1. Qualitative Field Research

2. Topics for Field Research
Observing complex social phenomena
Topics that defy simple quantification
Topic best understood in natural settings
Topic focused on social processes over time

3. All Elements of Social Life
Practices: talking, reading a book
Episodes: divorce, crime, illness
Encounters: meetings, interactions
Role: occupations, gender roles
Relationships: friendships, mother-son

4. All Elements of Social Life
Groups: cliques, teams, work groups
Organizations: hospitals, prisons
Settlements: neighborhoods, ghettoes
Social worlds: "wall street", ”dorm life“
Lifestyles/subcultures: punk, gay/lesbian

5. Roles of the Observer Participant Observation
Full participant to complete observer
Constructed roles and social interaction
Ethics of involvement and deception
Influencing the process and outcome
Naturalism and honesty
“Going native”

6. Relation to Subjects Maintaining some separation / objectivity
Taking others perspectives / subjectivity
Mutually exclusive advantages of perspective
Acknowledging implications for reflexivity

7. Field Research Paradigms
Naturalism - empirical, observable reality
“Chicago School” sociology
Ethnographic - use of informants
Provide description of how things “really are”
Ethnomethodology - socially-constructed reality
Phenomenology - “breaching experiments”
“Make sense” of informants perspectives
Reveal underlying patterns of interaction
Institutional ethnography
Interested in institutional power relations

8. More Field Research Paradigms
Grounded theory - positivism + interactionism
Derive theories from patterns/themes in observations
Systematic set of procedures in qualitative work
Theoretical sampling and precise coding
Case studies and the extended case method
Detailed analysis of particular instance
Way to refine and improve existing theory
Participatory action research
Research as resources to those being studied

9. Preparing for Field Work
Fill in your knowledge of the subject
Discuss plan with an informant
Develop an identity, if participant
Select initial contact

10. Seven Stages of Interviewing
Interviewing is flexible, iterative & continuous
Thematizing - clarifying
Design
Interviewing
Transcribing
Analyzing
Verifying and checking facts
Reporting

11. Advantages of Focus Groups
participants in guided discussion
Foster interaction among participants
Socially oriented research method
Flexible
High face validity
Speedy results
Low in cost

12. Disadvantages of Focus Groups
Less control than individual interviews
Data can be difficult to analyze
Moderators may impede process
Reactive to differences in composition
Difficult to assemble groups
Powerful personalities can take over

13. Taking Research Notes Don’t trust your memory Take notes in stages
Take notes while you observe
Take notes in stages
Take sketchy notes in field; fill in the details later
Record everything
Things that don't seem important may be significant
Realize that most of your field notes will not be reflected in your final project - that’s OK

14. Strengths of Field Research
Permits a great depth of understanding.
Flexibility - can be modified at any time.
Inexpensive - few direct costs
Validity over surveys or experiments.

15. Weaknesses of Field Research
No statistical evidence - limited claims
Personal factors may undermine reliability
Generalizability limited to context

16. Is It Ethical?
To talk to people when they don't know you will be recording their words?
To get information for your own purposes from people you hate?
To see a severe need for help and not respond to it directly?
To be in a situation but not commit yourself wholeheartedly to it?