Here is the reading for Chapter 4

1. 24
Chapter
4
Your
Participants:
The
People
in
Your
Project

2. 25
Introduction
Participants
are
crucial
to
a
fieldwork
project.
With
good
participants,
you
may
have
a
delightful
fieldwork
experience
and
learn
a
lot
about
your
research
topic.
Without
good
participants,
or
with
participants
who
are
not
especially
cooperative,
you
might
find
it
difficult
to
get
your
project
off
the
ground.
So,
it
is
worthwhile
thinking
carefully
about
what
types
of
participants
you
want
and
how
to
select
them,
and
how
to
go
about
finding
such
participants.
You
should
also
think
about
what
makes
a
good
participant
for
your
fieldwork
project,
and
how
you
What
types
of
participants
do
you
want
to
recruit?
For
some
fieldwork
projects,
having
just
one
type
of
participant
is
most
appropriate.
For
example,
if
you
would
like
to
understand
the
experiences
of
psychology
students
at
a
Japanese
university,
then
your
participants
should
all
meet
one
main
criterion
–
being
a
psychology
major.
Many
fieldwork
projects,
however,
want
to
explore
their
field
from
the
perspectives
of
a
number
of
different
types
of
participants.
Returning
to
the
psychology
students
example,
you
might
want
to
compare
the
experiences
of
female
psychology
majors
and
male
psychology
majors,
so
you
will
have
two
types
of
participants
in
your
fieldwork,
females
and
males.
Alternatively,
you
may
decide
that
other
categories
might
be
useful
–
students
who
have
high
and
low
GPAs,
students
focusing
upon
counseling
psychology
versus
experimental
psychology,
or
freshman
students
versus
seniors.
Here
is
another
example.
You
might
be
interested
in
the
work
choices
of
women
returning
to
the
workforce
after
their
children
have
grown
up.
That
is
a
very
broad
group;
you
could
choose
to
focus
on
just
one
field,
such
as
education,
and
then
go
further
and
compare
the
experiences
of
women
working
at
small,
private
language
schools
with
those
of
women
working
at
larger
institutions
like
high
schools
and
universities.
Having
these
different
types
of
participants
might
reflect
the
reality
of
your
field;
it
also
provides
you
with
the
ability
to
explore
different
research
questions,
or
even
different
theoretical
perspectives,
such
as
gender,
motivation,
or
socio-­‐economic
status.
When
you
first
begin
your
fieldwork
project,
you
might
not
be
sure
of
which
types
of
participants
there
are
in
your
field,
so
that
might
be
one
place
to
begin
exploring
at
the
start
of
your
fieldwork.
Discussion:
What
types
of
people
are
there
in
your
field
(that
you
know
of
now)?
How
can
you
find
out
what
types
of
people
there
are
in
your
field?
Based
upon
what
you
know
now,
what
types
of
participants
do
you
think
you
would
like
to
include
in
your
fieldwork
project?
How
can
you
select
your
participants?
Once
you
have
decided
what
types
of
participants
you
would
like
to
have
in
your
fieldwork
project,
the
next
step
is
to
select
the
actual
participants
that
you
would
like
to
invite
to
join.
There
are
a
number
of
different
strategies
you
can
use
to
select
participants
in
social
research.
You
might
use
one
strategy
initially,
then
other
strategies
later
in
your
fieldwork.
You
are
probably
familiar
with
some
of
them
already:
random
sampling
–
selecting
participants
randomly,
without
considering
their
individual
characteristics.
The
logic
is
that
by
sampling
randomly,
you
will
obtain
a
cross-­‐section
in
your
sample
that
largely
represents
the
variation
found
in
the
broader
population.
However,

3. 26
generalizing
to
other
populations
is
not
the
main
purpose
of
fieldwork;
rather,
the
purpose
is
to
develop
a
deep,
narrow
understanding
of
a
particular
community
or
context,
by
focusing
on
the
experiences
of
a
relatively
small
number
of
participants.
So,
random
sampling
is
rarely
used
in
fieldwork.
convenience
sampling
–
asking
the
closest
and
most
convenient
people
around
you
to
be
your
participants.
This
has
the
advantage
of
being
an
easy
way
to
begin
to
find
participants,
and
to
get
your
project
started.
These
first
participants
can
give
you
some
information
about
your
field,
and
experience
in
talking
about
and
explaining
your
research.
However,
they
might
not
be
the
most
suitable
participants
for
your
study.
