Fieldwork Tips for Fellows

Make sure you have the necessary clearances to conduct your research, both formal and informal. Consult with your host organization to find out if you need to acquire any research clearances from the government (at local or national levels) to conduct your research. If your organization is not certain of the protocol necessary for such clearances, consult with the Public Affairs Officer (sometimes called the Public Diplomacy Officer) at the US Embassy.

If you will be interviewing persons in a workplace, gain permission from the supervisor/director; if you wish to interview passengers at a bus station, gain clearance from the bus station manager, etc.

Seek permission to carry out your research from informal/traditional authorities at your work site (e.g. - village chiefs).

Trust is the foundation upon which community-based research is built. Some guidelines for establishing trust:

• Find trusted "gatekeepers" - people trusted by the community who can introduce you to the community (Examples: colleagues in your host organization, respected persons in the community with whom your organization has collaborated in the past).
  
  
• Know how to clearly communicate the objectives of your research to those whom you interview/survey/etc. Always take the time to explain your objectives to the persons with whom you work.
  
  
• Make sure expectations and obligations are mutually understood. (Examples - if interview is anonymous, make sure this is clearly understood by interviewees. Make sure participants understand participation is voluntary.)
  
  
• If no compensation will be offered to participants, make sure this is clearly understood.
  
  
• Never photograph or record images of persons without their permission. As a courtesy, offer to provide photo subjects copies of the photos after they have been developed.
  
  
• Do not make promises you cannot keep, and keep the promises you make.
  
  
• Build rapport: take time to laugh, to listen, and to be patient.
  
  
• Show respect for hierarchies of authority in the community. (Example - in villages, it may be customary for visitors to pay a visit to the chief or eldest man to ask permission to carry out one's work. Do so if advised.)
  
  
• Communicate to the greatest degree possible in the language of the community. Even if you only know a few phrases or greetings, use them. The effort will be much appreciated.
  
  
• Respect methodological preferences of the community. Do the maximum to put interviewees at ease. (Examples - do not use tape recorders if doing so will put interviewees ill at ease. Consider taking brief notes during an interview, then revising and filling in details later.).
  
  
• Be gracious. Express appreciation and thanks for the time of community members.

Data collection and recording

• If you will need the services of a translator, find one with a reputation for good performance in assisting researchers. Also, make sure that the person is trusted and held in good esteem by the community.
  
  
• If you conduct interviews, revise and recopy ("transcribe") your notes as soon as possible after you conclude the interview. Take the time to do so despite your fatigue - you will be glad you did so later!
  
  
• Centralize and systematize your data collection system. (Example - have a "field notes" notebook or file on your laptop.)
  
  
• If you use a computer for recording your data, be sure to back up your data in an external location.
  
  
• Expect the unexpected. There will be delays in your work, due to a variety of circumstances. Anticipate such delays by building cushions into your time frames for accomplishing tasks. When delays occur, do not despair! Be flexible and resilient.