Field Research

Appropriate Topics: Is “satisfaction” appropriate to study via

field research? Are group dynamics appropriate?

How do you know whether a topic is appropriate?

(public responsibility)

Observer Roles Ethical dilemmas Methodological concerns (going

native; changing environment)

Roles: Complete participant Participant as observer Observer as participant Complete observer

The Field

Gaining Entrance Informant – Don’t trust everything

you’re told, ie. If everyone hates a person, why.

Staying “neutral”

Sampling Which group are you studying?

The whole organization; one department; one clique within a department. Be specific who you are studying. Quota Snowball Deviant Purposive

When are you making observations? Are you only observing workers on certain

days? How might that affect your conclusions?

Gaining More Detail: Interviews and Surveys

1) Structured or Unstructured Interviews Keep your viewpoint out. Use Probes

2) Surveys

Field Notes or Journal

You CANNOT correctly complete field research without contemplating your interactions through journals!!!!!!

Field notes should detail what you “KNOW” and what you “THINK”

Journal The Journal is NOT a log of what you did but a critical

analysis of observations about: Relationships (who interacts with whom--race, gender,

age, smoking habits, status, class, job description, etc).

Job Tasks (why do certain groups do certain tasks. What are the meanings of those tasks. What “subtext” exists underneath the job descriptions.

Power (who has power over who and why. Race, gender, class, religion, etc). How do people in power act differently or the same as others. Why?

Space (How is the organization physically structured. How does that affect interactions?

OTHER SOCIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT INFORMATION

When to Take Notes Buy a small notebook and pen and keep it

handy Scribble down something to remind you of

interesting observations during your research time.

When you get home, type in the observations. Try to type up the observations as soon as possible so you remember what scribbles mean.

YOU NEED SELF-DISCIPLINE

Journal

When reading the notes, think about what metaphor/concept your observations best represent. Write the concepts in the margins in a different color and think about the notes.