So,
convenience
sampling
is
usually
just
the
first
step
many
fieldworkers
use
in
finding
participants.
snowball
sampling
–
once
you
have
found
a
few
good
participants,
then
you
ask
them
to
introduce
you
to
other
similar
participants.
This
has
the
advantage
of
using
established
social
networks
to
find
further
participants,
which
can
be
both
fast
and
also
revealing
of
the
relationships
that
exist
within
your
field.
purposive
sampling
–
this
is
thoughtfully
or
‘purposively’
selecting
your
participants.
This
strategy
is
often
the
most
appropriate
sampling
strategy
for
a
fieldwork
project,
as
it
allows
you
to
carefully
select
your
participants.
This
is
important
because
you
may
not
have
many
participants
due
in
part
to
a
lack
of
time
but
also
because
fieldwork
seeks
to
develop
a
deep
understanding
of
a
relatively
narrow
social
setting.
So,
each
participant
involved
in
your
project
will
play
a
very
significant
role
in
helping
you
understand
your
field.
Choosing
each
participant
purposively
helps
you
use
your
time
wisely.
Within
purposive
sampling,
there
are
a
number
of
strategies
that
are
available
to
help
you
select
your
participants.
Here
are
the
main
ones:
criterion
sampling
–
This
sampling
strategy
lays
out
the
criteria
that
you
would
like
your
potential
participants
to
have.
These
criteria
could
include:
biological
criteria
–
birthplace,
age,
sex
linguistic
criteria
–
first
language,
other
languages
used
experiential
criteria
–
having
had
certain
experiences,
such
having
graduated
from
a
certain
institution,
having
worked
for
a
‘black
kigyo’,
having
regularly
visited
a
certain
shop
or
spent
a
certain
amount
of
money
on
something,
or
having
maintained
a
certain
number
of
friends
over
a
certain
period
of
time
social
criteria
–
membership
of
a
particular
group,
either
self-­‐selected
such
as
a
university
club
or
university
major
or
friendship
group,
or
imposed
such
as
a
school
year
or
socio-­‐economic
group
geographical
criteria
–
living,
shopping
or
working
in
a
certain
area
emotional
/
attitudinal
criteria
–
having
certain
preferences
or
attitudes
that
you
would
like
to
explore,
such
as
a
preference
to
buy
and
wear
certain
fashion
or
to
sustain
friendships
over
a
long
period
of
time.
It
is
essential
to
have
clear
criteria
and
to
apply
these
criteria
consistently,
so
that
readers
will
trust
that
you
have
chosen
participants
fairly
and
not
subjectively.
typical
case
sampling
–
This
sampling
strategy
is
similar
to
criterion
sampling,
as
it
begins
by
stating
the
criteria
that
your
participants
should
meet.
However,
it
goes
one
step
further
by
looking
specifically
for
participants
who
seem
typical
or
average
of
the
sample
that
you
are
interested
in,
or
who
in
some
way
essentialise
the
features
of
your
target
group.
For
example,
if
you
are
interested
in
exploring
the
field
of
young
men
who
shop
at
the
coolest,
most
interesting
fashion
shops
in
Nagoya,
you
might
seek
participants
who,
based
upon
your
initial
chats
with
shop
owners,
seem
to
be
typical
of
this
group
–
they
go
shopping
once
a
week,
spend
about
$100
a
week,
and
visit
three
or
four
shops
each
time.
Researching
such
typical
cases
will
help
you
get
a
sense
of
the
experiences
of
the
average
participants
in
your
field.

4. 27
maximum
variation
sampling
–
This
sampling
strategy
also
begins
by
stating
the
criteria
that
your
participants
should
meet,
but
unlike
typical
case
sampling
seeks
to
find
participants
who
are
unusual
or
unique
in
certain
criteria.
For
example,
in
the
fashion
shopping
project,
you
might
want
to
find
participants
who
go
shopping
much
more
regularly
than
the
average
person
in
your
field,
or
someone
who
spends
much
more
money
or
spends
more
time
reading
fashion
magazines
or
participating
in
online
forums
so
has
much
more
knowledge,
or
simply
someone
who
has
a
really
good
fashion
sense.
theory-­‐based
sampling
–
this
is
a
more
conceptually
oriented
dimension
of
criterion
sampling
(Patton,
2002).
You
might
develop
theory-­‐derived
definitions
for
terms
such
as
‘loneliness’
and
‘social
connection’,
and
seek
to
understand
the
experiences
of
people
who
meet
these
criteria.
“The
sample
becomes,
by
definition
and
selection,
representative
of
the
phenomena
of
interest”
(Patton,
2002,
p.
