Exercise 1. Documenting and using field research techniques

One of the goals of this course is to teach participants training approaches and techniques that can be used in field research and community consultations that they carry out in Thailand and eventually other parts of Southeast Asia. One way of achieving this goal is to have students record procedures and results in a training and research exercise booklet. During the course, we will write up some field exercises that could be edited for presentation on People and Plants Online, the website of the People and Plants Initiative. To begin this process, students are asked to fill in a simple outline for each exercise, with the following sections: name of exercise, tools, time needed, how to do it, references and an example with presentation of results.

For an eventual published version of the training and research manual, a more elaborate outline would be used. The format of this manual might include the following sections, some of which are optional. The heading of each section is followed by a short description to provide an idea of what kind of information should be recorded.

Name of Exercise: Provide a simple name that is already familiar (such as ‘ranking’ or ‘sorting’) or that all participants can come to recognize easily. Note any synonyms that other researchers use to refer to the same technique (for example, matrix ranking is called simply matrix by some trainers).

Time required: Although this parameter can be variable, it is good to let participants know approximately how long the technique will take; estimates can be ‘one hour’, ‘a relaxed afternoon’, or similar measures.

Required Tools: Many techniques need only simple materials, such as large sheets of paper and pens whereas others need specialized equipment, like plant presses, compasses or even GPS receivers. Whenever possible, suggest low-cost substitutes such as locally gathered materials (e.g. stones, different colors of soil, seeds, etc.).

Description: This is a simple definition or short explanation of the technique, often with reference to why and when it is used.

Background concepts: Sometimes, it is useful to provide some basic information for participants in the training course who are not familiar with a specific tool or concepts that is key to the exercise. For example, a description of the GPS satellite system is a useful background concept to explain for a session on recording latitude and longitude of a specific plant resource.

Useful facts: Accompanying the background concept, it helps to give some basic factual information that adds depth to participants’ understanding of a specific technique; for example, the number of GPS satellites in orbit around the earth.

Alternative or related methods: There are sometimes different techniques that can be used instead of or in addition to the technique being demonstrated. These techniques can be recommended as alternatives, or as ways to verify information from the technique under study. For example, pairwise comparison can be compared with the results of preference ranking to see if there is consistency in respondents answers. Note variations that make the technique more participatory, or more scientifically rigorous.

Applications: This essentially describes why researchers use the technique: under what circumstances, in order to obtain what type or data or to answer what type of question.

How to do it: After all of the above information, this is the real heart of the method, a step by step description of how to carry out the technique. In writing down the ‘recipe’ participants begin to think through how they could use the technique in the future.

Tips: Experienced field researchers often come up with recommendations of how to resolve difficulties in using techniques, or how to modify methods for use under different circumstances. It is valuable to record this advice for novices.

Helpful Illustrations: Many methods manuals, ‘lessons learned’ documents and field exercise books contain illustrations that can help explain the technique to participants in training courses or respondents in field research projects. Alternately, make your own illustrations – which may be more appropriate in the local context – from training and research experiences.

Example: There is no better way to drive home a lesson that giving an example. Descriptions of how a technique has been applied in the past can be drawn from published sources or your own experiences.

References: Note references where additional information or perspectives on the technique can be found. Some good sources – though they can be difficult to find – include:

IIRR. 1996. Recording and Using Indigenous Knowledge: A Manual. Silang, Cavite, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction.

Rastogi, Ajay. 1999. Methods in Applied Ethnobotany: Lessons from the Field. Discussion Paper Series No. MNR 99/1. Kathmandu, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Develoment.

Selener, Daniel, Nelly Endara and José Carvajal. 1999. Participatory Rural Appraisal and Planning Workbook. Quito, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction

Useful Addresses: Whether mailing or Internet addresses, try to include information on where useful tools, books and other materials can be purchased.

Prepared by: Give yourself and others in the training course credit by recording the ‘authors’ of the write-up of each field exercise.

As we learn various techniques during the course of this training workshop, record as much detail about the methods as possible. This will ensure that you can use the techniques on future occasions and teach them to others.

BACK