Field research

1. Definition and usefulness

Field research techniques are those that help the researcher to relate to the object and
construct the studied reality for himself. They have the purpose of collecting empirical
information about the reality of the phenomenon to be studied and are useful for thoroughly
studying a phenomenon in a given environment.

With these techniques the researcher can approach information that has not been
documented; that is, studying what there is nothing written about yet.

2. Selection of techniques

What does the selection of each technique depend on?

Selecting a technique will depend mainly on the research problem and the approach with
which you intend to investigate.

For example

If my research problem involves the study of quantitative aspects such as magnitude,

average, proportion or I need to know variables that can be measured such as age, sex,
occupation, education, religion, opinion of a large number of the population, the most
appropriate technique will be survey .

If I need to gather specialized or expert information on a specific topic, the structured

interview will be best.

But if my problem involves a qualitative approach that I cannot measure and therefore I
need information that will lead me to get to know a small group of people in depth or
investigate why they present this or that behavior or this or that opinion, then the most
appropriate It will be using an unstructured interview or doing a life story .

These are just a few examples of how the technique is derived from the research problem
and approach. Other techniques that serve to collect quantitative information are
experiments and passive observation . To obtain qualitative information, the active or
participant observation technique and discussion groups can also be used.

3. Experiment

Experiment is "an attempt to test a hypothesis under conditions closely supervised by a

researcher. In an experiment the researcher directly controls the circumstances he studies.

In the field of natural sciences, the use of experiments is recurrent since it is feasible to
control the application of experimental variables and the influence of foreign variables in a
laboratory.

On the other hand, the characteristics of the object of study of the social sciences reduce
the use of the experiment; Research on individuals and groups is difficult to carry out in the
laboratory: "Only small groups of individuals are manageable in a laboratory and, in such
experiments, people know that they are being studied and may behave unnaturally"

However, although pure experiment – absolute control of variables in an artificial

environment – is unlikely in the analysis of individual and social behaviors, it is possible to
introduce experimental variables and exercise some control in natural environments, that is,
in the The very space where people carry out their daily activities. This type of experiment
is called quasi-experiments or field experiments , since they are not experiments in the
truest sense.

4. Observation

Observation is a practice that is used in both quantitative and qualitative methods, the
difference lies in the way it is carried out.

When the observer is passive and only measures and records regular events or behaviors,
he approaches quantitative methodology ;

When, on the contrary, the observer gets involved with the object of research and
participates closely in the activities of the study group, it makes possible the understanding
of the symbolic processes, of the meanings of the actions that the same individuals imprint
on him, that is, It approaches a qualitative methodology .
Observing not only means seeing with the eyes, but with all the senses. The basic ones
are: sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste. Depending on the object studied, it will be the
participation and/or intensity of one or more senses.

4.1 Passive observation

Also called direct , ordinary or non-participant observation , it is that which allows the
observation of phenomena from outside. When observing a population group, the
researcher remains an external agent, without getting involved as part of the group.

It is recommended to use an observation guide and field work sheets in which the most
important facts for the investigation are recorded. Likewise, if possible and if it does not
affect the "normality" of the object studied, instruments such as recorders, photographic or
video cameras may be used.

4.2 Participant observation

Participant or active observation is characterized by being carried out as a member of a

group, that is, "it implies that the observer intervenes in the life of the group, participates in
its activities"

This type of observation is a technique that allows you to actively link with the object of
research. This "functions as a natural systematized observation of real groups or
communities in their daily lives, and which fundamentally uses the empirical strategy and
qualitative recording techniques."

Following Gutiérrez and Delgado (1995:145), some of the conditions that make the practice
of participant observation possible are:

The researcher in general must be a stranger to his object of research.

It must coexist integratedly in the system to be studied. That is, having an active
participation in daily life and residing in it for a more or less long period, generally adopting
specific functions within the community studied (doctor, teacher, transporter, etc.).

The researcher must write an ethnographic monograph using the genre of "ethnographic
realism."
Participant observation records data through family trees, preparation of life stories,
systematization of a field diary, audiovisual recording of rituals and ceremonies,
photography, etc. Regarding the instruments to be used, Gutiérrez and Delgado state that:

“ Use a large or small recorder, with batteries or connected to the network; taking notes in a
notebook or trying to memorize, whether the notebook is squared or millimetered, with or
without a margin, whether there are several notebooks called diaries, field notebooks and
thematic notebooks, etc., only find meaning within the framework of the discussion of its
presumed methodological and epistemological implications. Patience and imagination are
always the observer's good advisors."

In this sense, the participant observation technique is resolved in the process itself to the
extent that the researcher recognizes the terrain and integrates into the group; On the other
hand, it allows adaptation to "new unexpected circumstances and taking advantage of
opportunities that may arise during the study."

Likewise, this type of study has the advantage of the probability of obtaining unexpected
results that confront the preconceived ideas that the researcher had about a certain group
or event.

A disadvantage of participant observation is that the researcher becomes involved to such

a degree with the group that he loses sight of the objective circumstances and dominates
the subjective factor in his assessment.

5. Survey

The survey is an interrogation technique that uses the questionnaire as an instrument.

The questionnaire is characterized by being structured and presented in writing. It has

advantages

 The possibility of extensive application, that is, to a large number of the

population.