238).
Whichever
strategies
you
use,
it
is
important
to
make
a
note
in
your
research
log
of
which
strategies
you
used
and
why,
and
the
actual
process
of
selecting
and
recruiting
your
participants.
Discussion:
What
strategies
do
you
think
that
you
will
use
to
select
your
fieldwork
participants,
at
different
stages
of
your
fieldwork?
If
you
are
planning
to
use
purposive
sampling,
which
criteria
would
you
use
to
select
your
fieldwork
participants,
and
why
those
criteria?
How
can
you
find
appropriate
participants?
Finding
participants
for
a
project
can
be
one
of
fieldwork’s
most
challenging
and
time-­‐consuming
duties.
Some
students
are
fortunate
and
can
quickly
find
appropriate
participants
–
this
in
part
is
because
they
have
been
very
realistic
about
which
types
of
participants
are
easy
to
find
and
recruit.
Other
students
have
spent
many
weeks
fruitlessly
looking
for
suitable
participants,
finally
locating
some
in
the
final
weeks
of
their
project
or
giving
up
and
changing
their
field.
So,
it
is
sensible
to
be
pragmatic
and
to
carefully
think
about
what
is
practical
and
possible
this
semester.
To
truly
understand
the
experience
of
fieldwork,
the
best
way
to
find
participants
is
to
try
and
recruit
them
yourself.
You
could
start
by
convenience
sampling:
ask
your
friends,
students
at
the
Japan
Plaza,
and
your
homestay
family
to
introduce
you
to
appropriate
participants
(carefully
explain
what
your
criteria
are
first!).
Alternatively,
you
could
go
out
and
look
for
them.
If
you
are
focusing
upon
a
particular
type
of
shop,
you
could
search
for
such
shops
online
or
by
looking
in
magazines,
and
go
and
find
them
yourself.
It
is
advisable
not
to
rock
up
and
immediately
introduce
yourself
and
your
fieldwork
project
and
ask
for
their
assistance;
it
is
usually
better
to
take
it
slowly
and
go
back
a
few
times
first,
and
then
ask,
possibly
with
a
Japanese
friend
or
Nanzan
student
in
tow.
See
the
Afterword
at
the
end
of
this
chapter
for
your
sempais’
observations
about
recruiting
and
working
with
Japanese
participants.
Once
you
have
met
and
even
recruited
a
few
likely
participants,
you
could
ask
them
to
introduce
you
to
further,
similar
participants
(snowball
sampling).
If
you
have
particular
criteria
in
mind,
it
is
wise
to
spell
them
out
clearly,
including
explaining
what
types
of
participants
might
not
be
appropriate.
Note
that
introductions
are
very
useful
in
Japan
but
can
be
rather
tricky.
As
Bestor
et
al.
(2003)
note,
such
introductions
involve
the
standard
Japanese
cultural
practice
of
borrowing
trust
from
other
people
in
order
to
gain
access
to
a
new
situation.
This
carries
complex
obligations
to
act
responsibly
and
not
to
misuse
or
damage
this
trust.
The
person
providing
an
introduction
is
–
in
a
very
real
cultural
sense
–
accepting
the
role
of
social
guarantor.
Be
very
careful
to
honor
and
respect
the
trust
that
they
are
placing
in
you.

5. 28
Beyond
the
people
who
will
provide
you
with
introductions,
there
are
also
gatekeepers
–
people
who
decide
whether
or
not
you
will
be
able
to
enter
a
particular
research
context.
Examples
of
gatekeepers
would
be
principals
of
schools,
captains
of
university
clubs,
leaders
of
social
groups,
and
the
owners
or
managers
of
small
shops.
Gatekeepers
are
sometimes
referred
to
tongue-­‐in-­‐cheek
as
‘fate-­‐keepers’,
as
they
are
the
ones
who
will
determine
your
access
to
participants.
It
is
important
to
find
the
best
participants
that
you
can.
Joy
Hendry,
one
of
Japan’s
most
well-­‐known
anthropologists,
suggests
that
you
should
be
more
patient
than
she
was
in
making
sure
that
your
initial
arrangements
are
carefully
made.
That
may
seem
frustrating
at
the
time,
but
it
is
worth
waiting
in
order
to
establish
that
you
project
the
people
that
live
in
your
field
completely
accept
and
embrace
your
project,
as
these
people
are
the
ones
whose
field
you
are
investigating,
and
they
are
the
people
who
can
choose
to
either
assist
you
with
your
research
or
to
ignore
or
even
actively
work
against
it.
