FIELDWORK

PROCEDURE
Fieldwork
General descriptive term for the collection
of raw data. The term is mainly used in
the natural and social sciences studies. It is more
technically known to scientific
methodologists as field research.
INTRODUCTION
1. Fieldwork involves –
Selection,
Training,
Supervision
Evaluation of individuals
who collect data in the field.
2.It is a costly and difficult step in the
research process.
Data collection is mostly by the
interview process-by telephone
or by observation.

3.Fieldwork organizations have a

central location from which they
can do telephone interviews
nationwide maintaining a full-time
staff of interviewers who are
well trained and experienced.
Training

Involves instruction on using the computer as

well as on the project itself.
Supervisor observes the work of individual
interviewers on a master screen.
2.Training of field-workers
- Training is usually done by mail.
- Training program consists of written
instructions.
- Based on asking questioning, obtaining
and recording accurate answers
Contd…
Personal Interviewing
1.Developing Job-specifications
- Deciding on the characteristics the field-
workers should have, trying to find interviewers
with those characteristics.

- Recruiting is often done with the help of

local sources such as newspapers and educational
institutions.
PROCESSES INVOLVED
Telephone Interviewing
1. Video screening of questionnaire:-
Paper questionnaire is replaced with a
video screen.
This procedure has the advantage of
controlling the questionnaire and having the
data entered in the computer directly so that
the results can be summarized.
Fieldwork – Data Collection

Methods of
recording

Field notes
Tape-recorder
Video camera
 Pretests
Pretests are trial runs with a group of
respondents for the purpose of detecting
problems in a questionnaire’s instruction
or design.
\\3 basic ways to pretest//

1 and 2 involves screening the

questionnaire with other research
professionals;
3 the one most frequently referred to
as ‘pretesting’- a trial run with a
group of respondents.
Ethical issues in survey
research
Many ethical issues apply
especially to survey research, such
as respondent’s right to privacy;
the use of deception; respondent’s
right to be informed about the
purpose of the research; the need
for confidentiality; the need for
honesty in collecting data; and the
need for objectivity in reporting
data.
 IN – House training for
inexperienced interviewers

o How to make initial contact with the

respondent and secure the interview
o How to ask survey questions
o How to probe
o How to record responses
o How to terminate the interview
 Making Initial Contact

Interviewers are trained to

make appropriate opening
remarks that will convince the
person that his or her
cooperation is important
 Asking the questions

5 Major principles

 Ask the questions exactly as they are worded in the

questionnaire
 Read each question very slowly
 Ask the questions in the order in which they are
presented in the questionnaire
 Ask every question specified in the questionnaire
 Repeat questions that are misunderstood or
misinterpreted
Probing
General training of interviewers should
include instructions on how to probe when
respondents give no answers, incomplete
answers, or no answers.

Probing tactics
Repetition of question
An expectant pause
Repetition of the respondent’s reply
Neutral questions or comments.
 Recording the responses

Record records during the

interview
Use the respondent’s own words
Don not summarize or paraphrase
the respondent’s answer
Include everything that pertains
to the question objectives
Include all of your probes
Terminating the
interview
Contd…

3. Commencement of fieldwork
- The interviewers need to be supervised.
- To ensure that they are proceeding on schedule
- Needs to keep control on the day-to-day field
operations.
- A verification check is made.
- Work of each interviewer is then evaluated.
COMPLEXITIES IN FIELDWORK
1) Expensive to do good-quality fieldwork in door-to-
door interviewing.
2) Some errors may happens from respondent side.
Errors of two type
A) Intentional errors
Like false hood , non response etc.
B) Unintentional errors
Like misunderstanding, fatigue, attention loss etc.
THANK YOU