In this session, we will discuss: a) fieldwork essentials b) fieldwork preparation c) conducting fieldwork: what to expect and how to cope with unexpected challenges d) post fieldwork: blues, imposter syndrome, and getting back on track.

1. Data Collection and Fieldwork
6 May 2017
Samar Almoossa

2. Session Outline
• Fieldwork essentials
• Fieldwork preparation
• Conducting fieldwork
• Post fieldwork

4. A little bit about you
• When are you planning to do field work?
• For how long are you going to be in the field?
• What do you want to gain from this session?

5. Fieldwork itself is humanly demanding, as a
fieldworker will need to give proof of all the good
qualities in life: patience, endurance, stamina,
perseverance, flexibility, adaptability, empathy,
tolerance, the willingness to lose a battle in order
to win a war, creativity, humour and wit,
diplomacy, and being happy about very small
achievements. Put that in a job advertisement and
you will never find a suitable candidate. - Blommaert

6. Planning your fieldwork
• What would you do to prepare yourself for the fieldwork?
• What would you do when you got there?
• What would you do when you got back?

7. What is in your bag?

8. Fieldwork essentials
• Project questions and materials
(survey, interview questions,
observations lists)
• Paper work (authorization,
permissions, letters)
• Stationery (calendar, notebooks,
diary
• Contacts (names, emails,
numbers)
• Packing list (camera, recorders,
phones, and chargers!)
• Backups

9. Conducting fieldwork
• Entering the community
• Connecting with participants
• Managing your project
• Thinking about ethics

10. Scenarios
• I arrived and nobody knew who I was.
• I arranged to meet the manager at 10 am but he did not show
up.
• The students were too shy to talk to me.
• I am trying to interview the teachers but it seems they are
always busy.
• I am perceived as an outsider. The participants did not warm
up to me.
• I distributed my surveys but I did not get enough responses.

11. • I am distracted I cannot concentrate on my goals.
• I had informal chats with the children. Their teacher asked me
to tell her what they said.
• During the interview with an employee, the manager popped
in.
• The participant rejected audio-recordings. I decided to record
secretly.
• I was not allowed to do pre-arranged classroom observation.
• I have an important interview in 10 minutes and I forgot to
bring my digital voice recorder.

12. Entering the community
• Self-presentation
• Explore the community
• Sensitivity to community norms
• Familiarize yourself with the field site e.g. offices, classes, etc.
• Establish rapport
o Informal chats
o Coffee/Lunch
o Events

13. Connecting with the participants
• Contact the gatekeeper to inform them of your exact date of arrival
• Contact the participants and simply explain what you want to do
• Send the documents to the participants in advance
o Ethics forms e.g. information sheet and consent form
o Interview questions
o Survey questions
• Check important dates with the participants
o Term-time, working hours, exam periods
o Holidays and breaks
o Availability and preference

14. Working with participants
• Expect the unexpected
• Simplify your goals
• Be patience
o Suspicion of researchers
o Rejections, cancellations, indefinite postponements

15. • Ethics
o Protect your participants
o Avoid:
• Surreptitious recording
• No gossip
• Giving back
o Be nice
o Offer help
o Show appreciation
Working with participants

16. On the go
• Check your recordings ( battery, sound
quality, storage)
• Sort out your data folders (pictures, notes,
contacts, and schedule..etc.)
• Backup: Google Drive, Dropbox, and
external hard drive

17. • Keep your researcher hat on
o Write daily field notes or record voice notes when possible
o Keep a research diary to record your thoughts
• Dedicate time to go through your data
o Check your data e.g.: listen to audio samples from the data,
read your field notes
o Evaluate your performance e.g. interviewing strategies, note-
taking, etc.
• Stay connected with
o Supervisors
o Family
o Friends
On the go

18. Cornell notes

19. Stay Focused
• Keep your goals in mind (keep an eye on your goal while you
open your eyes for unplanned/ unexpected)
• Be ahead of your plans even if you think you have time
• Field work addiction: when should I stop collecting data?

20. Post-fieldwork Blues

22. What is next ?

23. This too shall pass

24. References
Arthur, J. (Ed.). (2012). Research methods and methodologies in education.
Sage publications.
Bryman, A. (2015). Social research methods. Oxford university press.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2013). Research methods in education.
Routledge.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed
methods approaches. Sage publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2007). Designing and conducting mixed
methods research.
Silverman, D. (2013). Doing qualitative research: A practical handbook. SAGE
Publications Limited.
Silverman, D. (Ed.). (2010). Qualitative research. Sage.
Silverman, D. (2006). Interpreting qualitative data: Methods for analyzing talk,
text and interaction. Sage.

25. Useful Blog posts
• 10 tips for doing fieldwork in South Asia
http://southasiainstitute.harvard.edu/2014/03/10-tips-for-
doing-fieldwork-in-south-asia/ …
Ethnographic fieldwork: A beginner’s guide
https://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/tutkimus/hankkeet/paatt
yneet-hankkeet/fidipro/en/courses/fieldwork-text …
• The other side of fieldwork: experiences and challenges of
conducting research
http://www.anthropologymatters.com/index.php/anth_matters/
article/view/17/23 …
10 Tips for Surviving Anthropological Fieldwork
https://netnographicencounters.com/2014/04/07/10-tips-for-
surviving-anthropological-fieldwork/ …

26. Contact
Samar.almoossa@kcl.ac.uk
symossa@uqu.edu.sa