviewing Process
Thematizing
Designing
Interviewing
Transcribing
Analyzing
Verifying
Reporting

16. Focus Group – A group of subjects interviewed together, prompting a discussion.
Advantages: real-life data, flexible, high degree of face validity, fast, inexpensive
Disadvantages: not representative, little interviewer control, difficult analysis, interviewer/moderator skills, difficult logistically

17. Recording Observations
Take detailed notes, but balance with observations
Rewrite notes with observations soon after observations with filled in details
Record empirical observations and interpretations
Record everything
Anticipate observations

18. Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Field Research
Strengths of Qualitative Field Research
Effective for studying subtle nuances in attitudes and behaviors and social processes over time
Flexibility
Inexpensive
Weaknesses of Qualitative Field Research
No appropriate statistical analyses

19. Validity
Greater validity than survey and experimental measurements
Reliability
Potential problems with reliability

20. Quick Quiz

21. 1. When you use field research, you’re confronted with:
decisions about the role you’ll play as an observer
your relationship with the people you are observing
both of the above choices
neither of the above choices

22. Answer: C. When you use field research, you’re confronted with decisions about the role you’ll play as an observer and your relationship with the people you are observing.

23. 2. _____ is an old tradition in qualitative research based on the assumption that an objective social reality exists and can be observed and reported accurately.
Naturalism
Ethnography
Ethnomethodology

24. Answer: A. Naturalism is an old tradition in qualitative research based on the assumption that an objective social reality exists and can be observed and reported accurately.

25. 3. _____ describes when the subject of social research may react to the fact of being studied, thus altering their behavior from what it would have been normally.
Reactivity
Sensitivity
Hyperactivity

26. ANSWER: A. Reactivity describes when the subject of social research may react to the fact of being studied, thus altering their behavior from what it would have been normally.

27. 4. In a _____, typically people are brought together to engage in a guided discussion on some topic.
classroom
focus group
micro study

28. ANSWER: B. In a focus group, typically people are brought together to engage in a guided discussion on some topic.

29. 5. In comparison to surveys and experiments, field research has:
high validity and high reliability.
high validity and low reliability.
low validity and high reliability.
low validity and low reliability.

30. ANSWER: B. In comparison to surveys and experiments, field research has high validity and low reliability.