Practical aspects of field research
Tóm tắt
Research in an open setting requires that the researcher become well acquainted with the resources of the agency in order to determine the feasibility of his research design. In many instances agency resources do not meet the requirements of a research design. In such cases the research questions to be asked must be reconceptualized or another location must be sought for the study. In field research the investigators must emphasize the service aspects of the project. All parts and phases of a research study are interrelated and, indeed, each depends on the successful implementation of the others. However, experiences associated with the writers' own research in a typical social work agency suggest that the following considerations are especially improtant for the successful execution of a field study: assessment of agency characteristics with resultant negotiations and contractual clarifications; the development of appropriate and operational collaborative relationships including coordinative ones; the creation and sustenance of positive attitudes toward research; the selection and utilization of proper semantic terminology; the assurance of equal treatment for all relevant parties, including supervisors; and the implementation of crucial methodological procedures, such as baseline periods. An initial understanding of such considerations is necessary for all practitioners, administrators, and researchers who would engage in joint investigative endeavors.
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