This presentation is about the three phases of research in social sciences. Primarily, it addresses the fieldwork or data collection phase. Students of Anthropology, Sociology, Gender Studies, Economics, Social Work, and other relevant discipline may find some guideline for their thesis writings. It is just an outline developed in context of the university students in Pakistan. It is an interim version and requires further additions and amendments. ( 2014)

1. Research Matters
(Thesis in Social Sciences and Humanities)
Sajjad Haider
Fieldwork Supervisor
Department of Anthropology
Quaid-i-Azam University
Islamabad
0092-51-9064-3190
sajjadhaider786@gmail.com
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2. Sequence
• Phases in Research
Before Fieldwork
Fieldwork
After Fieldwork

3. Before Fieldwork
• Selection of Topic
• Selection of Supervisor
• Selection of Locale
( Anthropologist, Sociologists, Social Work,
Development Studies, Economics etc)

4. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Topic
• Confusion is Blessing: Congratulations if you
are confused; it means that you have a curious
mind. Avail this frustration and rewarding
mental-stress for Brain-storming.
• Look for the relevant friends with whom you
can talk on this subject.
(Class fellows, Seniors, Professionals,
Organizations, Teachers/ Supervisors )

5. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Topic
SOCIAL NETWORKING for Academic Purposes
with Like-minded people
• Make a contact list of friends and find them
on internet.
(Facebook Friends and Pages/ Groups, Academia,
Researchgate, Linkedin, twitter, wordpress,
Google Plus, yahoo groups, blogspot, skype, can
also help you if you can manage time and
interaction with your virtual friends . You may
find a novel idea of research from a friend. Also
someone’s research interests aspire you to )

6. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Topic
• SOCIAL NETWORKING for Academic Purposes
• Learn the Art of Correspondence;
• (write a good Email, SMS and Formal Telephone Call,
Skype, Web Chat )
• 7Cs of effective Communication
(1)Clear (2) Concise (3) Correct (4) Concrete (5)Complete
(6) Coherent (7)Courteous
• Also follow the formal procedure of appointment before
meeting a senior and inform him/her about the purpose
of the meeting. Always go with a note book and pen to
take notes. It is advisable to meet a mentor with some
preliminary work and request for comments. Seek
advice on literature on the topic.

7. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Topic
• BRAIN STORMING
• Sources of Inspirations
• Course work, Class Lectures and Discussions,
Books, Readings, Blogs, Journal Articles, Library,
e-books, Thesis Catalogue/ Abstracts, Research
Institutions / Organizations News Letters,
Reports, International University Programs,
Research Clusters, Faculty and Professional’s
Academic Profiles, Electronic and Print Media
• SOCIETY

8. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Topic
• Note down all Raw Ideas, Random Thoughts,
Suggestions in a note book that you may call IDEAS-
BANK.
(Keep on depositing new thoughts :)
• Articulate your Ideas
• Narrow Down and Trim Additional Information
• Remember that your topic is on the top of a pyramid
and rest all ideas are there to reach there.
Variety of ideas are helpful but you need to be focused
and avoid distraction.

9. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Topic
• Articulation of Ideas
• Identify your Aptitude
• Broader Areas of Specialization within the core
discipline (For example, Anthropology of
Globalization)
• Identify Themes / Your interests in the broader
thematic areas ( Media and Globalization)
• What, Why , When, Why, How? Can help you in
narrowing down your focus.

10. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Topic
• Tentative Titles
• Most of the researchers waste their time in
phrasing the title at the beginning. At this stage
you need only a functional title ( Area of
investigation) that you will refine gradually after
your discussions with your potential supervisor
(s).
• Discuss the topic (s) with your supervisor and
start developing research proposal for your
thesis.

11. Before Fieldwork: Research Proposal
• Research Proposal is critical important for your thesis.
Invest time in it and be thankful if your supervisor
warns you and mark it red. Learn from your mistakes
and develop as many drafts as you can as it’s the
foundation of your thesis.
• A good PhD research proposal takes up to one year.
M. Phil and Master’s research proposals take up to six
months.
• Start working on different elements of your research
proposal during your course work and during vocations
especially review of relevant literature.

12. Before Fieldwork: Research Proposal
• A quality research proposal should cover the following;
• Introduction / Background Information
• Objectives of the Study/ Research Question (s)/
Hypothesis
• Review of Literature/ Theoretical Framework
• Research Methodology and Tools of Data Collection
• Locale (s) and Sampling
• Significance of the Study
• * Different programs and institutions may require
additional information like timeline, budgeting etc.
Please follow the guideline of your institution or
department.

