Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
day, because the fieldworker enters these data into the computer only once,
during or immediately after an interview. These notes can be expanded and
revised with ease. The files can be sorted and analyzed on the laptop or trans-
ferred from the laptop to a personal computer or mainframe. If transferred,
these files can then be merged with other field data, forming a highly organized
(dated and cross-referenced), cumulative record of the fieldwork.
Laptops also provide the ethnographer with an opportunity to interact with
participants at critical analytical moments. Ethnographers can share and revise
notes, spreadsheets, and graphs with participants on the spot. I routinely ask
participants to review my notes and memoranda as a way to improve the accu-
racy of my observations and to sensitize me to their concerns. We also produce
bar charts and other graphic representations of the data together, providing an
immediate cross-check on the preliminary analysis. Laptops enable partici-
pants to provide immediate feedback and play with the variables to see the
possibilities—for example, removing one group from the picture, substituting
one for another, or merging groups or funds together. The ethnographer learns
much about the participant's values from this type of thoughtful play with the
data. The types of combinations that are acceptable to the participant provide
a useful insight into the participant's views.
The laptop computer is not a panacea, but it is a real time-saver and is par-
ticularly useful in contract research. An ethnographer who conducts multisite
research can carry a laptop to the sites and send files to a server or to a home
computer. Laptops also greatly facilitate communication from the field to the
research center through interactive electronic-mail systems. I often attach my
field notes to e-mail letters while in the field. This allows me to back up my
work by sending it to myself and to share my notes with colleagues on a mul-
tisite project. When sharing field notes, I code my data, use pseudonyms, and
limit distribution of my notes to protect key actors and ensure confidentiality.
Laptops have drawbacks, of course, as any equipment does. Machines fail,
and backing up data is critical, but often neglected. Batteries discharge, and it
is wise to purchase an extra one for long interviews or plane trips. Fieldworkers
must learn about the operating system and the programs. They must configure
the computer properly with enough memory and storage. The ethnographer
must also possess enough patience to work through bugs, viruses, slow-downs,
and crashes. Surge protectors are required when using a desktop computer, but
many colleagues forget that the same safety precaution should be applied to lap-
tops to protect the machine and the data. I always carry a small surge protec-
tor with me. I was thankful that I checked with electric bulletin board
colleagues before venturing forth to work in South Africa. My colleagues
reminded me that my surge protector would work only for 110-voltage lines
and that the standard in Africa was 220 V. It was a valuable reminder: I might