What
makes
a
‘good’
participant’?
Let’s
stop
for
a
moment
and
ask
what
makes
a
good
participant,
above
and
beyond
any
criteria
that
you
may
have
decided
upon.
Ideally,
all
participants
should
be:
experienced
–
participants
should
have
experience
that
is
relevant
to
your
topic.
If
you
are
exploring
the
experiences
of
women
who
spend
time
in
cat
cafes,
the
more
time
that
a
potential
participant
has
spent
in
such
a
café
the
greater
the
number
and
variety
of
experiences
that
participant
will
have
had
so
the
more
weight
you
can
put
on
her
testimony.
Equally,
the
longer
that
a
cat
café
owner
has
managed
such
a
café,
the
more
trustworthy
will
be
the
comments
that
she
makes.
If
she
has
also
managed
a
few
different
types
of
cafés,
then
she
might
also
have
greater
insight
as
she
can
compare
her
different
experiences.
informed
–
participants
should
have
knowledge
about
your
topic.
As
participants
are
one
of
the
main
sources
of
information
in
fieldwork,
the
more
informed
a
participant
is
the
more
information
they
may
be
able
to
share
with
you.
Better
informed
participants
might
also
be
able
to
point
you
in
the
direction
of
other
potential
participants
who
are
also
well
informed.
reflective
–
participants
who
can
thoughtfully
reflect
about
who
they
are
and
about
their
life
experiences
will
potentially
be
able
to
provide
you
with
more
profound
and
more
useful
insights.
These
insights
could
help
you
understand
the
linkages
between
the
different
dimensions
of
your
project
–
between
people
and
communities,
between
products
and
practices
–
and
also
help
you
develop
a
better
understanding
of
the
perspectives
of
the
people
in
your
field.
communicative
–
participants
who
are
willing
–
and
able
–
to
communicate
and
share
their
experiences
with
you
make
better
participants.
Some
participants
are
willing
to
become
a
participant,
but
they
might
lack
the
skills
to
be
able
to
effectively
communicate
with
you.
The
best
participants
are
‘insiders’
who
can
easily
communicate
with
‘outsiders’;
that
is,
they
are
able
to
‘translate’
the
experience
of
being
in
your
field
of
interest
in
ways
that
you
can
understand.
This
requires
two
abilities:
the
ability
to
simplify
their
language
for
you;
and
more
importantly
the
ability
to
share
the
essence
of
their
experiences
in
ways
that
make
sense
to
you.
Discussion:
1.
Ideally,
what
types
of
experiences
would
you
like
your
participants
to
have
had?
How
could
you
find
out
if
they
have
had
those
experiences?
2.
Ideally,
what
should
different
types
of
participants
know
about
your
field?
How
could
you
find
out
if
they
have
that
knowledge?
3.
What
particular
insights
do
you
hope
that
your
participants
will
help
you
develop?

6. 29
Developing
trusting
relationships
with
participants
So,
you
have
recruited
some
participants
–
well
done!
The
next
step
is
to
develop
and
maintain
trusting
relationships
with
them.
Discussion:
1.
How
do
you
think
that
you
can
develop
trusting
relationships
with
your
participants?
2.
If
you
were
a
participant
in
a
fieldwork
project,
how
would
you
expect
the
researcher
to
behave?
What
behavior
would
make
you
less
trusting?
Developing
trusting
relationships
with
your
participants
is
essential,
particularly
if
you
are
researching
a
group
or
a
relatively
small
community.
Remember,
trust
can
take
a
long
time
to
develop,
but
only
a
moment
to
disappear.
Here
are
a
few
simple
guidelines
to
keep
in
mind:
relationships
with
your
participants
are
more
important
than
your
research
–
the
ends
do
not
justify
the
mans.
fully
explain
your
research
–
to
your
participants
before
beginning
(see
the
next
section).
Do
not
do
‘hit
and
run’
fieldwork
–
also
called
‘smash
and
grab’
research.
always
be
honest
–
never
deceive
your
participants,
and
never
‘create’
data.
make
promises
carefully
–
and
keep
them.
Be
on
time
to
meetings,
bring
what
you’ve
promised
to
bring,
and
only
explore
what
you’ve
promised
to
explore.
keep
confidences
completely
–
particularly
if
you
are
exploring
sensitive
issues,
or
a
community
of
people,
do
not
tell
anyone,
and
particularly
other
participants,
what
someone
has
told
you,
even
if
they
ask
you
directly.
check
with
your
participants
–
at
each
step
of
the
way
that
they
are
okay
with
the
process,
and
whether
they
are
comfortable
or
have
any
questions.