13. Before Fieldwork: Review of Literature
• Review of Literature
• Libraries ( Please come out of your comfort zone
and be willing to travel to at least a few public
libraries within your city. Enjoy this traveling and
interaction with different people there. )
• Online friends/ Research Groups are very helpful
in finding articles, e-books and other resources.
Avail your social networking skills for finding
academic resources.

14. Before Fieldwork:
Selection of Supervisor
• Try to know the research interests of the your
proposed supervisor (s)
• You can find it from his/her CV, Online Public
profile on university website, etc
• See his/her Publications , Projects, Courses
•

15. Before Fieldwork: Selection of Locale
• For anthropological and sociological studies
locale is very important.
• Some topics are locale-specific and the data is
dependent upon the geographical position so
give it due considerations.
• It is mostly exciting to do fieldwork in a new
culture but not always.

16. (2)FIELDWORK
• Fieldwork is often a requirement to most of
the discipline. For anthropology it is a primary
requisite. The information in coming slides will
be primarily addressing the needs of
anthropologists, others may also find them
helpful.

17. Fieldwork Preparation
• Fieldwork Preparation
• Physical and Mental Preparation
• Get basic information about the weather, culture and
people of your proposed locale. It will help you prepare
your luggage and to manage your budget for traveling
and stay there. Also take information on health and
other basic facilities that you will require for your short
or long term stay in the field. Since the anthropologists
have to stay for long time so they should be more careful
on it. They should learn the language of natives or to
manage some interpreter/ translator.
• Be excited for the fieldwork instead taking it as a burden.

18. Fieldwork Preparation
• Travel Luggage / Bags / Dress and Shoes
according to weather
• Stationary
• Camera and other technical gadget/
batteries/chargers/ mobile phones
• Transportation/ Routes / Timings / Important
places/ Bus Stops/ Some Contacts
• Food and Water

19. Fieldwork:
Landing in Locale of Research
• I suggest that if the students of other disciplines may
also follow the field adaptation techniques from
anthropology then it will help them too in collecting in-
depth data.
• Adaptation and Going-native for participant
observation to acquire an emic or indigenous
perspective.
• Personal Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Friendly Behavior / Rapport Building
• Research Ethics/ Respect local culture and traditions
• Respect the schedules and routines of the people and
adjust your appointments according to their comfort.
Do not impose your presence or interest upon them.

20. Fieldwork: Data Collection
• Use different tools of data collection according to
the situation you are in. These can be different
than those you have mentioned in your research
proposal.
• Validate the information
• FGDs, In-depth interview, Questionnaire, Census
form
• Audio-visual documentation follow the research
ethics and take the permissions

21. (3) After Fieldwork: Saving Data
• Save your field data at different places to avoid
any loss.
• Digital data is more prone to damage. So save it
at different disks and inboxes , online data
storage like dropbox, google drive, mail inbox,
clouds etc.
• Keep photocopy or scanned images of the data
on papers
• Immediately feed the quantitative entries in
the software you will be using for data analysis.

22. (3) After Fieldwork:
Data Analysis and Writing
• Analyze the data with frequent discussions with your
supervisor. It is the time where you will need his/her
mentoring.
• Always meet your supervisor with an appointment and
with something to comment on in written form.
• Note down the guidance and incorporate it into your
research.
• Use the data analysis software with great care and get
command on its usage before analyzing the data.
• Don’t repeat the mistakes

23. (3) After Fieldwork:
Data Analysis and Writing
• Outline your thesis and its chapters according
to your objectives of the research
• Outline the headings and sub-headings with
chapters
• Insert tables, graphs, Pictures wit captions
• DEVELOP MASTER LIST OF CITATION IN MS.
WORDS (2007 VERSION & ONWARD)

24. (3) After Fieldwork:
Data Analysis and Writing
• Develop first draft of the thesis / chapters
• Correct and re-write it after supervisor’s
suggestions and develop the second draft and
the third draft
• You may get help of competent editor for
correction of grammatical mistakes. (Learn
“Writing Process” to improve your writing
skills.

25. For Queries
Sajjad Haider
Fieldwork Supervisor
Department of Anthropology
Quaid-i-Azam University
Islamabad
0092-51-9064-3190
sajjadhaider786@gmail.com
Facebook.com/sajjadhaider786
Slideshare.net/sajjadhaider786
Plus.google.com/SajjadHaider786
(Search Tags)
“Urging People To Excel”
#upte, #UrgingPeopleToExcel, #Anthropologyqau