3 Selection of Basic Research Methods Selecting the correct type from the different research methods can bea little daunting. ‘There are so many research methods to choose from. A brief outline of different methods merits and demerits is explained in this chapter. and their featur w 1. Field Study Afield study refers to research that is undertaken in the real world in a natural setting. It involves collecting data outside a laboratory, library, or workplace setting. The across disciplines. For example, biologists conducting approaches used in field study vary field study may simply observe animals interacting with their environments. On the other hand, social scientists who are involved in field study may interview or observe people in their natural environments to learn their languages, folklore, and social structures. Field study is generally regarded as an initial form of research because the data collected is specific only t0 the purpose for which it was collected. Therefore, itis not applicable to the general public. goal of field research is to under group of interest to the researcher, stand daily life from the perspectives of A prima people in a setting or social ir research questions, field researchers collect data primarily through To answer thei itions using sight, sound, touch, systematic observations and interactions. In fact, observa are crucial to this type of research. taste, and smell tcgory of non-experimental designs where the In brief, field studies belong to the ca researcher uses what already exists in the environment. © Components of a Field Research and Aldrich, major components ofa field study research are According to Lounsbury as follows: (i) Stating the problem definition, (ii) Defining the study area rr)