 Apply it indirectly by sending it by mail or leaving it in the hands of the

respondent and then collecting it.
5.1 Kind of questions

To prepare the questionnaire you can choose three types of questions:

a) Closed

They are closed questions when the respondent only has one answer alternative ; for
example: yes, no or I don't know ; agree, indifferent, or disagree , etc.

b) Open

In open questions, the respondent is allowed to answer "freely" so that he or she can
express the answer in his or her own way.

c) Fan (or multiple choice )

With fan questions, the respondent is proposed a certain number of answers to choose
from. You can choose one or more options. If necessary, you can be instructed to specify
the response considered the main one or to order by degree of importance. It is advisable
to leave the possibility of response open, adding the option other and asking the person in
parentheses to specify.

According to Duverger, fan questions have great advantages , since:

They allow a deep examination, almost as good as open questions and much more serious
than closed questions.

They ensure coding and interpretation almost as easy as closed questions, minimizing the
risks of personal interpretation.

They help the individual to respond, providing them with starting points that allow them to
elucidate their thinking.

On the other hand, the inconvenience of fan questions lies in:

Your tendency to suggest certain answers. The individual questioned often chooses an
answer that he or she had not thought about before the survey; The attitude of the inquirers
can aggravate this danger of suggestion. Appropriate training of investigators can reduce it,
but it is not possible to eliminate it completely.
 5.2 Classification of questions according to the nature of the answers

Classification of questions according to the nature of the answer.

a) Fact and action questions

Factual questions are common in censuses. Specific data is requested on a certain aspect,
such as age, sex, profession, address, etc. Action questions ask about an activity carried
out and/or the reason for it.

b) Questions of intention or opinion

They question the respondent about what they would do or prefer in a certain situation, that
is, they are asked to respond to a theoretical or hypothetical action. The answers will be
taken as revealing the opinion but not a sure manifestation of the action.

c) Test questions

These types of questions provide clues to a fact or opinion that the respondent does not
want to reveal directly.

5.3 Recommendations for preparing the questionnaire

The questions in the questionnaire must be rigorously ordered. It is recommended to divide

by batteries or blocks of questions.

The wording should be as clear as possible and taking into account the population to whom
the questionnaire is directed.

The instructions must indicate precisely how the questionnaire will be answered.

One of the guarantees that the questionnaire offers for the respondent is anonymity. This
fact increases the possibility that the subject provides truthful information. Therefore, it is
suggested to avoid asking the name of the person surveyed, unless it is strictly necessary
for the research.
Numbers can be used to identify the questionnaire.

The presentation of the questionnaire format should make it easy to read and complete.
Likewise, cleaning and spelling and typing care are recommended.

6. Interview

The interview is an interrogation technique that is characterized by its interpersonal or

"face-to-face" application.

This is used in order to obtain information in a broad and detailed manner, which is why the
questions are usually open and applied to those who have data and experiences relevant to
the study.

When conducting an interview it is necessary to cultivate the art of listening, not only
hearing and remembering, but also "pretending to listen" through body language and eye
contact.

It is recommended not to judge the ideas of the interviewees and adapt to their norms or
living conditions. It is better to "take their side" to inspire their confidence and provide the
researcher with the necessary information.

The data obtained is recorded on field cards or, if possible, a recorder or video camera will
be used.

The interview is very useful for working on "life stories" or when specialized information is
required.

Finally, the interview can be structured or unstructured (the latter also called "free"
interview).

6.1 Structured interview

It is called structured when the interviewer previously prepares a guide of questions with
a defined order.
Carrying out this type of interview requires sufficient information about the topic or object of
study as well as clarity about the information required to achieve the objectives, that is,
knowing precisely what data you will need to collect through the interview.

Likewise, their use is recommended to apply them to specialists or "key informants" or,
when the interviewer does not have sufficient experience, in order to avoid losing the
objective of the interview.

6.2 Unstructured interview or "free"

This form of interview is used when there is not enough information on the topic or to carry
out an in-depth interview, that is, an interview that retrieves significant data about the
person as the conversation develops.

Although an objective is previously defined, the questions are formulated as the interview
process progresses, based on what the person being interviewed says.

The unstructured interview facilitates the expression of opinions and personal facts.
Information can be obtained about "how diverse subjects act and reconstruct the system of
social representations in their individual practices."

The interest of this type of interview, rather than the recording of facts, focuses on the direct
expression of the sender's attitude , of the emotion expressed as a reflection of his
subjectivity towards the research reference.

The information obtained with the help of this technique provides "meaningful guidance and
interpretation of the interviewee's experience. Orientation, deformation or interpretation that
is often more informatively interesting than the chronological or systematic presentation of
more or less factual events.

7. life stories

The life history technique collects people's stories as they arise; "They are made up of
stories that are produced with an intention: to create and transmit a personal or collective
memory, which refers to the ways of life of a community in a specific historical period."
In addition to people's memories, life stories are usually also constructed with the help of
letters, contemporary reports or newspaper descriptions to expand the information given by
the individual and have a parameter for comparison.

8. Discussion groups

Research with discussion groups is a qualitative practice. It is valuable insofar as the

group allows the individual's social discourse to be externalized.

The discussion groups serve as a complement to the in-depth interview, since collective
information is obtained from the former: "The groups do not provide us with knowledge
about behaviors, but about systems of representations in relation to the objects of study."

Pérez Adán explains that the procedure to follow in the discussion group technique

It consists of collecting a spoken text – through its literal reproduction on tape – that is the
result of the spontaneous expression of a group of participants, whose number ranges from
seven to ten members. [The researcher] attends as a non-directive observer to the group
meeting.

Finally, discussion groups, adds Pérez Adán (1997), are useful for obtaining information
about the social structure of subjects or groups based on their expressions of "social
position", as well as on their ideological orientations or latent structure of wishes.