1. Methodology in Political Science: Qualitative Research Methods
October 29, 2014
By Hung-jen Wang 王宏仁

2. I. Field Research: Overseas Field Research
Today’s Outline
I. Field Research: Overseas Field Research
Identifying a site and funding source
Predeparture preparations
The logistics of fieldwork
II. Interviewing and Sampling

3. (5) Personal and family concerns; personal and professional concerns are difficult to disentangle

4. Exploratory research trips: do exploratory research before making a longer-term commitment
To consider such trips as an investment
To spend a few weeks
To establish collaborative affiliations
To build contacts (other local researcher or prospective assistants)
To familiarize yourself with the research sites
To investigate living conditions
To find out logistical support
 After the trip, you can refine your original theoretical models or projects

6. Language training: scholars now still dispute whether competence in the native language of a research site is necessary
Whether to study language in-country or at home
To develop minimal necessary competency in native language
To hire a translator

7. Finding funding: selecting a site and finding funding are interrelated
Apply early, apply often
Make time for fundraising
Study the criteria of each agency
Write and revise a good proposal: (1) a clear and concise statement of the question; (2) identify the interests and objectives of the funding agency; (3) letters of recommendation from host institutions; (4) be realistic about research design; (5) plan a research project budget (budgetary requirements, expenses by category, regular reporting)

9. 2) Predeparture preparations

12. 3) The logistics of fieldwork

14. II. Interviewing and Sampling

15. Types of Interview Journalistic style ======== ethnographic style
Unstructured interview==semi-structured== Structured
Unstructured: Often used by ethnographers; conversations; “soaking and poking”; with only limited knowledge
Structured: knows a lot about the subject; closed- ended; public opinion surveys
Semi-structured: combines the above two types; with open-ended questions; used in elite interviewing

16. Techniques for Semistructured Interviews (1)
Gaining Rapport:
Putting respondents at ease
Are you listening?
Question order
“Presuming” questions

17. Techniques for Semistructured Interviews (2)
Types of questions:
Grand tour questions (including specific grand tour, guided grand tour, and task- related grand tour)
Example questions (including native language questions, hypothetical interaction questions, and structural questions)
Prompts (including planned prompts, informal prompts, and floating prompts)
Enough is enough

18. “We’ve been talking about your advocacy efforts on this issue and you have mentioned that you sent a letter to members on the committee, visited with members of the congressional delegation from your district, and put information on your website. Now I want to ask you a slightly different kind of question. I’m interested in getting a list of all the different types of advocacy activities your organization has undertaken in relation to this issue. This might take a little time, but I’d like to know all the different types and what you would call them.”

19. Sampling
Representation
Your sample
Population

20. Elite interview and sampling
Two sampling errors: (1) random error; (2) nonrandom error