Field research, the collection of information outside of a lab or workplace setting, requires skills and knowledge that are not typically taught in the classroom. Fieldwork demands exploratory inquisitiveness, empathy to encourage interview subjects to trust the researcher, and sufficient aptitude to work professionally and return home safely. The Field Researcher's Handbook provides a practical guide to planning and executing fieldwork and presenting the results. David Danelo has written this book based on his experience conducting field research in over fifty countries as well as from teaching others a holistic approach to field research. His knowledge of how to be observant and operate safely in any environment was further enhanced by his time as a combat veteran in the US Marine Corps. This book introduces the skills that new researchers will need in the field, including anthropology, travel logistics planning, body language recognition, interview preparation, storytelling, network development, and situational awareness. Danelo also discusses ethical considerations and how to recognize personal biases. This handbook intended for researchers in a variety of academic disciplines but also government, think-tank, and private-sector researchers.

A Handbook for Social Science Field Research: Essays & Bibliographic Sources on Research Design and Methods provides both novice and experienced scholars with valuable insights to a select list of critical texts pertaining to a wide array of social science methods useful when doing fieldwork. Through essays on ethnography to case study, archival research, oral history, surveys, secondary data analysis, and ethics, this refreshing new collection offers "tales from the field" by renowned scholars across various disciplines. Key Features: Offers real life guidance: Personal "tales from the field" by renowned social science scholars exemplify how fieldwork requires adaptation, adoption, and flexibility with regards to methodological approaches. In addition, thoughtful commentaries on how to conduct research and pursue a research career in the social sciences offer guidance on making difficult research and career choices. Highlights vital bibliographic references: Bibliographies of critical texts help guide researchers as they broaden their methodological approaches and develop their research skills. This is not your ordinary reference list, but a compilation of the top classics and current, but soon-to-be classics, in the field of social science research. Addresses ethical concerns: Discussions of ethical concerns are presented throughout the collection, as well as a stand-alone essay on ethical considerations in field-based research. Explicit attention throughout the collection to ethical concerns is rare among methodology texts, but required as field work becomes more complex and concerns about human subjects′ safety grow. Intended Audience: Ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate social science methods courses, where there is a growing demand for multiple methods or mixed methods training; as well as a perfect, lightweight handbook for all researchers and professionals interested in having a comprehensive collection of bibliographic information for social science research

These engaging accounts by masters of field research illustrate the synthesis of passionate involvement and objective analysis. An informative and inspiring collection for students and professional social scientists. (Cynthia Fuchs Epstein Distinguished Professor of Sociology City University of New York). This revised, edited volume brings together personal accounts by a group of noted ethnographic researchers to examine the natural history of participant observation. An ideal supplemental text for methods courses, In The Field is designed to give students a sense of what it is actually like to conduct ethnographic research. As the selections show, field researchers must struggle to gain acceptance by the group under study but then often become deeply involved in the lives of the people and at times are forced into a reexamination of their own values. By learning how social scientists conduct research under field conditions and how they feel while they are doing it, students will be better prepared to carry out successful field research projects of their own.

An authoritative guide to the problems and procedures associated with data collection and analysis in field research.

This text contains a collection of essays and bibliographies providing both novice and experienced scholars with invaluable and accessible insights, as well as references to a select list of critical texts pertaining to a wide array of social science methods and practices useful when doing fieldwork.

Stories from the Field is a relatable, thoughtful, and unorthodox guide to field research in political science. It features personal stories from working political scientists: some funny, some dramatic, all fascinating and informative.