Wikipedia
defines fieldwork as “the collection of information outside a laboratory,
library or workplace setting”. This definition does not exclude any site in the
real sense. Information research can happen everywhere, be it physical or
virtual. The size of a research field could be large as a whole country or
small as a lab room. In my opinion, the concept of “field” is absent in
fieldwork. Seldom do researchers bother about the “rightness” of a place to
work as a site for fieldwork. What really matters are the practicality of the
field in producing data needed, the accuracy of data and the quality of interpretation.
A valid site needs to provide credible data, or create an environment in which
reliable data could be collected, which will then be built into precise models.
And the quality of that interpretation depends on the intellectual virtue of
researchers.
So the
question is, how do we guarantee the credibility of data and the validity of
your interpretation?
Researchers
have come up with many methods, both qualitative and quantitative, to ensure
the efficiency and accuracy of their data. There are even studies on the
effectiveness of these data gathering methods. Meanwhile, a variety of software
has been developed for data analysis, most of which have dauntingly fancy names
such as Qiqqa, Aquad, or Nudist.
All of
these are fabulous, of course. But from my perspective, they are only part of
the process. They guide us to the ultimate end---the truth in phenomena. But
they are not, and will never be, the end.
And
still there is the issue of proper field for fieldwork. Is it absolutely
essential for a researcher exploring into the current situation of Chinese copyrights
to step on the land of China? For another example, does a judge on a murder
case have to go to the crime scene to make the objective and fair ruling? I
really doubt that.
Reference
Data
Gathering Methods. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://people.uwec.edu/piercech/ResearchMethods/Data%20collection%20methods/DATA%20COLLECTION%20METHODS.htm
Top 14
Free Qualitative Data Research Software. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.predictiveanalyticstoday.com/top-free-qualitative-data-analysis-software/
Kathryn
Demps. (2014, September 25). Ethnographic Fieldwork [Video file] Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkS33d4eBns
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