Tracy Notes, Ch. 4

Tracy, Qualitative Research Methods

Chapter 4: “Fieldwork and fieldplay: Negotiating access and exploring the scene”

A participant observation primer

            Participant observation is a way of generating knowledge through participation within a group, organization, place, or culture. It involves watching, interacting, and asking questions. Tracy advocates the use of the term “fieldplay,” because often there is much to be learned through creativity, curiosity, improvisation, and playfulness. Despite this, research must be systematically planned out, and the researcher must always be mindful. It is important to not only study people, but also to learn from/with people. This comes through looking at three aspects of human experience: what people do/cultural behavior, what people know/cultural knowledge, and what people make and use/cultural artifacts.

Knock, knock, knocking on participants’ doors: negotiating access

            One of the most important parts of qualitative research is finding people who are willing to let you in, and therefore, such people are participants rather than subjects. Researchers study with such people, not conduct research on them. The process of gaining entry is a continual and time-consuming part of the research. One way of getting around this is to study places where you are already a member. Another is to begin by working with someone who has credibility in the group, organization, or culture, who can essentially vouch for you. Researchers can also take advantage of family and friend networks. Tracy advocates making contact information logs so that you can stay on top of who you know and what access they can provide you.

            Getting into a scene often requires the permission of a gatekeeper. There are challenges not only in negotiating entrance with this person, but also in identifying them in the first place. We should be conscious of how we present ourselves and our project, particularly emphasizing beneficial frames. This can be done through an access proposal, a document that pitches the project to the gatekeepers.

            Working in virtual environments presents certain challenges as well. Even if a site is public, that does not mean that one should not announce their presence. It is also considered a poor practice to take up textual harvesting—simply copying others’ words for use in research.

Abandoning the ego, engaging embodiment, embracing liminality

            One does not need to become an expert on a subject before beginning in a study. In fact, Tracy suggests a “mindful state of ignorance.” Researchers must be comfortable abandoning the prestige, language, and ego of being an academic before entering the scene. Field research can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining, and so researchers must find ways to deal with possible exhaustion. Fieldwork is also notably an embodied experience, which differentiates it from the body-less quantitative methods. We must be reflexive about our bodies, whether we are presenting ourselves as is or dressed to fit the scene. This is where some elements of liminality can enter—the feeling of being between two states. It is an ambiguous place, but it can become normalized for researchers.

Navigating those first few visits

            The first few visits can be plagued with anxiety, but they are also a good opportunity for rich field notes. In the beginning, everything is interesting. Some researchers believe that, once the scene begins to feel natural, it is time to move on. It is important to ask questions, but be tactful at the same time. The way that participants react to you early in the process can also be good data. After all, it is an example of how they deal with outsiders.

            The act of negotiating access is one that is ongoing; even after the initial gatekeeper lets you in, you are still evaluated tacitly by every member of the group that you encounter. One of the best ways to work through a group of people is to begin with those who are marginalized and move up the hierarchical ladder. This, however, leads to the tension of first having to be approved of by those in power and then immediately working with those who don’t have power. This can be mediated by introducing yourself rather than having someone in power introduce you. It is always important to gain informed consent. This is not compulsory in public settings, but it absolutely is in private settings.

Exploratory methods

Briefing interviews and participant information table

            A briefing interview “records information gathered as you informally meet with a series of gatekeepers and other participants, invite questions, and ask advice as you move forward.” A participant information table includes real names of participants, pseudonyms, names of the subgroups a participant is associated with, positions in the group, key demographic characteristics, whether the participant was observed, whether they were interviewed, whether they were involved in other data collection, contact phone number, address, or email, and whether they had been involved in follow-up.

Member diaries

            These are particularly useful when working with a population that isn’t in a specific geographical location. The researcher asks the participants to record specific behaviors.

Public documents/artifacts

            These can include websites, brochures, pamphlets, advertisements, technological equipment, toys, furniture, or artwork. Fieldwork then gives the opportunity to see how these artifacts are used on a daily basis. They can also provide history and information about rules, policies, and requirements.

Maps and narrative tours

            Tours “offer you an opportunity to attune to the surroundings, understand the people who inhabit different spaces, discover the group’s history, and learn how you might best embody your participant observation role.”