16 Fieldwork Initiation
Navigating the Field with Purpose
Simone Flanigan
Goals
After reading this article, you will be able to do the following:
- List the required steps to initiate strong fieldwork.
- Identify and design specific fieldwork-initiation examples.
- Develop the preliminary research required to initiate unique fieldwork.
Introduction
Fieldwork is the heart of ethnographic research. Unlike desk-based studies that rely solely on existing literature, the ethnographer actually ventures into the field to collect data firsthand. You will be “looking, listening, collecting, questioning, and interpreting,” (Chiseri-Strater & Sunstein, 2012, p. xxi). Through participant interviews, observations, and interactions, fieldwork transcends secondary sources and gives researchers firsthand experiences that capture rich qualitative data.
Research the Topic
You’ve located your topic and you’re ready to head into the field. Now what? Before you initiate your fieldwork, comprehensively review any relevant material to gain a deep understanding of existing research, theories, and perspectives related to the research design. This will provide a foundation for the study and help identify research gaps and potential areas to explore.
To illustrate fieldwork initiation’ steps, let’s use the example student, Juan, who is looking into income inequality.
Juan starts by running a simple Google search to see what current information there is on income inequality. He then uses his college access to examine income inequality trends in academic journals, reports, and books. He explores studies that highlight the disparities in income distribution across different demographic groups, geographical areas, and industries, looking for specific focus areas. Through this initial research, Juan gravitates toward how income inequality affects marginalized groups.
Refine Your Research Question
Next, clearly define your research questions and objectives, which will guide the ethnographic study. These questions should align with your research interests, goals, and the specific social issues being examined.
Juan narrows down his research questions to address specific aspects of income inequality by questioning the following:
- How does income inequality affect upward mobility opportunities for individuals from low-income backgrounds?
- What are the systemic barriers that perpetuate income disparities in marginalized communities?
Because of his personal interest in his family’s history, he lands on a precise question:
- How does income inequality impact educational opportunities and academic achievement among Latinx communities?
Select Appropriate Research Methods
Deciding what research methodology type you’d like to engage in is key when deciding on your fieldwork type. Options include participant observations, interviews, focus groups, surveys, document analysis, visual ethnographies, oral histories, mapping, and network analysis. Remember to consider each method’s strengths and limitations and how they align with your research questions.
Juan decides to conduct participant observations and interviews. He plans to find a local school where there is a significant Latinx population to observe classes and student-teacher interactions. He also plans to gain access to a few teachers and students to interview so that he can deepen his understanding of their perspectives and the challenges that they face due to income inequality. In these interviews, Juan plans to dig into topics like access to resources, educational opportunities, financial stressors, and the impact that income disparities have on their aspirations and future goals.
Establish Contacts and Relationships
Once you have researched and located the gatekeepers, informants, and participants who can provide the most valuable insights into your research, you must initiate contact. To do this, find the best way to contact your potential participants. It is always best to introduce yourself and to explain your research purpose and its importance. By establishing trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to the research objectives, you’ll find that gatekeepers are more willing to allow access to the ideal participants.
Juan finds a school he’d like to work with and makes an appointment to meet with the school principal—the gatekeeper. Before the meeting, Juan researches the school’s history and spends more time putting his thoughts together so that he can articulate his research goals when he meets the principal.
Obtain Necessary Approvals
One of the most critical steps in fieldwork initiation is acquiring the needed permissions, approvals, informed consent forms, and any other relevant documentation required by informants and participants. This is crucial in protecting your informants’ and participants’ rights and privacy.
If Juan is granted permission to conduct his ethnography at the school, he will likely need to fill out informed consent forms for those whom he wishes to interview, such as the teachers, students, and the students’ parents or guardians.
Develop a Research Plan
Developing your research plan may come before or after getting the necessary approvals and depends on how prepared you need to be when meeting your gatekeepers and informants. A research plan, also referred to as a research design, is a detailed strategy that outlines the fieldwork’s timeline, specific activities, and locations. You will want to consider logistical aspects such as travel arrangements, access to research sites, and participant availability. A well-structured plan will help optimize your time and resources during the fieldwork phase.
Juan’s research plan might look something like this:
Research Objective: I want to explore if and how income inequality impacts Latinx students’ educational experiences at a specific low-income school.
Research Questions: I will investigate the following questions: How do teachers address the diverse needs of students who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds? What resources are available to students? How do income disparities affect students’ access to educational opportunities?
Methodology: I will engage in participant observation by attending classes, observing interactions between teachers and Latinx students, and documenting their classroom dynamics. I will conduct interviews with teachers to understand their perspectives on addressing income inequality in the classroom. If I can gain access, I’d also like to interview Latinx students and gather their personal stories.
Data Collection: I will spend a few days immersing myself in the school environment and taking detailed field notes during classroom observations. I will also interview teachers to gather insights into their teaching strategies, the challenges they face in addressing income disparities, and their perspectives on students’ educational experiences. I’d also like to interview students, but I need to ask teachers for recommendations on which students to interview.
Data Analysis: I will analyze my field notes and interview transcripts using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes related to income inequality and its impact on Latinx students and teachers in low-income schools.
Ethical Considerations: I will obtain informed consent from both the school administrators and teachers before conducting observations and interviews. I will ensure confidentiality and anonymity in reporting my findings and adhere to the ethical guidelines set by the institutional review board (IRB).
Limitations and Delimitations: My biggest limitation may come from being unable to interview students. I also recognize potential time constraints and the possibility of observer bias.
Research Timeline: Because I only have a semester to work on this project, I must plan my fieldwork details—observations and interviews, as soon as possible so that I have plenty of time to analyze the data that I collect.
Expected Contributions: My research aims to shed light on the marginalized groups’ challenges, namely Latinx students in the context of income inequality, providing insights that can inform educational policies and interventions. The study may contribute to a deeper understanding of Latinx students’ and teachers’ experiences in low-income schools.
Resources and Logistics: I will coordinate with the school administration to gain access to the classrooms and to establish rapport with the teachers. I will also obtain any necessary permissions or approvals and gather any relevant resources, such as research instruments or materials.
Practice Reflexivity
“Reflexivity… means a turning back on oneself, a process of self-reference. In the context of social research, reflexivity at its most immediately obvious level refers to the ways in which the research products are affected by the… process of doing research” (Aull Davies, 2008, p. 4). Reflect on your positionality, biases, and assumptions that may influence the research process and outcomes. Cultivate self-awareness and a critical lens to ensure objectivity, fairness, and an ethical approach throughout the study.
When practicing reflexivity, Juan recognizes that his unique background and experiences may influence his interpretations. During interviews with teachers and potentially marginalized students, Juan actively listens without imposing judgments, creating a safe space for participants to share their stories. He documents his emotions and thoughts to better understand their potential influence on his interpretations.
Conclusion
Initiating fieldwork sets the stage and enables you to immerse yourself, to engage, and to successfully integrate into your chosen community. When armed with your specific topic knowledge, it shows respect and helps you build trust with community gatekeepers. Fieldwork initiation is the first step towards becoming an insider—a temporary resident in a social environment that needs and deserves your special attention in bringing justice issues to the surface.
References
Aull Davies, C. (2002). Reflexive ethnography: A guide to researching selves and others. Routledge.
Chiseri-Strater, E., & Sunstein, B. S. (1997). Fieldworking: Reading and writing research. Prentice-Hall.
