THE LOGISTICS OF

FIELDWORKPREPARATION, BEING IN THE FIELD AND HEADING HOME

THE

LOGISTICS

OF

FIELDWORK

• INTRO

• BEFORE YOU

LEAVE

• IN THE FIELD

• RETURNING

HOME

PLANNING

YOUR

FIELDWORK

� HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT YOU AIM TO DO AND HOW

� MAKE SURE YOUR FIEDLWORK PLAN FITS TO YOUR RESEARCH AIMS

� HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN (ALTERNATIVE/EXTRA QUESTIONS)

� DISCUSS YOUR FIEDLWORK, Q’S AND CONTACTS WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR

THE ETHICS OF YOUR

RESEARCH

Ethical Practice

‘Doing no harm’

‘Proper procedure’

‘Doing the right thing’

ETHICS….

� FOLLOW UNIVERSITY PROCEDURES…

� ETHICS FORMS & APPROVAL

� RISK ASSESSMENT

� PERMISSION

� AGREEMENTS WITH PARTNER INSTITUTIONS

� ETHICAL FOR WHOM?

� THE RESEARCHER?

� PARTICIPANTS?

� AFFILIATED ORGS?

� GUIDES/TRANSLATORS

� HOST

COMMUNITY/COUNTR

Y

� HOME INSTITUTION

FIR

ST

ST

EP

S� PLANNING- KEEPING ORGANISED

� TIMINGS- WEATHER, HOLIDAYS

� CONTACTS AND ACCESS

� LANGUAGE

� PAPERWORK, VISAS, PERMITS- WHAT’S NEEDED?

� HEALTH, VACCINATIONS, MEDICAL KIT

� SAFETY

� INSURANCE

� EQUIPMENT

LANGUAGE

• HOW WILL YOU COMMUNICATE?

• LANGUAGE TRAINING BEFORE YOU GO (IS THIS NECESSARY / PRACTICAL?)

• EMPLOYING LOCAL TRANSLATORS (TRAINING / BUDGET IMPLICATIONS)

� WORKING WITH TRANSLATORS…

� A CRUCIAL RELATIONSHIP

� AGREE DYNAMICS OF INTERVIEWS

� AGREE PAYMENT/WORKING CONDITIONS/HOURS IN ADVANCE

� PAY A DECENT WAGE

PAPERWORK, VISAS,

PERMITS

� PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!

� COVER ALL BASES

� IS YOUR PASSPORT VALID?

� WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR YOUR VISA?

� HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE APPLICATION TAKE?

� HAVE PHOTOCOPIES OF ALL VISAS AND YOUR PASSPORT

� WRITE DOWN YOUR PASSPORT NUMBER

� ARE THERE ANY OTHER ACCESS ISSUES YOU WILL FACE?

EQUIPMENT

� WHAT WILL YOU NEED FOR INTERVIEWS?

� RECORDING DATA

� STATIONARY

� WHAT WILL YOU WEAR?

� STORING & BACKING UP DATA

� TRAVELLING LIGHT

� WHAT CAN YOU GET THERE?

HEALTH

AND BEING

PREPARED• CHECK LEGAL

REQUIREMENTS FOR COUNTRY

• TALK THROUGH VACCINATIONS WITH

YOUR GP

• BRING A MEDICAL KIT

• READ UP ON TRAVELLING SAFE –DRINKING WATER &

FOOD

• ANY VEGETARIANS?

SAFETY

• UNIVERSITY

STIPULATIONS…but also

• WHAT TIME DO YOU

ARRIVE?

• WHERE WILL YOU STAY?

• OTHER RESEARCHERS?

• BOUNDARIES / PERSONAL

DETAILS

• HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

• DRINKING

IN THE FIELD

ACCOMMODATION

� CHECK TRAVEL GUIDES

� SPEAK TO LOCAL ORGANISATIONS YOU’RE WORKING WITH

� SPEAK TO OTHER RESEARCHERS/ PEOPLE WORKING ABROAD

� ASK NGO WORKERS / AT LAGUAGE SHOOLS

INTERVIEWS

� VISIT INTERVIEW SITES BEFOREHAND

� CHECK & DOUBLE CHECK JOURNEY TIMES & LOGISTICS

� DO NOT HAVE INTERVIEWS AT NIGHT

BEHAVIOUR• FIND OUT WHAT

YOU CAN ABOUT NORMS & EXPECTATIONS

• LEARN BASIC PHRASES & WORDS EVEN IF YOU USE TRANSLATORS

• DRESS APPROPRIATELY

• BE POLITE & HONEST

• TREAT PEOPLE WELL

BEING

AWAY FROM

HOME

• CREATE A ROUTINE

• USE A DIARY

• PLAN FOR TIME OFF

• EXPLORE & ENJOY THE COUNTRY

• BEFRIEND OTHER RESEARCHERS

• KEEP A DIARY (AS WELL AS A FIELDWORK DIARY)

PREPARING

TO LEAVE• HAVE YOU PROMISED

TO SEND FINDINGS/ STAY IN TOUCH?

• DO YOU HAVE CONTACT DETAILS?

• HAVE YOU GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED?

• HAVE YOU TALKED THROUGH FINDINGS WITH ANYONE?

• DOUBLE CHECK WITH SUPERVISOR

• IS ALL DATA BACKED UP?

THANKYOUS &

GOODBYES

� PLAN HOW YOU WILL LEAVE AND WHEN TO

SAY GOODBYE

� THANK EVERYONE

� ORGANISE A SOCIAL GATHERING?

� GIVE PHOTOS?

� MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL DOCUMENTS/

NEWPAPER ARTICLES/ CONTACTS YOU

WANT

FINAL

THOUGHTS• THERE IS NO ONE WAY

OF DOING RESEARCH

• EVERYONE MAKES

MISTAKES

• EVERYONE FACES

CHALLENGES

• BE CAREFUL WITH

HOW YOU STORE &

TREAT DATA ONCE

HOME

• ENJOY IT!