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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify the two major considerations with respect to “getting in” field research sites.
- Describe the factors one should consider when choosing a field research site.
- Explain how one’s social location is relevant for choosing a field research site.
- Describe the factors one should consider when deciding what role to play in a field research site.
- Explain the difference between overt and covert roles in field research.
When embarking on a field research project, there are two major things to consider: where to observe and what role you’ll take in your field site. Your decision about each of these will be shaped by a number of factors, some of which you’ll have control over and others which you won’t. Your decision about where to observe and what role to play will also have consequences for the data you are able to gather and how you analyze and share those data with others. We’ll examine each of these contingencies in the following subsections.
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