Exercise 2. Ethnobotanical data and plant collecting

Name of exercise: Strengths and weaknesses of qualitative methods of ethnobotanical data and plant collecting

Tools: Manila paper and marking pens

Time needed: Approximately two hours

Description: A simple, in-classroom exercise to explore how much participants already know about qualitative ethnobotanical methodology, and to have them gain experience in strategic thinking about research design.

How to do it: At its simplest, the exercise can be carried out by having individuals or small groups fill out the table presented in the example below, and then discuss the results.

A participatory way of carrying out this exercise is to use the "strengths and weaknesses" approach described on pages 65 – 67 of Recording and Using Indigenous Knowledge: A Manual. The approach is defined as a group exercise to list and explain the strengths and weaknesses of a practice, event or technology, with the goal of improving it or applying it correctly. Because of its usefulness as a planning tool and a way of planning follow-up activities, this technique is particularly appropriate for participatory research design. In its simplest form, the exercise leader makes a four-column table on Manila paper, labeling the first column plus "+", the third column minus "-" and the second and fourth columns why? Participants suggest qualitative methods, help to fill out the table for each technique mentioned, and discuss the results.

A more elaborate version of the strengths and weaknesses exercise – also adapted from Recording and Using Indigenous Knowledge – follows a series of seven steps in which participants: (1) define a particular type of ethnobotanical data they might wish to collect, or a hypothesis they wish to test; (2) identify a method or technique that can be used for the data collection; (3) suggest bibliographical sources that describe the technique and how to use it; (4) list the strengths and weaknesses of the practice; (5) suggest improvements to the method, such as techniques from other fields that could be used to modify it; (6) explore how these modifications could affect the use of the technique; and (7) decide if the technique is suitable for other applications in the broad, multidisciplinary field of ethnobotany.

Example: All methods have strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages. In order to review the range of techniques used in ethnobotany, and to gain an understanding of how to combine various techniques, fill in the following table individually or in small groups.

References:

Alexiades, M.N. 1996. Selected Guidelines for Ethnobotanical Research: A Field Manual. New York, The New York Botanical Garden.

Bernard, H. R. (1994) Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 2^nd edition. Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications. Chapter 2. The foundations of social research, Chapter 3. Anthropology and research design, Chapter 4. Sampling.

Caniango, I. and S.F. Siebert. 1998. Medicinal plant ecology, knowledge and conservation in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Economic Botany 52:229-250.

Given, D.R. and W. Harris. 1994. Techniques and Methods of Ethnobotany. London, The Commonwealth Secretariat.

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

Martin, G. 1995. Ethnobotany. London, Chapman and Hall.

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.

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