Just
because
a
participant
has
agreed
to
participate
once
does
not
mean
that
they
agree
to
everything.
Consent
needs
to
be
constantly
renewed,
and
occasionally
renegotiated
if
your
topic
changes
slightly
or
your
fieldwork
project
evolves.
do
unto
others
as
you
would
have
done
to
yourself
–
if
in
any
doubt,
follow
the
golden
rule
of
research.
Remember
that
you
are
not
only
representing
yourself,
but
also
all
fieldwork
researchers
throughout
the
world,
particularly
future
students
taking
this
class.
One
further
dimension
of
developing
trust
is
to
be
aware
of
your
ethical
obligations
to
your
participants.

7. 30
Ethical
Research
Ethical
research
“protects
the
well-­‐being
and
interests
of
research
participants”
(Stringer,
2008).
At
Nanzan
University,
there
is
a
Committee
for
Research
Screening,
similar
to
the
Institutional
Review
Boards
(IRBs)
at
North
American
universities,
which
evaluates
proposals
for
research
conducted
by
students
and
faculty.
Our
class
fieldwork
projects
have
been
approved
by
the
Committee;
as
a
second
step,
each
of
your
project
proposals
is
also
individually
considered
by
the
Center
for
Japanese
Studies.
On
this
page
is
the
official
permission
to
do
our
fieldwork
projects
from
the
Committee
for
Research
Screening;
on
the
following
pages
are
the
documents
you
actually
use.
English
and
Japanese
versions
of
these
forms
are
available
on
our
class
homepage
for
you
to
download
and
use.
Research
Explanation
–
this
form
explains
your
fieldwork
project
to
your
participants;
they
keep
this
form.
Consent
Form
–
this
indicates
that
participants
have
agreed
to
join
your
fieldwork
project;
participants
sign
it
and
return
it
to
you;
put
this
in
your
fieldwork
portfolio,
and
give
a
photocopy
to
your
instructor
to
submit
to
the
Committee
as
proof
that
you
have
obtained
consent.
倫理審査結果通知書
2013 年 7 月 25 日
Robert Croker 様
南山大学研究審査委員会
委員長 丸山 雅夫
（印省略）
受付番号：13-027
課 題 名：Fieldwork Research Methods for Japan I:Class Application
研究実施者名：総合政策学部総合政策学科教授 Robert Croker
研究責任者名：同上
上記研究計画等については、南山大学研究審査委員会の審議に基づき下記のとおり決定
しましたことを通知いたします。
記
判
定
結
果
承 認 （承認番号：13F-026
条件付承認（承認番号： － ）
要再申請
不承認
保留
備
考
・調査終了後、同意書の写しを研究審査委員会事務局（教育・研究支援事務室）
に提出すること。
以 上

8. 31
Research Explanation – Fieldwork Research Methods for Japan
Researcher Name: Nanzan University (student number) (student name)
Research Title: (student’s mini-project title)
Instructor: Robert Croker, Professor, Faculty of Policy Studies, Nanzan University
Research outline:
(1) Research Purpose
Thank you for considering participating in this research project. It is part of a Nanzan University course in the
Center for Japanese Studies, ‘Fieldwork Research Methods for Japan’. The purpose of this course is to learn how
to do fieldwork research, through completing a mini-project. The topic of my mini-project is (short explanation
of student’s mini-project topic).
(2) Research Method
I would like to interview you individually once or twice for about 30 minutes to one hour about my research
topic. With your permission, I may record the interview. I will analyze the information you provide using simple
thematic and statistical methods.
(3) Release of Results
I will give a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation to the others students in the Fieldwork Research Methods for
Japan class in the final class in December 2014. I will also write a 2500-word fieldwork report or create a
password-protected web page in December 2014. The instructor may show my PowerPoint presentation, class
report and web page to students of future Fieldwork Research Methods for Japan classes.
Protecting your personal information:
I understand that you may be worried about how I will handle the information that you share with me. I will use
a number of strategies to protect your personal information and your privacy.
I will protect your identity by not writing your name or the names of people that you say while I take notes in the
interview; instead, I will create new, different names, and use these in my fieldnotes, class presentation, class
report, and web page. No photos that could identify you will be used in the class presentation, class report, and
web page.
I will keep all the information I collect in a ‘research folder’ in a locked drawer in the dormitory or homestay.
