In the field
Marjorie Henry, Contributor

As I had promised in the last lesson, my focus today is on obtaining data for the field study. This can be done in a group or singly. If you choose to work with a group, in the end, each member must write an individual report. Let me state at the outset that the report should be, for the most part, based on primary data rather than secondary data. To ensure this, you will have to obtain the information essentially by your own effort. This includes conducting interviews, administering questionnaires, doing observations in the field, in short, the different methods listed in the guidelines for completion of the strategy sheet.

Interviews and questionnaires are sometimes used interchangeably. Questions relevant to your topic and to realise your aim as well must be compiled for these. Preferably, they should be short and structured carefully so that the responses are clear. This means, of course, that you must avoid ambiguity in structuring them. Do not have too many questions. In fact, it has been recommended that 10 to 12 questions are adequate.

It is advisable to conduct your interviews with different persons. If, for example, you are looking at problems in an industry, you should interview both members of the workforce and management. This will enable you to have varying views on the matter and, in the end, a wider perspective of the situation. May I encourage you to read more on the preparation of a questionnaire/interview schedule from the suggested textbooks already given.

Since you are doing a field study report, it follows then that field trips would be absolutely necessary. I would strongly recommend that you go on field trips organised by your teacher rather than going by yourself. This is, by and large, for your own protection and safety. There is some amount of preparation that must be done before going on a field trip. The list includes the following:

• Contact must first be made with the place or places of interest that will provide the information for you. For example, this may be to an office to interview someone in a managerial position or to interview workers at a factory. Permission must be sought to visit that place in order to collect data on an agreed date and time.
• Have all the equipment you think you will need to record the information you will be given. For example, your notepad on a clipboard or notebook; pens, pencils and rulers; a tape recorder maybe; a camera, and so on.
• Depending on the nature of the study, you may need a large-scale map of the area.
• Wear suitable clothing and footwear.
• Go through the different sources of literature relevant to the topic to inform you of what to expect in the field.
• There are certain things that you need to be doing on the field trip.
• Record the date you collected the data and the place(s) you went.
• Do field sketches, maps and diagrams relevant to the study. These maps would be different from the location maps mentioned in the checklist. I will share with you on these later.
• Do careful and accurate note taking. The data you collect should allow you to develop illustrations for your study. To satisfy the requirements of the study, you must have at least THREE different illustrations. I will discuss these in subsequent lessons.
• Ask questions relevant to your research question as well as to assist you in doing a proper analysis. Bear in mind that what is collected in the field can either concur with or be used as a critique for what you read in the different sources of literature. If, for example, you are doing the research question on the effects of deforestation and you may have read that:

'Forests protect the soil from the direct impact of rainfall. They provide a litter layer which controls rainsplash, and the tree roots bind the soil particles together. It can, therefore, be expected that the removal of forest cover ... will lead to increased erosion.'

(Source: Modern Caribbean Geography - John Niles)

If when you are in the field you observe that thin, loose soils are present in areas where trees have been removed, in your analysis you can indicate that the literature concurred with your observation.

Collect as much relevant information as you can in the field, as prescribed by your aim. It is far better to have too much information than too little. If it is the latter, you may have to return to the study area for more information.

Marjorie Henry is an independent contributor. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com