ABSTRACT
The previous chapters have made it clear that this book records some of the results of an inter-disciplinary research project which operated in parts of North Arcot District, Tamil Nadu and of Hambantota and Moneragala Districts, Sri Lanka; and that our field methods involved both rigorous sample surveys and village studies in depth. The purpose of the present chapter is to describe our research methodology in such a way that the reader may understand how we arrived at our data and what their reliability and limitations are. It does not, however, deal with our methodology in the detail or at the depth that would, for example, be required in a comprehensive guide to field methods for future surveys: that purpose will, we hope, be fulfilled in other publications.