All electronic data will be on a password-protected memory stick that I also keep in this locked drawer; no data
will be kept on my computer hard-drive.
At the end of the Fieldwork Research Methods for Japan course in December 2014, all data will be securely
destroyed. Physical data will be securely shredded, and electronic data securely deleted. I will complete a
checklist and submit this to the course instructor, to show that I’ve done this.
If you have any concerns about how I will handle the information that you provide in your interview, please feel
free to discuss this with me at any time.
Impact and safety management:
In the interview, the questions that I would like to ask you are not designed to get you to explore painful or
distressing memories or experiences. However, please let me know if you sense that a question or topic may do
so, and only answer questions that you feel will you can answer comfortably. You have the right not to answer
any question, to stop the interview at any point, and to withdraw from this mini-project at any time.

9. 32
The
process
for
initially
obtaining
consent
from
your
participants
is
straightforward.
First,
give
your
participants
the
two-­‐page
Research
Explanation,
and
wait
quietly
while
they
read
over
it.
It
briefly
introduces
your
fieldwork
project,
and
explains
how
you
will
protect
your
participants’
personal
information.
Check
that
your
participant
has
fully
understood
the
information
on
the
Research
Explanation,
and
answer
any
questions
that
they
might
have.
If
they
then
consent
to
participate
in
your
study,
give
them
the
Consent
Form,
which
is
on
the
next
page.
The
participants
should
tick
all
of
the
boxes
on
the
Consent
Form
that
they
agree
to,
then
complete
the
information
at
the
bottom.
Note
that
your
participants
keep
the
Research
Explanation
as
a
record
of
what
they
have
agreed
to,
so
do
not
get
it
back
from
them.
However,
do
get
the
Consent
Form
back
from
your
participants,
as
you
need
to
put
this
in
your
research
portfolio
and
also
make
a
copy
for
me
to
submit
to
the
Nanzan
University
Research
Support
Office.
This
is
the
process
for
initially
obtaining
consent,
and
although
it
seems
straightforward,
it
might
change
the
nature
of
the
interaction
that
you
have
been
having
with
your
participant,
as
suddenly
their
participation,
which
until
then
might
have
been
casual
and
conversational,
suddenly
becomes
more
formal
and
even
legalistic.
Here,
be
polite
and
attentive,
answering
all
of
the
questions
that
arise,
but
you
do
not
need
to
be
too
formal,
as
that
might
make
your
participant
nervous
or
shy.
Once
you
have
obtained
consent
from
your
participant,
scrupulously
stick
to
what
you
have
agreed.
Also,
even
though
you
have
formally
obtained
consent,
it
is
polite
and
sensible
to
check
each
time
you
meet
your
participant
for
a
formal
interview
that
it
is
okay
to
continue
to
use
their
data
in
the
way
that
they
have
consented
to.
They
may
also
have
questions,
so
it
is
wise
to
stop
and
ask
if
they
do
before
you
begin
an
interview.
Even
if
your
participant
does
not
have
any
questions,
they
will
appreciate
your
thoughtfulness
in
checking.
Research Explanation: Fieldwork Research Methods for Japan
Page 2 of 2
Informed consent:
my participation in this research is voluntary
I will not be disadvantaged by choosing not to participate in this research project
I will have the opportunity to discuss with the researcher what information I provide before
participating in the research project
only the information that I want kept will be kept
I will be able to view my data if I so request
information that I share with the researcher will not be provided to a third party without my permission
I will able to withdraw my agreement to participate in this research project at any stage verbally or in
writing, even after agreeing to participate
I will not be disadvantaged in any way by withdrawing from this research project
my data will immediately be destroyed upon my withdrawal from this research project
all of my personal data will be securely destroyed in December 2014 at the end of the Fieldwork
Research Methods for Japan course, except for the presentation, report, and web-page
Explained by (name of researcher) ____________________________________________________
to (name of the participant) ____________________________________________________
on (date) __________________________________
at (location) ____________________________________________________
Research supervision:
If you have any further questions about this ‘Fieldwork Research Methods for Japan’ class, or about this
mini-project, please contact:
Robert Croker, Professor, Faculty of Policy Studies, Nanzan University
090-3953-9639 or <croker@nanzan-u.ac.jp>

10. 33
