ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors discuss the specific data collection procedures used in their work in a larger historical frame. They consider the various ways in which other scholars have studied children's literacy development at home and at school and how these methods influenced their own methodological choices. Within either naturalistic or analogue research orientations, data collection procedures can be direct or indirect. By direct, the authors mean that the data are derived from the participants' actual behaviors and language. Studying children at home is difficult but also very important given the influence of home and community on children's school performance. Given the difficulties with direct, naturalistic observations in the home, it is not surprising that researchers have explored the use of indirect techniques. By indirect, the authors mean collecting naturalistic information without actually being at the research site. Direct naturalistic methods for studying children's school-based literacy present some of the same problems as does conducting research in the home.
