I just read Babbie's "Qualitative Field Research and Research Design" and learned the answer to this question.
I've been involved in quantitative research methods and abstract thinking throughout my college experience, but Babbie highlights a point in his writing that makes it evident field work is sometimes the only way you can come to a real answer. He comments "Clearly we could not have discovered the nature and strength of agreements... except through field research... Only going out into life, doing it, and watching what happened gave us an accurate picture."
This method of learning (through field research) seems like a very real analysis and like it involves a great deal of observation and good questions. I'm glad for all the material we read in class, since it really helps me understand what kind of perspective I'm going to need to have for going out in the field.
Something I'm considering studying in Ghana are the ways that the education system in Wiamoase is benefited by humanitarian or developmental efforts and what the effects of that help has on the students' perspective and attitude about their community and the direction of their future. I'm curious to know if they feel more empowered to migrate from the community, or if there are any other results of the education.
Because of this article, I can see that I should consider the people I would interview, and how I would need to be involved in either the school system or with someone involved in the effort. I would need to ask questions of others about what they think about the effort and if they've noticed an influence on the community. I think I can shape what I want to study into a field research experience and reading this article has helped me figure out how to do that better, as well as helped me see the constraints that might be on my research topic.
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