Consent'Form'–'Fieldwork'Research'Methods'for'Japan'
I'agree'to'participate'in'the'following'research'project:'
Project(Title:(____________________________________________________________________________________(
(
Researcher(Name:(______________________________________________________________________________(
(
Research'Project'Summary:(
(
(
(
(
(
(
I(understand(…((please(tick(each(line(as(appropriate)(
Research'Project'Outline:'
(____(this(research(project(is(for(a(Nanzan(University(Center(for(Japanese(Studies((CJS)(course(called(Fieldwork(
Research(Methods(for(Japan.(
(
(____(my(participation(in(this(research(project(is(voluntary.(
(
(____(I(can(withdraw(my(consent(to(participate(at(any(time,(verbally(or(in(writing,(without(penalty.(
(
(____(if(I(do(withdraw(my(consent,(any(information(I(have(already(provided(will(be(destroyed(immediately(and(not(used.((
(
(
The'Interview:'
(____(I(will(be(interviewed(________(times(for(about(_______(minutes(each(time.(
(
(____(I(will(be(interviewed(about(________________________________________________________________________________________________.(
(
(____(before(and(during(the(interview,(I(will(have(the(opportunity(to(discuss(and(decide(with(the(researcher(what(
information(I(will(provide.(
(
(____(I(do(not(have(to(answer(questions(that(I(do(not(want(to(answer.(
(
(
Protecting'my'Personal'Information:(
(____(the(information(I(provide(will(be(stored(securely(on(a(passwordMprotected(memory(stick(or(in(a(locked(drawer.(
(
(____(this(information(will(not(be(provided(to(a(third(party(without(my(permission.(
(
(____(the(information(I(provide(will(be(securely(destroyed(at(the(end(of(the(course(in(December(2015.(
(
(OR(____(I(give(permission(for(the(researcher(to(keep(my(information(for(use(in(later(research(projects.(
(
(
Releasing'Results:'
(____(at(the(end(of(the(course,(the(researcher(will(give(a(tenMminute(presentation(to(the(other(students(of(the(class,(and(
my(information(may(be(used.(
(
(____(at(the(end(of(the(course,(the(researcher(will(write(a(2500Mword(report,(and(my(information(may(be(used(there.(
(
(____(my(real(name(can(/(cannot(be(used(in(the(presentation(and(report.(
( (
(____(my(picture(can(/(cannot(be(used(in(the(presentation(and(report.(
(
( Your(name:(_______________________________________________(((Signature(or(seal:(________________________(
(
( Phone(number:(___________________________________________(((Date:(______________________________________(
( OR(student(number:(

11. 34
!
0 2 !
! !
!
! !
!
!
!
!
!
!
2 1 !
!
!____!0 5
!
!
!____!0
!
!____! 5 2 0 !
!
!____! 25 25 1 1 2 !!
!
____! ________ _______ 2 !
!
____! ____________________________________________________________________________ !
!
!____! 2
2 !
!
!____! 5 2 !
!
!
!
!____! 1 5 5 5 2
1 2 !
!
!____!0 2 1 0 2
!
!____!
1 2 !
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! 5 ____! 2 5 !
!
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!
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0
2 !
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!____! 2 0 2
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!____! 5 ! ! 2 !
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!____! 5 ! ! 2 !
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! !!!!!
!

12. 35
Afterword:
What
are
the
characteristics
of
many
Japanese
participants?
As
you
will
soon
discover,
Japanese
participants
may
not
be
like
participants
from
your
own
culture(s).
Your
sempai
have
observed
that,
on
the
whole,
Japanese
participants
can
be
challenging
to
have
because
they:
prefer
an
introduction
–
they
are
generally
very
reticent
to
help
without
one.
need
orientation
information
–
they
would
like
to
know
how
long
an
interview
is
going
to
be,
the
topics
covered,
and
so
on,
beforehand.
might
only
want
to
meet
once
–
they
are
often
unsure
about
what
the
relationship
means,
as
they
may
not
be
used
to
participating
in
such
projects.
might
want
to
‘essentialize’
Japan
–
they
often
uncritically
use
terms,
expressions,
and
perspectives
commonly
heard
in
the
media
and
their
education
to
describe
Japan
and
Japanese
culture
e.g.
Japan
is
a
unique
country
and
a
unique
culture
/
Japan
has
a
long
special
history
/
Japan
is
an
island
country
/
Japan
has
a
special
sensitivity
to
nature
/
the
four
seasons/
Japanese
stomachs
are
unique
/
and
so
on.
might
‘sanitize’
Japan
for
foreigners
–
many
Japanese
people
feel
that
they
should
only
present
positive
images
to
other
countries.
might
offer
very
gendered
perspectives
–
Japan
is
a
much
more
gendered
country
than
Western
countries,
so
your
participants
might
offer
very
gendered
perspectives,
and
very
uncritically.
might
seem
remarkably
uncritical
and
uninformed
–
as
they
have
had
few
experiences
in
their
education
that
requires
them
to
construct
or
critically
evaluate
arguments.
