Chapter 10 of the Bedford Researcher is titled "Searching for Information with Field Research Methods". Some key questions include when and how to conduct field research. This chapter opens the mind of the writer to think outside the box. It introduces the idea of gathering information beyond not only research articles, books, and other common resources, but to use interviews in order to gain first hand information on their topic.
Interviews can bring valuable information that is not found during the conventional way of doing research using printed materials. A question-and-answer format or free-flowing discussion can be done using various ways of communication, not just face to face. Talking to others can about your topic can help you gain a personal perspective that just reading published works cannot do. Deciding what to ask is important and you will want to limit your number of questions to get more powerful material. Be prepared with follow-up questions. Last of all, you want to be flexible. You will want to scrutinize the information you have personally gathered just as you would the sources you have gathered in the traditional sense.
The chapter also covers how to conduct observations of events, working on surveys, and collecting information through correspondence.
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