ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the pre-fieldwork research plan, the realities of the field, and the resulting shifts in research objectives. It discusses the methods and procedures of data collection, advantages and disadvantages of being a “native” in the field, types of data, analysis of field data, research ethics, and the reliability of research findings. Initiation of anthropological field research involves a lengthy and complicated process. Selecting one village out of more than 37,000 as the author's research site seemed at the time to be the most difficult part of the fieldwork. The Grameen Bank policy strictly prohibits close ties between its workers and borrowers; workers are not allowed to accept either food or drinks from members of the credit program. The information from the field research was cross-checked on a regular basis to improve the reliability of the research findings. The gender of the researcher plays a significant role in the collection of information.