Also,
many
of
my
Japanese
students,
even
those
in
policy
studies,
do
not
read
any
newspapers.
Japanese
mass
media
tends
to
be
rather
uncritical
of
prevailing
norms.
might
see
chatting
with
you
as
an
opportunity
to
practice
their
English
–
which,
if
you
prefer
to
do
your
fieldwork
in
English
can
work
to
your
advantage.
However,
when
setting
up
an
interview,
make
sure
that
you
specify
which
language
you
would
like
to
speak.
On
the
other
hand,
Japanese
participants
can
also
be
extremely
generous
with
their
time,
can
be
trusting,
and
often
willingly
open
their
lives
and
their
communities
to
your
scrutiny.
As
one
of
your
sempai
noted,
“The
best
part
about
this
project
has
been
having
the
opportunity
to
make
some
really
great
connections
with
people.”

13. 36
Voices
of
Experiences
Here
are
some
comments
that
researchers
and
your
sempai
have
made
about
doing
fieldwork
in
Japan:
Hardacre,
H.
(2003).
Fieldwork
with
Japanese
religious
groups.
In
T.
C.
Bestor,
P.
G.
Steinhoff,
&
V.
L.
Bestor
(Eds.).
Doing
Fieldwork
in
Japan.
Honolulu:
University
of
Hawai’i
Press.
pp.
71-­‐88.
The
researcher’s
role
it
is
often
seen
by
the
host
as
childlike,
uninformed,
and
in
need
of
instruction.
It
is
vital
to
accept
this
role
sincerely;
if
one
does,
all
doors
can
open.
Refuse
…
it,
and
all
doors
close.
The
challenge
for
the
research
is
to
communicate
empathy,
to
come
across
as
someone
your
participants
trusts
who
will
receive
their
experiences
with
respect
and
a
sincere
desire
to
understand.
McConnell,
D.
L.
(2003).
JET
lag:
Studying
a
multilevel
program.
In
T.
C.
Bestor,
P.
G.
Steinhoff,
&
V.
L.
Bestor
(Eds.).
Doing
Fieldwork
in
Japan.
Honolulu:
University
of
Hawai’i
Press.
pp.
124-­‐138.
Fieldwork
often
involves
tension
between
juggling
the
role
of
researcher
and
that
of
friend
since
our
research
is
not
so
easily
separated
from
our
lives.
Obviously,
my
varied
group
of
“friends”
did
not
always
see
eye
to
eye,
and
I
learned
early
the
importance
of
keeping
“officially”
neutral
on
key
points
of
contention
while
becoming
a
bit
of
a
chameleon
(i.e.
lending
a
seemingly
sympathetic
ear
to
each
individual)
in
private
conversations.
From
Amy,
your
sempai:
Using
my
host
family
as
participants
was
difficult,
because
I
found
it
very
difficult
to
live
with
the
ones
you
are
trying
to
observe
and
research
as
you
are
constantly
surrounded
by
possible
data.
I
was
constantly
thinking,
how
does
this
relate
to
my
research?
Likewise,
I
always
felt
themselves
walking
on
eggshells
with
them.
I
was
worried
about
ruining
my
relationship
with
them.
However,
this
just
may
be
more
conscious
and
taught
me
a
major
lesson:
decide
on
participants
carefully
–
do
not
base
them
on
convenience
and
unless
you
are
ready
for
the
trouble
that
comes
with
it!
Bestor,
T.
C.,
Steinhoff,
P.
G.,
&
Bestor,
V.
L.
(Eds.).
(2003).
Introduction:
Doing
Fieldwork
in
Japan.
In
T.
C.
Bestor,
P.
G.
Steinhoff,
&
V.
L.
Bestor
(Eds.).
Doing
Fieldwork
in
Japan.
Honolulu:
University
of
Hawai’i
Press.
pp.
1-­‐17.
Researchers
also
might
have
problems
dealing
with
the
expectations
of
participants.
For
example,
religious
organisations
seek
converts,
and
bureaucratic
organisations
put
pressure
on
researchers
to
produce
only
favourable
reports.
…
Many
researchers
have
developed
strategies
to
show
their
gratitude
to
participants
and
organisations
are
making
their
research
possible,
without
compromising
their
position
as
objective
researchers.